JUMP INTO the JILLS NEWS FEATURING:
TIPS FOR SOLO professionals
TRENDS ON THE FUTURE OF WORK
Bursts & Boosts
JILL MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
We take the time to scour the ever changing landscape and keep our ears to the ground, so that you don't have to waste time slogging and sorting through the piles of information jamming up your inboxes and social feeds. We know- we're electronically overloaded, too. Which is why our time spent curating only the smartest and the most up to date resources for you, means that your time is wisely spent doing what you do best.
Dawn Mahoney knows that understanding how people learn can change everything about how you build slides, give workshops or train your staff. She knows every business owner and solopreneur could use a helping hand from an educator. From consults on training strategy to workshop facilitation and team dynamics, this solopreneur brings learning theory and design together to ensure your best presentations, workshops, training and team sessions. She knows a successful business creates a climate the promotes learning. And she knows, the first critical part of all learning starts with building relationships.
If you're looking to have better conversations, improve your company or team culture, and build your connections then working with Jacy Imilkowski is likely your best next step.
As a professional speaker and trainer, Jacy can help you better understand the neuroscience of communication and teach you how to move your thoughts, goals, and intentions into action.
READ MORE…
Debbie White, Founder of the Seattle boutique advertising agency, Frank + Candor, knows a thing or two about staying agile in a changing workforce.
Debbie has long since recognized the effectiveness and the efficiency of hiring the right person for the right job at the exact right time and she teams up with a collection of on-demand creative professionals to ensure her project outcomes are always unique, targeted, and top notch. Debbie's work-style is smart and savvy giving her the flexibility to team up to scale up as she accesses the best of the best to fill each project niche as she encounters them. Debbie and Frank + Candor represent this new nimble future of work that THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ supports, encourages and knows that women can lead.
Debbie was one of the first JILLS Members and proudly touts the power of women to be an economic force in the future of work. Her Seattle based, ad agency, Frank + Candor, works with companies across the nation and is a female-centric marketing agency focused on "Peak Women", 45-70, who she says "represent the most powerful, yet misunderstood, buying segment of any demographic."
In an excerpt from the Frank + Candor blog, Debbie shares why she knows 'small is the new big'.
"In advertising, I think the future is going to be small. As in small advertising agencies, boutique firms, and virtual creative hubs. As I sit here in our downtown Seattle WeWork office looking out at a slew of plugged-in workers that must be doing very substantial and exciting things, I think to myself, “I’m a part of this,” the small business, start-up co-working thing.
We’re all here, all of us independent business, co-working, kombucha-on-tap-drinking go-getters!
I see how well it works because this lean model is so adaptable to an ever-changing, project-based advertising business. From our standpoint, we have a small senior staff and our go-to specialists (that’d be super awesome freelancers in real-speak) that we partner with for particular projects. Those wonderful people are an integral part of our team, yet they are virtual—which makes everyone happy. And when we meet in Seattle, they get to have kombucha, too. Expanding and contracting with the needs of our ever-evolving clients, we work from home, co-sharing workspaces, or any wired place on earth. In fact, our most extensive account is 2,340 miles away.
This small but ever-connected ecosystem of seasoned creative thinkers is the new big advertising agency thing. And we’ll drink our rooibos kombucha to that!"
Jess Parvin fully embraces all the flexibility and fun that carving a freelance career has to offer. After a successful experience as a museum curator at the Smithsonian, Jess now builds on her love of art and design by continuously educating herself and developing the latest skills to keep her on the cutting edge of graphic design, website development, branding and social media marketing.
Jess loves music and she loves to travel making a freelance lifestyle a perfect fit for her talents and her passions. Jess is exciting to be part of THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ because she recognizes the importance of self-promotion and is eager to put a spotlight on her talent to continue to grow her business and build her connections.
Here's Jess tells her story of jumping into the freelance lifestyle and the joys she experiences in forging forward in this new workstyle:
"When I graduated with a degree fine arts & art history from the College of Charleston (in lovely Charleston, SC), I thought I wanted to be a museum curator. So after college I moved to Washington, DC and interned for a year at one of the Smithsonian museums. I loved being surrounded by world-class art but realized that the slow-pace of museum life was not for me! Soon after moving to Wisconsin I went back to school for graphic design and web design. After 3 years working full-time as a designer, photographer and web maintenance guru at a high-end clothing retailer, I decided to strike out on my own as a freelancer. Since then I have taught myself Wordpress, SEO, digital marketing (Facebook advertising and Google Adwords) and more. I love being self-employed mainly because it gives me flexibility to pursue other interests- especially travel. My partner, Josh, is a musician and I have been fortunate to travel extensively with him as he performs around the world (including 6 trips to Europe). Because of him I am actively involved in the independent music world and have worked with dozens of artists on their branding, websites, album art, posters, etc. I also love working with small businesses who are trying to make their footprint on the web. Past clients include musicians, visual artists, non profits, acupuncturists, massage therapists, restaurants, construction companies, online retailers. . . every project is unique!"
Paloma Kennedy knows the value of interpersonal relationships and has built her law practice around relationships, transparency, and connections. Armed with not only her J.D., Paloma's undergraduate work focused on psychology and communications where she learned the power of truly listening and building connections with people.
Two sisters. One military spouse. One busy professional. And two very different life paths. A search for identity and a need for more time brought these two sisters together and skyrocketed them into their entrepreneurial journey.
Candice Wagener has always loved writing since her early years in elementary school to her current experiences as a freelance writer, journalist, and researcher. She also loves making things from scratch - baking yummy treats, making healthy snacks, and creating homemade sugar scrubs and bath salts. And when time manages to offer her a moment of reprieve you might even find Candice sewing!
Carly Wilkie fell in love with the solopreneur lifestyle after an early career opportunity to work on as a freelance designer for NUK USA, the baby care company. Today she loves showing up at baby showers to see her designs still prevalent on the guests' gifts for a new baby.
Inspirational stories and smart tips specifically geared for solo professionals who are starting-up or already fired-up, that will spark your productivity, creativity & keep your spirits soaring.
build community & create connections
Forget the flexible desk… how about a flex apartment, co-working, and fitness membership in countries around the world AND a platform to promote your independent work style from wherever you are. THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ and Behere are making it possible to live + work in inspiring cites around the world one month at a time. Together, these two organizations are building community and empowering a dynamic freelance lifestyle.
THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ is a powerhouse talent collective of WOMEN CONSULTANTS who offer professional services to businesses. The platform offers a searchable online directory and targeted resources to help create an ecosystem and an infrastructure for the future of work. Behere is the platform for women to live in cities around the world, without long-term contracts or obligations. The members-only platform provides access to carefully curated furnished apartments, workspaces and fitness studios for the growing population of women seeking alternative frameworks to live, work and travel.
THE JILLS Co-founders, Megan AC Boswell and Corinne Neil, caught up with Behere Cofounder and CEO, Meesen Brown to chat about female forward businesses, flexible workstyles on an international scale, and the future of work, and some of the best countries for living and working. READ MORE…
soar your spirit
THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ Co-Founders, Megan Boswell and Corinne Neil recently joined James Kademan , host of the Authentic Business Adventures Podcast series for a rolicking and candid hour in the studio to share their start-up story, their decision to be female-focused despite lots of advice to do otherwise, and how a night out with the gals for a glass a wine can be rich ground to uncover your next business idea. READ MORE & LISTEN IN…
This past week had us at one of our most favorite events of the year - the annual WARF UpStart Alumni dinner. We’re graduates of this free entrepreneurship program for women and people of color, and the very first iterations of THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ came to fruition while we drafted and revised our Business Model Canvas throughout this 10 week program.
UpStart was an important step into entrepreneurship for us.
PERSONAL Branding & showcasing your talents
Think through the grandest possible vision for your business. Go ahead. Do it. Dream the dream. And then write it down.Don’t be shy. Don’t hold back. Be bold. Be daring. Be confident.
maximize your business operations & efficiency
Procrastination is something we’ve all been guilty of now and then. (My particular form of procrastination includes popcorn, excessive organizing, and some form of social media.)
Whatever the specifics, I think it stems from a perception that their project will be difficult, expensive, or confusing. The key word is perception.
How then, can we get moving when stalled on a new project? Here are some tactics that have worked for me. READ MORE…
Life at my house took a drastic turn over the weekend. Tax season is in full swing so Greg (he’s a CPA) is pretty much living at the office (poor guy!). Not only that, my 16-year-old daughter, Emily, left for a fabulous vacation with her dad for a week.
Both of which mean lots of alone time for me!
As someone who’s used to – and enjoys – feeling at capacity most of the time, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I began by cleaning out every closet in the house, a task which actually turned out to be quite rewarding. Next, I began reading Simon Sinek’s, Start With Why.
After a while, though, it occurred to me that this newly found time is rare and temporary. So I decided to take more deliberate steps to improve things here at RocketGirl headquarters.
If you’re interested in doing the same, here’s what I recommend: READ MORE…
You get the picture. This “soft stuff” matters. And while none of it replaces the need for you to do a wonderful job with your clients, if you lose them during the “campus tour phase,” you may never get that opportunity!
Okay gals, we love working from home just as much as you, but to lead the future of work, we're going to need to ditch the yoga pants and the pyjamas once in while and get out of the house.
There are no two ways about it. Finding time to do your work and hunt up your work all while you manage the details of operating a business can make a gal think twice about the so-called freedoms of being a solo-preneur.
And while we absolutely exalt the empowerment of working for yourself, we know that to truly feel empowered, you cannot be in perpetual work mode.
invoicing, earning Income and the Economics of the future of work
BUSINess entities , Compliance and contractual considerations
The future of work is radically and rapidly changing. There will soon be more independent contractors and freelancers than employees in the workforce. Are you ready for the new normal? Are you aware of how to access the tools and resources that will set you up for success?
Recently, THE JILLS OF ALL TRADES™ Cofounders, Megan A.C. Boswell and Corinne Neil, caught up with the folks at BUNKER to chat about insurance, the modern independent contractor, and changing workforce trends.
Read more…
Jennifer Green wants to help YOU stand out. And she's got the talent and the know how to help you do just that!
Jennifer is a full service creative providing expertise in branding and web design from concept to production and is committed to helping socially responsible entrepreneurs, professionals and leaders, and progressive feminist political candidates stand out—online and in print.