15 Steps to a More Productive Workday. Freelance designers, as well as those who work for small design studios, often face the challenge of getting the most productivity out of their time and achieving maximum efficiency. While this can be a struggle for anyone in a more “typical” job, freelancers have added distractions, unique challenges, and no one to hold them accountable. To be a successful freelancer you’ll have to place a priority on productivity and find ways that work for you.
Each of us is unique and no process will work for everyone, but all of us have plenty of things that we can do to improve our workflow. In this article I’ll cover some of the lessons that I have learned through my own experience. For me, productivity is a constant goal, and always interested in finding new ways to get more out of my time. I’m far from perfect in these areas, but making consistent improvements.
Hopefully some of these things will help you in your own work. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 6 Rules of Starting a Business | Startup Launchr. Tough to read? Click here and view the presentation in full-size “What kind of business should I start?” Most aspiring entrepreneurs ask this very question during the beginning of their journey into business. If you are like most people, the idea of starting your own business probably involves a restaurant franchise, a coffee shop, or a retail store of some sorts (such as selling clothes or books).
There is absolutely nothing wrong with these types of businesses. Instead, I challenge you to think of your first business as a pet project of some sort. And to maximize your chances of success with your business, here are 6 rules you should follow when you’re launching a new business. You should solve a certain problem for a certain group of people. Instead of thinking about business ideas, successful entrepreneurs think about problem-solving for a select group. Preferably, you should be a member of that particular group to TRULY know what solutions you can offer them.
Admitting Failure. Business Card Design Starter Kit: Showcase, Tutorials, Templates - Smashing Magazine. Advertisement Professionals in any field should always keep business cards on them because you never know when you’ll meet a potential client, partner or like-minded person. Despite their small size, business cards are one of the most powerful and handiest marketing tools.
Not only do they create a link between you and your new contact, they’re also a quick way to give a great first impression. Business cards promote your skills and achievements and serve as a little container for big ideas. Don’t underestimate the process of designing business cards; a well-made card does not just share your contact details: it generates further sharing and buzz. Like any self-promotion tool, designing a business card requires solid brainstorming and careful implementation to get the best effect. This post targets a diverse audience. Showcase Of Original And Memorable Business Cards Letterpress Cards Montage 14 Dallas Graham of Montage Creative15 has a simple and strong business card.
Die-Cut Business Cards. Buy a Business | Sell a Business | Business Franchises For Sale. Category:Creativity Techniques. This A to Z of Creativity and Innovation Techniques, provides an introduction to a range of tools and techniques for both idea generation (Creativity) and converting those ideas into reality (Innovation). Like most tools these techniques all have their good and bad points. I like to think of these creativity and innovation techniques as tools in a toolbox in much the same way as my toolbox at home for DIY. It has a saw, spanner, hammer, knife and all sorts of other things in it, they are all very useful, but you have to pick the right tool (creativity / Innovation technique) for each job.
This site will try and provide a little guidance along with each tool to let you know whether it's best used for cutting paper or putting in nails. For the future, the aim is to also have sub-categories which will identify Techniques for; Problem Definition - including problem analysis, redifinition, and all aspects associated with defining the problem clearly. Subcategories. Come fare una fattura, ecco la guida! How to design your Business Model as a Lean Startup | Methodologist. If you spend time exploring innovation frameworks, you know that configuration of such frameworks largely apply, assembly, and build upon previous work (hat off to science).
I have come to explore conformity of two emerging frameworks; the Business Model Ontology by Alex Osterwalder and the Lean Startup methodology by Eric Ries. The result, the Lean Startup and Business Model Canvas pattern is illustrated below. Osterwalder’s Business Model Ontology proposes a single reference model based on the similarities of a wide range of business model configurations. The business model canvas (used as basis for the illustration above) describes nine building blocks that form a high-concept business model.
Eric Ries coins the Lean Startup, a methodological approach for creating and managing startups using principles of Steven Blank‘s Customer Development methodology alongside Agile Development methodologies. The conformity of the frameworks is not straightforward though. How to Launch a Business Without Spending a Dime - Stepcase Lifehack. The biggest mistake I see first time entrepreneurs make is that they spend too much money. They rent an office or retail location, pay big incorporation fees, hire employees, and build an expensive website (just to name a few). And all before they’ve earned their first dollar! Each month their cash reserves get lower and lower while they struggle to make sales to cover their expenses.
Eventually the fledgling business dies with no cash flow, leaving the owner hurt emotionally and financially. Luckily, it is possible (and actually quite simple) to start up a business without spending a dime. The beauty of using this method is that you can test out a new business idea quickly and with zero risk. The first thing you’ve got to do is get past the idea of spending. You can spend money on all that stuff once you are bringing in revenue! Now to actually get started, here are 10 steps you can use to launch a new business, without spending a dime. Read full content. The Freelancer’s Toolset: 100 Web Apps for Everything You Will Possibly Need : Codswallop. Posted by nitzan on Thursday, May 10th, 2007 Running a business for yourself means you have to be inventive and always on the lookout for a new and better way to get things done. Innovation junkies, take note: the Internet has a lot to offer.
From invoicing to marketing, these are tools that freelancers need to know about. Organization If you’re busy with lots of client work, it’s easy for things to get out of hand. Backpack: Get your projects organized by using Backpack. Calendars & To-Do Lists Client meetings, important events and a never-ending list of things to do can wear you down if you can’t make them manageable. Your Money Money is what keeps your freelance business going, but managing it can be tedious and time consuming. InstaCalc: InstaCalc is a web based calculator with lots of bells and whistles including spreadsheet capabilities, unit conversions and programming commands. Storage Do you have too many client files clogging up your hard drive? Project Management & Productivity. WA.AG - (Work As A Group) - The Opportunity Engine. What’s A Startup? First Principles.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. Winston Churchill Everyone knows what a startup is for – don’t they? In this post we’re going to offer a new definition of why startups exist: a startup is an organization formed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model. A Business ModelOk, but what is a business model? A business model describes how your company creates, delivers and captures value. Or in English: A business model describes how your company makes money. Think of a business model as a drawing that shows all the flows between the different parts of your company. While this is a mouthful, it’s a lot easier to draw.
Drawing A Business ModelLots of people have been working on how to diagram and draw a business. Alexander Osterwalder's Business Model Template (At Stanford, Ann Miura-Ko and I have been working on a simplified Silicon Valley version of this model. But What Does a Business Model Have to Do With My Startup? Stay tuned.