[2024]Digital Global Overview Report 2024 Meltwater.pdf
Tcb2009
1. Taking care of business
The secret ingredient is you
Read Pen Inc.
March 2009
2. About Read Pen Inc.
World-class team
Quality is measurable
History of innovation
Demonstrated capacity to meet “bursty”
demands
First client in 2002 is most active/lucrative
in 2009
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3. Me, as CEO of Read Pen Inc.
Recruiting, managing, coaching, and promoting a
virtual team of senior contractors in a dynamic
environment
Building infrastructure/community
Building on-demand teams to develop content
Publishing articles in trade magazines, hosting
events, and managing dynamic Web site
Writing proposals in response to Request for
Proposals (RFPs)
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4. Me, 2009
Currently
Consulting
Part-time, contract, role-based
Independent contributor
Technical content developer
Not the team lead, not the manager
Still CEO, Read Pen Inc., year 7!
Home-based office, and I go home for lunch.
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5. Me, continued
I love cycling, running, travel, camping,
coffee, culture, crafts, music, photography
Divorced, mom to one (adopted from
China, she's 8) with two more on the way
(from Ethiopia)
Insulin dependent since 2007
I carry a paper agenda and write my
appointments in pencil and pen
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6. Still me
I journal online (for family and friends)
through a minimalist blog (private)
Blackberry user 2005 - 2009
iPhone convert, 2009 :-)
164 LinkedIn connections
97 Facebook friends
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7. You
Know yourself
Be yourself
Take care of yourself: YOU matter
Know your strengths and weaknesses - go
through old performance reviews, letters of
reference, ask around!
Are you an entrepreneur?
Creativity and resourcefulness matter.
The value of your business is YOU and YOUR
REPUTATION
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8. Trust yourself
Take calculated risks
Understand/monitor your risk threshold
Recognize that your ability and comfort
level may not match exactly
Some examples of events that may
change your risk threshold: marriage,
divorce, move, gain (or loss) of income
from other sources, new child, illness, …
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9. Odds and ends
Trust your network and your clients
Challenge yourself
Sharpen the saw (from Seven Habits)
Learn by doing
Deliver what you promise
Build reference clients
Grow when your client grows (and sleep when
the client sleeps)
Quality = customer satisfaction
Think about shelf life of what you are writing
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11. Purchase orders (for billing)
Find out if you need one (from your client)
Ask about it at the time you are
negotiating your contract
Make sure you have the PO number
Track your billing against total PO hours
Remind your client if/when there is money
left on the PO: they may not know!
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12. Working through an agency
Can save you time
Can cost you money
Pros and cons
Questions to ask:
Do you need to incorporate?
Do you need insurance?
When do you invoice?
Who are their clients?
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13. Writing a book
Don’t expect to make money
Can be useful as marketing tool
After you pay for a box of them!
Great for the ego
Fun conversation starter
Opportunity to network with other writers
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14. Resumes
Two main styles for contract work:
Long (projects-based)
Short, conventional (3 pages, max)
Clip experience to most recent 10 years
Highlight your language proficiencies
Provide your security clearance level and
the file number
Review/update every 3 to 6 months
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15. Invoicing
Be prompt!
Check contract terms
Monthly with net 30 is typical
Expect delays until you’re in the system
Don't assume your contact knows you have not
been paid; be persistent and patient
Make your invoice easy to read: indicate where to
send cheques, “make cheque payable to”, GST #
If you need a PO #, include it on the invoice
Can you exceed the total value of the PO?
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16. Can you write it?
Do you know the audience?
Do you understand the purpose?
Include both in the statement of work to
avoid surprises later.
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17. Bookkeeping and accounting
Enlist help if you need it
Understand how you spend your money:
budgeting helps!
review financial statements
monitor cash flow
Keep receipts
Separate bank accounts, credit lines,
credit cards might help
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18. It depends on you
Ask an expert:
Sole proprietor?
Provincially or federally incorporated?
Salary or dividend?
GST number? When to file?
Business year end?
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19. On the theme of money
Write a business plan and Understand the cost of
have someone review it new business with a new
critically client may be a lot higher
than the cost of repeat
Separate needs vs wants,
business with a known
and keep a wish list for a
client
rainy day
Recognize good clients
Read How to Survive
may contain bad projects
Without a Salary
sometimes; salvage the
Budget, plan, and save for
client relationship
big expenses
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20. Collaterals
Essential:
Portfolio
(3 pieces: audience, purpose, role)
Business cards
Optional:
Online directories, web presence,
professional memberships
Other examples:
Vanity car plate, pens, magnets, …
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21. Legal
Ask around
Learn to read a contract; clarify terms
I sign and respect NDAs
I have a sample contract and a sample
NDA, if a client can’t provide their own
Get something in writing, if you can
I have done deals on a handshake in
situations of exceptional trust
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22. Insurance
Ask a professional:
Group
Car
Professional liability
General liability
Home
Office
Your client may have insurance
requirements. They add up.
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23. Pricing
Ask around
Usually what the market will bear
Check salary surveys (such as STC)
Consider discounts for repeat customers
(if they ask!)
Remember what goes around usually
comes back around
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24. More odd and ends
Plan for change
Remember that best practices evolve
Lead by example
Mind your manners
Garden, don’t hunt
Reap what you sow
Be careful what you fish for
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25. In case of emergency (or vacation)
What would you do?
Build alliances with people that you trust
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26. Consulting (according to me)
Tipping the balance
Rocking the boat
Pacing
Timing
Identifying and solving problems
Breaking patterns
Changing habits
Meeting then exceeding expectations
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27. A few more things…
Keep your ear to the Be resilient, persistent
ground - listen for Recognize quot;timingquot; as
elephants key, being in the right
Build your reputation place at the right time
Maintain your network Set goals, long and
short term
Pay it forward
Manage expectations
Develop use cases
Visualize, tether,
Ask around, don't be
checks and balances,
shy, get your facts
barometers
from the source
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28. Sample
From a real statement of work for a white
paper project (fixed price):
“CLIENT comments on outline.
Prepare first draft. (Read Pen)
CLIENT comments on first draft.
Prepare second draft. (Read Pen)
CLIENT finalizes the diagrams for white paper.
CLIENT comments on second draft.
Finalize content. (Read Pen)”
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