This is my first post to Substack, and my first altering the approach to my email newsletter process. I previously used MailChimp for my list, but I’ve decided to try Substack out. My newsletter and content are free for now, and I do plan to add a paid side with exclusive content in the near future as well.
But before we get into that, you may be wondering, why follow me, and what is Designedly Miscellaneous?
My Brief History
I’ve been working in freelance work since 2010 during the onset of The Great Recession when like many, I found myself laid off from my job and forced to get creative.
I started doing portrait and wedding photography for a while but then was lucky enough to get a job only two months after being laid off. While I returned to full-time work, I eventually began doing social media content writing for YMCA of America through a previous coworker.
That work eventually allowed me to build up enough portfolio experience that I was able to leverage that into another freelance gig that was full-time.
I worked in full-time contract work for a little over a year when I was offered a job in public service.
Then, I left that job two years later to move back to the Midwest so my family could be closer to our extended family. This forced me to return to contract and freelance work again in 2019.
In all that time, in all those different jobs, with all those different clients, I was able to stumble through all the things freelancers have to learn. Contracts, negotiation, rate analysis, portfolio management, taxes, project management, balancing client growth with professional growth, etc.
None of that had anything to do with the actual work I was doing. And, I had to find those answers on my own. It wasn’t easy - and honestly, it still isn’t easy, but it’s part of the grind.
So, I hope to share what I’ve learned as a solopreneur with you.
What I Hope To Do Here
My goals here I am sure will be ever-changing, but I do know that through all of it, the big goal is to help others like me.
The Gig Economy has been so dramatically altered in the past year, and many others have taken the challenge of doing work on their own.
And like all those others, we have to figure things out on our own.
Examples:
Should I be a sole proprietorship or LLC or corporation?
How do I manage my expenses?
How do I pay taxes?
So, I will be answering some of those questions, and I’ll be pointing you to the places where I sought those answers.
I’ll also be sharing a bit more about what I work on.
Web design
Writing
Marketing
Communications strategy
Also, some of the projects I am always working on like Rock Club and one that is a true extension of my work and one that I care deeply about, Choosing Eco. (If you care about sustainability, recycling, climate change, and those sort of things, use this link to get my Choosing Eco newsletter.)
I hope you’ll join me on this journey and that you’ll find something of interest to you. If you’d like to ask any questions, you can email me directly or contact me here too.
Recent Work
I LOVE running! I’ve been a runner since I was 13 (24 years now), and have run competitive distances from the 200m dash to a half marathon. Lately, I’ve been contributing to the 6 Minute Mile newsletter. You can read a recent contribution here.
I am in the very last week of journaling about my family’s experience in the Hennepin County Zero Waste Challenge. You can read all entries here on Medium.