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10 tips for happy self-employment – part 3 of 4

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Self employment is on the rise. This is a 4 part article series sharing 40 tips for happy self-employment.

Read part 1 https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/10-tips-for-happy-self-employment-part-1-of-4/

Read part 2 https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/10-tips-for-happy-self-employment-part-2-of-4/

1.  Follow up is key – don’t waste effort going for the ‘new shiny thing’

2.  Be clear on your attitude to risk

3.  Adopt smart tech to work expediently and plan IT reviews and updates

4.  Create a financial ‘cushion’ for quiet times 

5.  Design your business and working environment around your personality type e.g. extrovert or introvert

6.  Make the most of the quiet months (August/December/January) to think and plan, don’t worry that it is quiet – it is a gift! 

7.  Utilise the support of a Virtual PA – play to your strengths

8.  Be honest with yourself – what do you really want, rather than what you think you should do?

9.  Know the key words for your specialism – use Google Keyword planner

10.               Define your personal brand and personal brand assets, e.g. avatar – this is increasingly important in the digital age

Get in touch https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

10 tips for happy self-employment – part 2 of 4

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Self employment is on the rise. This is a 4 part article series sharing 40 tips for happy self-employment.

Read part 1.

10 tips for happy self-employment – part 1 of 4

1.  Utilise social media to create awareness free – be focused

2.  Build your skills – gives you options to develop a portfolio career over time

3.  Co-opetition vs collaboration – there can be a fine dividing line between people who do similar work to you being an opportunity to collaborate and being competitive

4.  Protect yourself with legal docs e.g. web site terms and conditions, associate agreements etc.

5.  Create case studies to demonstrate how you can help clients

6.  Gain and share client testimonials

7.  Design your business around your personal values – what is really important to you

8.  Create a compelling verbal business card – what you answer when asked ‘what do you do?’

9.  Support your clients in their roles/careers and they will support you

10.               Timing is everything – monitor business and seasonal cycles which influence and affect decisions 

Get in touch

https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

Client successes

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Guest blogs are really useful to help us create awareness as a small business.

I really enjoyed writing this one ‘Magical NLP’ for NLP School. reflecting on some of our clients’ successes over the last 20 years of coaching.

Magical NLP: https://www.nlpschool.com/course-faq/guest-blog-magical-nlp-by-rachel-brushfield/

Supporting our network

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We’ve been writing an article a day on LinkedIn as well as sharing an inspiring quote to support our network. Here are a selection:

Insight mining

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/insight-mining-rachel-brushfield-the-talent-liberator/

Saying yes more to saying ‘no’

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/saying-yes-more-rachel-brushfield-the-talent-liberator/

Successful difficult conversations https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/successful-difficult-conversations-the-talent-liberator/

What creates trust?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-creates-trust-rachel-brushfield-the-talent-liberator/

For the latest articles, check our postings on our LinkedIn profile. https://www.linkedin.com/in/energiseliberateyourtalent/

If you have any specific topics that you would like us to write about, please e mail us: https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

Chris Jones guest blog about his portfolio career part 2

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This is a 2-part guest blog by Chris Jones for Energise – The Talent Liberation Company about his portfolio career. This is part 2. 

Biog

Chris Jones is a multiple business owner based in Oxford. His current businesses are:

  • Glooo: digital analytics
  • Boys and Girls Promotions: events staffing business
  • Boys and Girls Events: events management business
  • Oxford Influencers: Oxford Instagram solution

His events business, both Corporate and Private events, provide event design and staff in #Oxfordshire and #London. Clients include: The University of Oxford, Blenheim Palace, Soho Farmhouse, Oxford City Council, The Westgate Shopping Centre and many colleges and venues.

Chris is husband to Julie, father of 2 young adults finishing University, and a social butterfly.

Read part 1:https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/chris-jones-guest-blog-about-his-portfolio-career-part-1/

The rest of this guest blog is in Chris’ own words.

What do you most love about having a portfolio career?

My portfolio career and the whole digital world growth happened at the same time.

I.T. developed off the back of IBM and Microsoft delivering personal computing solutions and from 1983 web sites developed at a rapid rate.

It was very interesting being at the forefront of PC / website delivery in the UK.

What are the challenges of having a portfolio career?

The continued changes and improvements to the digital world, so it is always been a learning curve of new technologies and solutions. 

My ‘skill’ for want of a better word is that I’m very good at understanding technology and seeing where it can be implemented. 

Who or what helps you to manage your portfolio career?

I think it’s a ‘self-improvement’ journey, either in a broad format for your whole industry or specialisation in specific areas.

How do you approach marketing your portfolio career?

It always will be for me working in the digital world (although a marketing mix is important) first and foremost and then backed up with networking. I network 2 3 evenings per week. LinkedIn is our key social media platform for my businesses.

Image below: Boys and Girls Promotions doing the ticketing for Countryfile Live at Blenheim – one of our greatest achievements in winning the work and delivering on the 3 days of the event.  

What if any, is the personal brand used for your portfolio career?

Have fun, be professional, and deliver on promises. That’s it!

I won’t work with people who are going to be difficult (don’t tell the bank manager!)  and I need to enjoy and be inspired by my work.

What advice would you give to someone considering a portfolio career?

“The journey is long, don’t worry about things you can’t control.“

What 5 tips can you share for people considering a portfolio career?

1 Gain in-depth knowledge of your sector

2 Have an individual career plan a), b) and c)

3 Work with likeminded people, and be easy to work with

4 Always trust your ‘gut’

5 Value yourself and don’t compromise

More

View Chris Jones LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jones-8a88b05a/

Browse the Boys and girls promotions web site: https://www.boysandgirlspromotions.co.uk/

Want to discuss a future face to face event? E mail Chris Jones: chris@boysandgirlspromotions.co.uk

Interested in a portfolio career yourself? Contact us for your free report ‘Discover Portfolio Careers’: https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

Thanks to Chris Jones for making the time to write a guest blog about his portfolio career for Energise. We are looking forward to his future original events, when the world returns to normal socialising and networking, post lock-down!

Emotional resilience

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The dictionary defines emotion as ‘any feeling that disturbs or excites the mind.’

Some people are naturally more emotional than others with more highs and lows than people who are more logical and analytical. Likewise, some people are more positive and see the glass as half full, whereas others see the glass as half empty. Life and work can present us with situations and people that we find challenging and sometimes threatening.

The good news is that how we react to these situations is within our control. Nelson Mandela and how he handled his confinement is an example of being in a hugely difficult situation, and coming up trumps.  Emotions are often created by thoughts so having self-awareness of your values, motivations and insecurities can help you to have emotional resilience.

Unless we are very lucky, we don’t get taught how to be emotionally resilient, but learn it as we go along and using shopping, alcohol, drugs and busyness can be an easy way to anaesthetise difficult emotions.

We can learn to be more resilient and challenging situations have a lot of gifts, even if we don’t see them at the time, e.g. opportunity to be more creative, assertive etc 

What situations test our emotional resilience?

Coping well in one area and struggling in another is normal. 

  • The Coronavirus period
  • Redundancy and unemployment
  • Mergers over which we have no choice
  • No pay rises over a period of time
  • People pulling rank
  • Lack of planning by others affecting us
  • Unreasonable behaviour and bullying
  • Bosses and employers with values different to our own
  • Trauma and crisis e.g. end of a relationship, death of someone we are close to
  • Financial pressure and hardship
  • Covert undermining behaviour e.g. passive aggressive

5 FREE tips to maximise your emotional resilience

  1. What’s the worse thing that can happen and what is the likelihood of it happening?
  2. Ask yourself ‘What are the positives of my challenging situation?’
  3. Ask yourself what qualities and resources you have to help you to deal with the challenge you face
  4. Focus on what you can influence not what you can’t
  5. Map out vicious circles of the thoughts and emotions and work out how you can create virtuous circles 

Self-reflective question

“When have I been most emotionally resilient and what enabled me to do this?”

More

A portfolio career is a resilient career. Why? Because it is made up of different components, so you can change direction or ‘pivot’ as external trends change or your own circumstances change.

Contact us to receive your free report ‘Discover Portfolio Careers’: https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

Christina Blacklaws’ guest blog about her portfolio career part 2

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This is a 2-part blog for Energise – The Talent Liberation Company by Christina Blacklaws. This is part 2.

Read part 1: https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/christina-blacklaws-guest-blog-about-her-portfolio-career-part-1/

Biog

Christina studied Jurisprudence at Oxford and qualified as a solicitor in 1991.  She now runs her own consultancy business advising domestic and international law firms and legal businesses, speaking globally and holding a number of non-executive directorships. She holds a range of public appointments including chairing both the LawTech Delivery Panel for the Ministry of Justice and Innovate UK’s Next Generation Services Advisory Board and sits on the Ministry of Justice’s Legal Support Advisory Group. She is an advisory board member for Elevate, 20-First and Thompson Reuter’s Women in Leadership in Law programme.

Christina is the Simon Professional and Industrial Fellow at the Alliance Manchester Business School. Christina was President of the Law Society of England and Wales until July 2019 and continues to represent the Women Lawyers Division on Council and the UK on the International Bar Association Council.

She is passionate about diversity and inclusion, technology and access to justice and uses every opportunity to advocate and progress positive change in these areas. Christina is a multi-award-winning published author, lecturer and frequent media commentator.

What do you most love about having a portfolio career?

Being my own boss and in control of my life. If I don’t like a particular role, then I can move on without any major issues. I can take time off when I want without feeling guilty, and I can influence my own work life balance.

A portfolio career is endlessly interesting and challenging and every day is a ‘school day’!

What are the challenges of having a portfolio career?

In many ways, the same as the opportunities! It’s difficult to manage your time, you don’t have much support and you don’t have the stability of full-time paid employment.

Also, you can never really have a day when you’re not on top form. People are paying for you to be fabulous – and this means you have to plan in some downtime into your routine.

Who or what helps you to manage your portfolio career?

I have an amazing bookkeeper; Rachel Brushfield has given me some sterling advice and I am currently investigating employing a virtual PA.

Personally, I try hard to create space when I’m not working and reflect often about the mix of work and whether it suits me and what I want to achieve.

How do you approach marketing your portfolio career?

I have been fortunate in that the work has come to me. However, I use social media (LinkedIn and Twitter) to publicise my speaking engagements and thought leadership work and, if I have time, I write articles too.

What 5 tips can you share for people considering a portfolio career?

1 Think carefully before you embark on a portfolio career, especially if you will be leaving a secure, full time role and craft out exactly what you want your portfolio career to look like.

2 Speak to others who have experience in the relevant areas who will be able to give you advice and insight and reality check your plans.

3 Make your intentions known widely – get others to be on the lookout for you be your ambassadors.

4 Start or ramp up your social media engagement/ presence and start to produce some output in your chosen areas

5 Just do it. I’ve loved every minute and encourage others to take the plunge!

More

Christina’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinablacklaws/

Our book for the Law Society ‘Career management for lawyers. Practical strategies to plan your next chapter’ is available now in the on-line book shop: https://bookshop.lawsociety.org.uk/p/career-management-for-lawyers-practi-paperback/

Interested in a portfolio career for yourself?

E mail us to request your copy of our free report ‘Discover portfolio careers’: https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

Hayley Monk’s guest blog about her portfolio career

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This is a guest blog by Hayley Monks about her portfolio career.

I am an associate consultant of Hayley’s company ‘Think Inspire Create’ and invited her to share her story about her portfolio career. Thanks to Hayley for making the time for this.

Biog

Hayley is a highly motivated, professional, passionate, inspirational and energetic individual who sets high standards in all that she does.  With a strong commercial acumen combined with creative thinking, she thrives on driving and delivering transformation through strong leadership and by creating effective follow-ship and positive engagement. Combined with agility and a ‘can do’ attitude, she can contribute significantly at every level from strategy to delivery. Having worked in senior executive roles, she understands what ‘good’ looks like. In 2015, she founded Think, Inspire & Create, a people centric training and consultancy company using her experience and capability to lead a hand-picked team who work with businesses across the UK, helping them to optimise their organisation. As an experienced facilitator, Hayley works with leadership teams in organisations that are going through change, helping them to positively work through the change, to develop innovative solutions and refine delivery plans that can transform their business. She is also passionate about people development – believing this is the key to success in organisations and always looks at opportunities to coach new and up-coming talent, as well as continually reflect on her own development and personal growth.

The rest of this blog is in Hayley’s own words.  

What are the components of your portfolio career e.g. study, paid freelance work, part time job, volunteering etc.?

  • Running my company Think Inspire Create Limited (‘TICL’).
  • Founding member of the Women’s Utility Network https://thewun.co.uk/, a not for profit group that support women’s development in the utilities sector.
  • Non-exec role for a Utility tech start-up – 1 day per month.
  • Public speaker on female leadership.
  • Mentoring & Coaching.

How did your portfolio career come about?

Organically! Having left full time corporate work, I was asked to help businesses, to speak and also volunteer. Having had so much personal sponsorship and support myself in my career, I wanted to ‘pass it on’.

How has your portfolio career changed over time?

At first I wanted to ‘yes’ to everything and had the time to do so. After 4 years, I simply can’t do that, I just get too many requests! It’s difficult to choose what to do and where to help – I don’t have a method, I just go on instinct.

When people ask you ‘what do you do?’ – what do you reply?

I run my own business, helping other people.

To what extent did your portfolio career happen by chance/luck and to what extent was it planned?

As above – organically.

What do you most love about having a portfolio career?

Being in control of my time and what I do. I say ‘yes’ to what and when. It’s a sort of freedom that is liberating!

What are the challenges of having a portfolio career?

Spinning plates! Sometimes my mind can ‘whirl’, as the things I am involved with can be quite diverse.

Who or what helps you to manage your portfolio career?

Being organised helps and technology these days provides excellent aids for expediency. I also have a virtual PA who can help with the things that need to be done, but I don’t need to do myself. I was once told, only do what only YOU can do. I am not the only one who can iron in my house ?!

How do you approach marketing your portfolio career?

Through networking – largely word of mouth but also taking opportunities to put myself in front of the right people. It means doing paid and unpaid work. It’s all about choices.

What advice would you give to someone considering a portfolio career?

Fully understand your purpose for choosing a portfolio career. Is it lifestyle, financial, desire for variety and new learning, to create a future-proof career etc.? You can better plan your approach and choices if you are clear on your purpose for having a portfolio career.

What benefits do portfolio careers bring specifically to women and mothers, rather than to men?

I think this depends on who the primary carer is. A portfolio career can bring flexibility, so if you have children, it can be really useful for either gender.

What 5 tips can you share for people considering a portfolio career?

1 Have a clear purpose

2 Plan

3 Be prepared for it to be a challenge / uncomfortable at times

4 Be patient – it can take time to develop

5 Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’, ‘not yet’, ‘not now’ etc.

More

View Hayley’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-monks-mcicm-grad-4262a817/

Browse the Think Inspire Create web site: https://www.thinkinspireandcreate.co.uk/

Interested in creating a portfolio career for yourself?

E mail Rachel Brushfield for a free 20-minute telephone consultation and to receive your copy of our free report ‘Discover Portfolio Careers’. https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

An event to celebrate International Women’s Day #IWD2020

I will be facilitating an interactive session at the Think Inspire Create event celebrating International Women’s Day, 8am to midday on Friday 6 March 2020 in Cowley Oxford.

Book your early bird ticket now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-womens-day-2020-tickets-90922171663

Videos about portfolio careers

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I don’t know about you, but sometimes I forget about content I have already created!

These videos about different aspects of portfolio careers are useful quick ways to tune into the topic.

There are 6 short videos to view. Videos are all the rage at the moment.

What is a portfolio career & why are they growing:  https://vimeo.com/189923412/17eb9e783b

Who are portfolio careers for:  https://vimeo.com/189923414/746b19b9e2

How do you create a portfolio career: https://vimeo.com/189923413/0c70f11f05

How do you evolve a portfolio career: https://vimeo.com/189923417/6b1105ace7

How do you manage a portfolio career:  https://vimeo.com/189923419/870aa46833

How do you market a portfolio career:  https://vimeo.com/186409954/a92cbbe363

Hope you find them useful.

Interested in a portfolio career for yourself? We help our clients to create, edit and market their portfolio career. Get in touch for a no-obligation chat about how we can help you. https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/

Sian O’Neill’s guest blog about her portfolio career part 1

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Biog

I like books and was given the opportunity to set up a new books division, Globe Law and Business, in 2005 where we set out to create law books which are sufficiently high level to be of real use to the experienced professional, yet still accessible. In 2015, I was part of a management buyout/buy-in of the books division when Globe Law and Business was sold to a management team including me. I believe that there is a future in high quality, lovingly produced books with the utmost attention paid to the editorial, design and production processes. For authors, I aim to offer a professional service, with a personal touch – for you to enjoy the experience of being published and bringing your works to the global market. Outside of publishing, I am a British Wheel of Yoga accredited yoga teacher. I teach a hatha flow class, incorporating breath awareness, attention to alignment and mindful flow. In today’s ever-connected, super-stressed world, yoga offers a way to de-stress, to relax and clear the mind. I also write and have also edited two books with Jessica Kingsley Publishers: ‘Yoga Teaching Handbook’ and the new ‘Yoga Student Handbook’.

How did your portfolio career come about?

I think what is interesting is that I didn’t make a conscious decision to have a portfolio career. I had been in publishing a good few years when I first started to practise yoga. I became more interested in what this thing called yoga actually is and embarked on the first course, the British Wheel of Yoga Foundation Course. From there, there was no turning back and I started the yoga teacher training! I qualified around seven years ago and have continued my learning through regular workshops and further trainings. I continue to have a full-time and busy role as MD of an independent publisher, so at the moment, I teach the one weekly corporate class and regular covers which are easier to fit in when I am available and seasonal workshops. I am also a mentor (contact teacher) on a yoga teacher training.

When people ask you ‘what do you do?’ – what do you reply?

It is a good question as it can be tempting to have one main reply so as not to complicate things for the listener! But I do now generally say ‘publisher and yoga teacher’.

What do you most love about having a portfolio career?

The phrase ‘a change is as good as a break’ comes to mind here as I find both aspects of my professional life benefit the other. One thing that has surprised me has been the degree to which the yoga activities have benefited the day job- including eg finding your voice and holding a room which I have certainly taken in to meetings in professional settings. I have really enjoyed combining yoga and publishing in editing the two books with Singing Dragon (part of Jessica Kingsley Publishers) – it feels a privilege and energising. I think that separate, serious interests help in a number of ways including expanding the mind and eg helping you to see connections which you might not have previously.

What are the challenges of having a portfolio career?

I think you need to be really organised. There are times when I feel pulled in different directions. But I know both aspects are important to me. I think you do need to be careful regarding what you accept to make sure you have room for everything and literally have the time. I heard a piece of advice today from a project management expert, Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, that you should give something up when you take on something new. I think that is an interesting concept. I have been guilty of just accepting something new and squeezing it in somewhere such as in evenings and weekends (although I actually rather like evening working!).

More

View Sian’s LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/sian-o-neill-0b3567a/

Browse Sian’s yoga web site http:// https://www.yogawithsian.co.uk/

Browse the Globe Law and Business web site https://www.globelawandbusiness.com/

Interested in a portfolio career for yourself? Get in touch https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/portfolio/connect/