JILLS News

Baby, GET BACKED

Ahem.  I'll admit it upfront. 

Reading a book about investors, finance, venture capitalists, or funding has never been very high on my list.  I'd rather curl up with Jane Austen, or laugh my guts out with David Sedaris, or get lost in some historical fiction about France or Spain or London. 

So the decision to read, Get Backed, was rather brave on my part - A sort of 'stretch' project that felt safe because the book had a cool shape, lots of graphics, and what looked, at the onset, like more words than numbers, and more stories than graphs.  So I took the leap.

And you should too!

Whether you're a business of one with no plan to expand, a new startup ready to scale, someone with a nugget of an idea or someone who wants to learn how to connect to an audience, this little gem of a book is for you. 

What it tells you about your customers makes it worth the read.

What it tells you about developing relationships makes it worth the read. 

What it tells you about pitching and presenting makes it worth the read. 

How it makes you think about your business and your opportunities makes it worth the read.

What it tells you about presentations and design and storytelling makes it worth the read. 

So go grab yourself a copy of Get Backed, by Evan Baehr and Evan Loomis.

The layout, the examples, the practicalities, and the information provided will give you a laser focus on how you can better connect with your people, communicate your vision, create the best slides ever, and ultimately fund and finances your ideas - all of your ideas. 

Take Time To Prep

Our JILLS have great things to say and we're so happy to share it! 

Belinda Wasser is the founder of Rocket Girl Solutions and a guest contributor to THE JILLS NEWS. With over 25 years of experience in business workflow and logistics, Belinda offers up practical advice on running your business so it isn't running you. We're proud to have Belinda as one of our JILLS OF ALL TRADES and welcome her expertise in working with solo professionals and small business owners as their part-time business managers. Belinda loves taking care of the daily details and minutiae so business owners can get back to the work they love doing!  Our JILLS have great things to say and we're so happy to share it in THE JILLS NEWS. 

Our JILLS offer up some of our best tips...

In this post, Belinda offers up her thinking and some strategies on setting up efficient systems to run your biz!

Authored by Belinda Wasser

I hate to cook.  In fact, I don’t even like eating that much. If I had my way I would be more like a car – hungry every few weeks for fuel, but that’s about it.

Luckily for me, my husband Michael does all the cooking at our house. And not just everyday cooking, I might add, but amazing and healthy delicious cooking. So even though he was willing to cook this past Sunday on Father’s Day, I decided to step up to the plate and give him a break.

Jill & author,  Belinda Wasser-Rocketgirl Solutions

Jill & author,  Belinda Wasser-Rocketgirl Solutions

 

Since the kitchen is kind of a foreign country to me, it’s not surprising that I got into trouble pretty quickly.

I didn’t set up the basics before I got going, so before I knew it, my hands and the counter were covered with “chicken juice.” I couldn’t get the supplies I needed from the cupboards without contaminating the whole place with salmonella, so I had to stop and wash my hands about a thousand times.

While it wasn’t quite “a disaster,” my time in the kitchen was inefficient. It took me a long time to get ready and a long time to clean up, and dinner was about an hour later than planned.

Michael, on the other hand, has a system for cooking.He knows what to do before he gets started, and he’s very meticulous with the prep work.He puts on his apron, gets out all the ingredients and, from what I can tell, doesn’t start the actual cooking until everything is prepared, sliced and diced.

He’s so organized about it that everything is ready at the same time, no matter how many things he’s cooking or how many people are eating.

In the midst of my cooking troubles last weekend, I realized that, for many small businesses, this is what it feels like when they don’t have the basics in place.There’s confusion, extra work, missed deadlines, and almost always missed opportunities and additional cost.

In short, it’s all about the prep work.And whether you’re starting a new business or you’ve been running one for decades, here are three important ways to get your prep work working for you:

  1. Organize Your Contacts. No matter what your business, always remember that it’s people who hire you, buy from you, and refer you.For many businesses, contacts are the most valuable assets, so it’s critical to get them organized.

    When I work on client databases, I begin by pulling together everyone the client knows, without editing people out.In my experience, anyone you know can refer someone to you, so don’t exclude them.

    Find a system that’s easy to use and allows you to categorize each contact. I use Outlook.It’s simple to use, I can easily export my information when I need to, and it easily syncs with my iPhone and iPad.

    Once your contacts are organized it’s much easier to keep in touch and build your LinkedIn connections, Facebook friends, and Twitter followers.

  2. Organize Your Work. One of the first things I do when I take on a new project or client is set up a folder in Outlook to store related email.

    Next, I set up a folder on my computer to store all of my electronic files, and a physical folder for the rest.I even have a dedicated spiral notebook for each client or project (see more on that, below…).If the project is complex and has lots of moving parts, I keep a detailed project plan at my fingertips so I can jump from project to project quickly.

    You don’t need to use my approach, but you do need to have an approach.Decide what works best for you and put it into action.

  3. Organize Your Financials. This one is a biggie so get professional help if necessary. One of my clients, for example, was having trouble tracking where the money was coming from.I suggested that he deposit each check separately to make it easier to match deposit records with invoices when reconciling accounts.

    Keep a notebook in your car to record your mileage and take a few minutes to make notes on your receipts so you can efficiently deduct your expenses or pass them through to clients.Make the time to reconcile your bank and credit card accounts monthly or hire someone to do it for you.

Remember, while it may feel overwhelming at times to manage the intricacies of running a business, much of that stress is often due to a lack of clear and efficient systems.

Take the time to set yours up in these three important areas and you’ll have more time to do the work you love.

Oh, gotta go! Dinner’s on the table and (thankfully) I didn’t cook it!  - Belinda Wasser

We ❤️ WeWork

Coworking just makes good sense.

Shared spaces, shared resources, community, collaborations, and connections.

And it makes even better sense when you’re coworking membership extends beyond the walls of a single building to office spaces, hot seats, and conference rooms across the nation and around the globe.

And that’s why we love WeWork.

With locations throughout the United States into Europe, Asia and the Middle East, we can’t say enough good about the opportunities this presents for entrepreneurs with businesses of any scale to be lean and agile, to grow organically, to build community, to learn and grow, to find mentors, and to connect with talent.

Cofounders Corinne Neil & Megan A.C. Boswell

Cofounders Corinne Neil & Megan A.C. Boswell

Add to it, WeWork’s penchant for honoring the history and the architecture of their buildings with an incredible sensibility and style, their ultra flexible membership options, their education programming, and we cannot imagine connecting with a better organization for the location of any business.

And that’s why THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ is excited to join the WeWork community.

We cannot wait to shine an even bigger light our JILLS MEMBERS while providing the WeWork community with a one-stop shop for on-demand, specialized talent.

Time Out Before Burn Out: THE JILLS 5

Quick 5 minute reads to keep you up to date on trends, tools, and tips for the solo professional.

Kate Shea reminds us of the importance of taking some ‘time out’, especially when we’re burning the midnight oil and juggling multiple projects. With some helpful strategies and some solid reminders of what we need to work our best, Kate’s blog, and a break, might be just what you need to ramp up and get some work done!

Making Time for Relaxation (even when you’re overworked) | Freelancers Union Blog | August 23, 2016

It's a MAD, MAD World

When you're starting a new venture, or a new adventure, finding a community of support is critical.   Because when you're stepping out in a new territory, you're going to need to find experts, and mentors, and people who have walked a similar road before. You'll need advocates and evangelists, accountability partners and coaches. You'll need to nudge your way to the center of a web of networks. you'll need a group of peers to share the highs, the lows, the missteps, and the wins. You'll need to create structures for collaboration.

You'll need to make sure you don't take all of this on alone. 

 
Madworks program director, Louis Condon with JILLS cofounders, Megan & Corinne

Madworks program director, Louis Condon with JILLS cofounders, Megan & Corinne

 

We are forever thankful that we found a great community of support as we began to move THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ from an idea brewing in our minds as we collaborated in our basements, to an organized, thoughtful venture. The Madworks Seed Accelerator provided us 10 focused weeks to get our legal ducks in a row, secure some funding, set goals, get feedback, access new networks, and connect with a cohort of peers who made us laugh, extended us needed criticism, welcomed our ideas, championed us when we lost our footing, and made us feel like we were not alone on this crazy ride. 

It really is a mad, mad world out there, folks. Find your people. Know your tribe. Build your community. 

Pitch Perfect

 
 

Nope, not that Pitch Perfect.  And our pitch was DEFINITELY not perfect, But it was a perfect way for THE JILLS to kick off our start-up adventure...

Before we had a name, before we had a clear business model, before we had a logo, or a website, or a customer, we had an idea that we believed really mattered - women entrepreneurs needed to be lifted and linked to create a powerhouse workforce for the future.

We'd spent a summer out 'talking' to people; solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, business leaders and business owners to help us shape and validate some of our thinking. And in all of our chatting on phones and meeting in coffee shops, we learned about an opportunity - The Doyenne Group's 5X5X5 event - a pitch contest for women at the annual Madison ForwardFest. The Doyenne Group offered pre-pitch training to 5 women entrepreneurs and a chance to win a $5000 grant based on a 5 minute pitch at a breakfast event.  

We scrambled to get our application in on a tight deadline, and did cartwheels (well... metaphoric cartwheels, we're too old for any of that carry-on) when we learned we were one of the five finalists. Our adventure had begun, and we bravely stepped in, created our first pitch, stood in front of a crowd and gave our first public presentation of THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™. 

And no, we didn't win the money.  But we did win. 

JILLS cofounders  pitch finalists in Madison Forward Fest.

JILLS cofounders  pitch finalists in Madison Forward Fest.

We learned invaluable information about giving a pitch. We meet incredible women entrepreneurs who were further along than us, who shared their stories, offered us encouragement, and gave us the gift of feedback. We got mentioned in local media. We were welcomed by a community of supporters and champions of women's entrepreneurship. And we met JILLS. Lots of them. 

We learned that 5 minutes is a really short amount of time, but it's enough to put yourself out there and start to build the relationships you need to power a workforce revolution. 

iCandy Craft Brew

When THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ and iCandy Graphics decide to link up, the result is perfect experience of knotworking - a little food, a little learning, a little craft, and a whole lot of networking. 

Candy Phelps, owner of iCandy Graphics, shared her gorgeous office space in Madison's Atwood neighborhood for our event, and her husband, Tim Phelps, owner of SPROUT Landscaping donated materials for all of us make tiny succulent fridge magnets. While Candy gave a craft demo, she offered up SEO tips from her book Grow Your SEO to a group of eager JILLS members, who listened, chatted and put soil into teeny tiny pots for their succulents. 

New friendships were made, future coffee dates were set, lots of website revisions were considered. Candy was able to meet with potential future contractors for her business and more JILLS had an opportunity to share their talents and connect with the business community.  

A  'Crafternoon' - a great way to combine and little learning with community building

Candy Phelps instructing the group on SEO tips.

Candy Phelps instructing the group on SEO tips.

Cay's 'Grow your SEO' Book 

Cay's 'Grow your SEO' Book 

Do the Hustle: THE JILLS 5

Quick 5 minute reads to keep you up to date on trends, tools, and tips for the solo professional.

Who doesn’t love free tools!  Check out Lindsay Craig’s list of online apps and services created to help you run your business more effectively and efficiently. From contract services and invoicing to goal setting and content creation, Lindsay offers up a brief summary of 15 of the latest and greatest to keep you moving forward and growing your biz.

Legal Ducks in a Row

Remember Law & Order. That long time running prime time TV show where the stories followed crimes from the police department investigations all the way to the judge's gavel. 

For many years, my Thursday nights were punctuated with the signature Law & Order 'doink doink' sound that indicated a scene change. I loved that show. 

It's quite possible some version of the show is still running.  I've long since lost the 'free' time to stay up on prime time TV, and am more prone to TV show binges on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, so I'm not quite sure. 

But that's not the point, anyway.

The point is, as business owners, of any scale, we all need some Law & Order. 

And no, it might not be as sexy as Chris Noth or Jesse Martin solving complicated NY city crimes, but contracts and agreements and setting up business entities matter a whole lot more. 

In our journey with THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™, we've been so fortunate to access an amazing network of resources to help set us on our path.  And our Law & Order stemmed for one of these resources - UW Madison's Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic. 

Our assigned attorney, Chris Smithka, and law student, Chuma Offor, gave our business it's foundational structure and they were our first champions. They helped us see our blind spots, they facilitated important discussions, they encouraged us, validated our thinking, and ensured we had the right footing to get up and running. 

And shucks... for that we are forever grateful. 

Capitol Gains

As founders of THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™, we are the lucky ones out and about talking up and spotlighting the myriad talents of the amazing women who join the THE JILLS GALLERY. We get to boast on these solopreneurs who coach, strategize, design, present, educate, build, create, and collaborate with incredible grace, integrity, and expertise. 

They make our jobs so easy. 

On this fair summer evening, we enjoyed an evening of Jazz on the rooftop of the Madison Baird office as the guests of Meg Prestigiacomo.  We connected with women of all ages and backgrounds - business leaders, political advocates, corporate CEOs, small business owners, educators, and philosophers. They were thrilled about THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™, and were eager to spread the word. They all recognized the power of linking up to lift each other higher. 

To all of the JILLS and all the future JILLS, thank you for letting us shine a spotlight on your awesomeness. 

Freelancers Union SPARK Monthly Meet-ups

Say... did you know that on the first Wednesday of every month the Freelancers Union hosts SPARK events in different cities across the nation?

A perfect mix of education and community, these events create opportunities for freelancers, consultants, solo professionals, and entrepreneurs to connect, share stories, and spark ideas. 

THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ sponsors the Madison SPARK events along with 100State, Grow Madison and the Freelancers Union