Category: Freelancing

Assume the Position

I know what you’re thinking, but no, it’s not that. What I’m talking about is putting oneself in the financial position to make money. Not something that I’ve thought about until the last couple of years in my professional life. Everything I’ve learned about being an entrepreneur came from reading books, attending a one-off workshop, watching videos and doing a lot of trial and error. Result: spending $3 to make $2.

On occasion, I’d take stock of my life and analyze what wasn’t working since I’m a Virgo and analyzing is one of the things we do best. Then, I’d strategize about how I could tweak, pivot, or out-right change to improve my situation.

This philosophy stood out to me because for all of my forays into entrepreneurship, I’ve thought that as long as I’ve tried to put out the best product as possible, regardless of what that product was, then the money would flow in. Ha! Quality control and cash flow are two different things.

The challenge with a simple truth is its deception. As much as I wholeheartedly agree with getting out of my own way to allow financial stability to flow, I still pine for my financial path to be lined with things that motivate me to leap out of bed, stir my creative juices, and make me lose all sense of time. What position must I assume in that case?

Mad Move Out Money

Back in the summer of 2010 when I moved into my present apartment, cable and internet were free.  That was the enticement for moving in, besides location. After about three or four years, I had to pay a $50 internet/cable fee upon apartment lease renewal. That still felt virtually free.

Enter the latest Property Manager/Leasing Agent, whatever her official title, La Jefa (the woman boss). She is about the fourth (and the worst) one to run the show since my living here. I’d heard the grumblings early on, but when I got the notice to renew my lease, I gleefully noticed that if I signed a 14-month lease rather than a 12-month lease, my rent wouldn’t increase.  I thought that was pretty reasonable. Then I read the fine print: The cable/internet fee would be $50/month!

For most, that wouldn’t be too bad; however, since I’d recently started getting my internet service from a different internet service provider (ISP), I felt that I should only pay $25/month since I only used the cable service provided by the apartment complex. Sounds reasonable?

Apparently not. I spoke to the assistant in charge, who’d relocated with La Jefa from San Antonio, and explained to her that I had to change my ISP because the computer program that I depended on for work was no longer compatible with the original ISP. She did some verbal tap-dance about getting in contact with the original ISP to see what could be done. I emphasized that the tech guy from my company had told all agents to switch since this particular ISP wasn’t compatible due to the data ports not communicating. I could barely explain the situation since I only understood technology on a need-to-know basis, but she understood less.

I returned the following week in order to pay my rent and follow up on the internet/cable fee. Again, she gave me the same song and dance about contacting the original ISP, scribbling more on the same post-it note where she’d taken notes before, which I recognized as kicking the can farther down the road. She even verified my phone number, the same as she’d done the previous week.

The week after that, I got La Jefa, Queen of the Smooth Talk. She painted this  picture about how I was so spoiled as a long-term resident since I was well taken care of here. Placing her hands atop my thick file, she told me that I didn’t appreciate how well maintained the property was nor did I value all the amenities I had since I’d been protected in this apartment complex. She encouraged me look around and compare since a long time had passed when I’d last hunted for an apartment.

Of course, she threw in the line about talking to the original ISP and made that false empathetic face as if she commiserated that I’d have to pay for two ISP services although I only used one. Yet the bottom line was all apartments had to pay $50/month to share the costs. Even the empty apartments had their fees paid by the property owners. Then she added the ridiculous statement of how the property actually paid $70/month for internet/cable and only asked us to pay $50. Besides they could have raised rents too, but chose not to do that in the same year. (Did you catch that? The implication of the arbitrariness of raising my rent, potentially pricing me out of my apartment.)

Then she wanted to throw me a bone by suggesting some little upgrade such as a ceiling fan or some other bullshit that I half heard because I was fuming. Then I suggested that they install a garbage disposal. Her fake-smile mask broke into a true look of surprise. “You don’t have a garbage disposal?”

I assured her that nothing in my apartment had been upgraded since I’d moved in nearly 8 years ago. As a matter of fact, my maintenance guy happened to be in the office during this part of the conversation and confirmed I was living in the most underdeveloped apartment in the complex. She immediately told me that she’d order the part and get it installed.

She emailed me the new apartment contract, which I couldn’t open until a few days later when I was calmer. Reading through it, I saw that the listed rent charged was $56 more than what we’d agreed on. I immediately called the leasing office. Fortunately, the one person in the office who I actually got along with answered the phone. I’ll call her Office Angel.  Office Angel confirmed that the market rate always showed on the first page, but then an apartment concession rate addendum, or some similar-sounding legalese, was found elsewhere in the contract.

I looked at the table of contents and told her that no such page was part of this contract. She accessed the contract and confirmed that the page was missing. So, I exited the document and waited for her to email me the corrected one. In the meantime, I shared with her my appreciation of how she handled business. Office Angel informed me that her last day was two weeks away. I screamed in agony. No surprise. I wouldn’t want to work with those two other “bottom line” bitches.

I told Office Angel that I’d been reading up about the horrible side of the rental property culture in the US and how it was completely unnecessary to keep raising rents, pricing people out of housing. On my way to the fitness room, I dropped by the leasing office to show Office Angel a copy of the book I was talking about.

As soon as La Jefa saw me she offered me some trite apology about screwing up my apartment lease renewal, then said she could help me since Office Angel was about to deal with a prospective renter.

I hushed that bullshit. “I just stopped by so Office Angel could take a picture of the book I’ve recommended to her,” I said, placing the book on Office Angel’s desk.

Of course, there was no way La Jefa couldn’t read the title for herself.  What a delicious moment! I couldn’t have planned it better myself.

In the meantime, I’ve increased my work hours slightly. With that small tweak, for the first time ever, I made the national rockstar list with the company for my weekly performance. That was energizing. Being an independent health insurance agent means that I didn’t have to polish up my resume for a better job or strategize of how to ask for a raise with some asshole boss. I just tweaked my schedule. Plus, since I’ve been doing this job, I’ve also improved my skills. Now, I’ve got the motivation to do better so I can have my mad move out money! Better to move out than be kicked out.

1st Year Freelancing Anniversary

The beautiful thing about trying something new is opening myself up to new experiences. As a highly analytical person, I strategize to maneuver through life as best I can. So, just before resigning from teaching science at a public school, I’d paid off all debt, made a budget and tested the freelance waters.

I found a couple of decent-paying jobs, which led me to believe I could maintain the same lifestyle while working from home. I actually thought I’d “figured out” how to transition from employee to freelancer–all in a couple of months.

Of course, reality isn’t as tidy as dreaming. Very little of the contract work I received overlapped. I always had some money coming in, but hardly ever enough to meet the budget I’d planned. One of the agonizing things was the delay in payment after I’d completed the work, invoiced the client in a timely fashion and had to wait to be paid long after the payment was due.

I reset my budgetary priorities. Much later than I should have, I started clipping coupons and paying attention to the weekly specials at the grocery store. All of my social interactions had to be justified by networking/recruiting opportunities.  No more pure fun, hanging out unless it cost less than ten dollars.

About a month before my most lucrative writing job ended, I included alternative teaching positions in my daily job search. When 2015 arrived, I had three job interviews lined up for part-time teaching/tutoring jobs. The end result: I landed the best job out of the three.

In the meantime, no telecommuting educational writing/editing jobs have graced craigslist.  Since I’m teaching Adult Basic Education and GED classes part-time, I don’t want a second job I have to drive to; so I know that I’m limiting my options.

At the same time, I’m still loving the fact that my schedule allows me to do yoga, write, read, cook, exercise and run errands in the morning and early afternoon. Once I arrive at work, things are relaxing and I enjoy my job, which seems very receptive to embracing the artist in me.

So far, I’ve motivated some coworkers and a student to participate in painting a canvas for charity and secured scholarships for two students to participate in an international poetry festival. As a matter of fact, when I dropped by registration to pick up my packet, the chairperson gifted me 40 tickets for the headlining poet, Nikki Giovanni! Such a tremendous score since this was on the same day we had our big company meeting and a few intense comments had been made during the reporting of the “highlights.” I was so happy to sweeten the mood a little by giving out the free tickets to everyone who could make it. Considering over half of my coworkers are volunteers, who have next to no disposable income, I’m glad I could include them in this cultural event.

I also had many free passes left over for the evening students who were interested in attending. None of my students had never been to the Austin Convention Center, where the show will take place. I even assisted one student with her online search of which bus to take to get there. She was so surprised at how close she lived to the venue. I hope most, if not all, of my students attend. This will be such an eye-opening experience, even if some won’t know what to make of it.

Nonetheless, I don’t feel that I’m making significant progress on finishing my second novel. There’s a part of me that is disheartened by the fact that I don’t have the money to self-publish it. Although that should not be a stopper, my sense of urgency isn’t where it should be with this story.

In the meantime, organizing the Austin Writers Roulette has continued to open doors for me. As good fortune would have it, the roulette falls on the same weekend as the poetry festival. As a matter of fact, it is the culminating event. I’m excited about having fellow poets, my two poet students and some of my coworkers all present during this time.

This freelancing business has landed me in an unexpected place. I’m fortunate to have the flexibility to embrace the adventure.

Finding My Sweet Spot

On Thursday, I attended a volunteer celebration, hosted by an art organization. Now that I’m a freelance writer/editor, I use every social opportunity as a chance to network. I’d schmoozed with several people before getting a drink. I talked even more before working my way to the food table.

For one such encounter, a woman who organized an art meetup group and worked professionally in marketing, asked me, “What is your sweet spot?” Admittedly, her question threw me off since my mind-in-the-gutter brain first thought of something sexual. Even after coming to my senses, I could not articulate a brand for my passion to write, and to a lesser degree edit and paint.

I’ve been enjoying my career transformation out of a high school science classroom into this new one. My primary concerns have been working on everything that needs my attention on a daily basis until the project is completed, being paid for some projects in order to finance personal projects and living below my means so I can continue telecommuting as long as possible.

Branding has not made it to the top three priorities yet. The best I’ve done so far is my elevator pitch for The Austin Writers Roulette, a monthly theme-based spoken word and poetry show. I whip out a business card-sized flyer and point out the venue information on one side and the calendar of themes on the other side.

As a matter of fact, since the show is in its third season, I’ve been invited to a happy hour next week with other organizers of spoken word/poetry/narratives. One friend congratulated me for being invited to sit at the adult table. I love that the time and attention I’ve put into the show is paying off–well, not in terms of money, but definitely in happiness. Compared to the first season, where I was essentially paying people to show up, this season I’m walking away with some change in my pocket.

By the end of the night and our second happy hour location, I told my marketing friend that a common denominator in all of my personal writing projects, concerned strong-willed women. They have flaws, challenges, limitations, but they seek to use what they have to better themselves. I added that I wanted my writing to be the cure to all the misogynist depictions found in the media. Tall order, but I’ll never lack for things to write about.

The more I think about it, the more I feel that I’m on the correct branding path. One of the excuses hip-hop artists make for their misogynist lyrics is that’s what makes money. I’d like to demonstrate a different path to financial security. After all, why should we minority women, who often fare worse in the misogynist media messages, continue to waste our time and energy in an attempt to persuade men to portray us in a more realistic manner? Our time and energy are better served producing such media ourselves.

Gandhi’s advice is still as fresh and applicable: Be the change you want to see in the world. I will write it, speak it, paint it, teach it and dance it.

Nearly Transitioned

In less than a month, I’m officially a freelance editor. Tomorrow, I have a telephone interview; so I may add “freelance writer” to my list of descriptive titles. As much as I’ve enjoyed this time, I don’t quite feel as if I have completely acclimated to my new career status.

It’s not merely the flexible schedule, waking up happy and well-rested and living every day to its fullest. My current brand of crazy is that I want more. I want to develop the type of efficiency where I can read more; attend more cultural and educational things; be better at painting and writing fiction; contribute more to the advancement of society.

In short, I miss teaching. Seldom do I miss an opportunity to teach someone something when I’m being sociable. Nor do I let the previously unknown to passively present itself without further investigation. As a matter of fact, I’ve got an ever-growing book list, which no longer causes me anxiety about how in the world I’ll read them all during my lifetime. I now view that list as the reason I’ll never be bored with life.

At the end of June, I’m taking a voluntourism trip to Peru. Now that I work from home, I’ve indulged in rebooting my Spanish with an on-line program for an hour or two every day and reading about Peruvian history.  Last week, I attended a slideshow about Ecuador and Peru and yesterday, I attended a lecture about a pre-Incan Peruvian culture, given by a world-renown archaeologist.

So there’s no doubt that I’m making every day count. The challenge is to share my knowledge. I want others to be just as fired up about enlightening themselves as I am. I believe if people had something meaningful to strive for and contribute, then they would do it.