Twenty years self-employment-forsldshr

Copyright 2014, Teich Technical and Marketing Communications

Lessons Learned from 20 Years (almost) in the Self- Employment Trenches

Thea TeichTeich Technical and Marketing [email protected]


Something about me...20 years in the “self-employment trenches” in 2015 22 years in corporations, government, and nonprofits in Cincinnati, OH, and Pittsburgh, PAFormer STC president, 2003-2004On STC Board of Directors for 7 years, 1998-2005Past President, VP, treasurer, and Competitions Manager for Southwestern Ohio ChapterBS-Univ. of Michigan; MS-Univ. of Wisconsin; MBA-Xavier Univ., Cincinnati Brought up in northern New Jersey (my h. s. overlooked the back side of the Statue of Liberty)Lived in Cincinnati, OH, since 1980


What will be coveredHow the organization of work has been changing in recent year and its impact on being self-employedWhy and how technical communicators are positioned to take advantage of these changes—and why self-employment may be a good thing to considerWhy self-employment is good—and why and when it’s not so goodLessons learned from my (nearly) 20 years in the self-employment trenches

The Big Picture: Major Lessons Learned


Become part of the client’s team…because that’s how work gets done—and that’s how you get repeat business.

David Lewis, of Express Employment Professionals, says the workplace of the near future will be

A “Results Only Work Environment” (ROWE)You’ll be judged on what you get done and not on how long you worked to get it done.

In other words, you’ve met the deadline.Pay based on project value, not a 40-hour work weekEven captive employees will be geographically dispersed.Adaptability will be even more necessary and valuable.



Chartered Management Institute Scenarios about Work in 2018

1,000 global corporate executives’ predictions74% expected “virtual teams of employees” to be the norm (geographically dispersed)65% expected “multi-employment” among talented people60% said “job hopping” would be commonplace55% said routine tasks would be automated67% predicted increased customer participation in business decisions67% predicted products with longer life cyclesreduce carbon footprint


Chartered Management Institute Scenarios about Work in 2018

A world ruled by [the most capable] employeesA world run by robots (decision-making software)A world without the rat race—at least less commuting.

Sounds like working independently to me!!


The ResultBlurring of boundaries between work/career and everything elseProliferation of “virtual” employmentRise of project-based employmentCall it “the rise of the independently employed.”

Free agencyFlexibilityEngagements, instead of 9 to 5Leveraging knowledge, instead of “doing a job”More interesting work perhaps, but less security

Can we live with that?


Why is this Happening?Demographics

77 million baby boomers, with only 44 million in Generation X coming along behindRetirement of senior mgt., skilled technical peopleOutsourcing, off-shoring, re-engineering won’t fill the gaps fully.But there will be 8.5 billion on the planet in less than 20 years.

TechnologyAlternatives to the way work was done are now easy to do.

NecessityNot enough office spaceToo many people needing to get somewhere else.


The Big Picture: becoming part of the client’s team

According to Daniel Pink (Free Agent Nation: How America’s Independent Workers are Transforming the Way We Live):

...the bargain between employee and employer was that the employee gave loyalty and the employer gave security...The bargain now is that the individual gives talent and the organization provides opportunities.

Nothing new here, however:Free agency in sports teamsMovie industry—temporary production companiesFreelancers—or “e-lancers” (Doug Florzak)

Sounds like working independently to me!


Technical Communicators: You are Able

Reasons for “going independent” from Daniel Pink’s interviews with “free agents:”

Greater securityGreater creative expressionGreater schedule flexibilityMore money

Reasons TC-ers are “able:”Comfortable with the technology that makes it possibleAlready building the independent employee economy

Distance learningTraining/instructional materialsWriting—a “natural” for SOHO


Technical Communicators: But are you ready? Are you willing?

In early 2008, Linda Stewart, writing for Boston Herald.com’s Business Today, said:

...project-based workers at all levels are the fastest growing segment in the marketplace and will make up 25% of the work force in the next five years.

And: To take full advantage of the independently employed market, companies must make a significant institutional leap by learning to trust accomplished free agents with important strategic assignments.

But:How has the economic volatility of the past several years changed all of the above—or made it even more relevant?


Technical Communicators: But are you ready? Are you willing?

Issues of importance to us allNeed for an integrated marketplace to find/offer talentNeed for standards

To save time, effort, and moneyAvoid re-inventing the wheel: contracts, negotiations, specifications

Need to change public policyHealth insurance—ACA is likely to handle all that, when we get past the learning curve.Retirement savings systemsAccess to capital: redefining “small business” with the SBATaxes

Contractors vs. independentsSelf-employment tax vs. Social Security (FICA)Company type


The View from TTMC: Lessons Learned

There’s really very little that requires rocket science.Be nice to everyone—as much as you can.Can-do attitude.Do good work (notice, I did not say “perfect work.”).Be easy to work with.Meet deadlines. Be reliable (it’s the 11th commandment)Pay attention to:

People and your relationships with them (People do business with people, not other businesses.)

Don’t worry so much about:Hardware and software (Buy what you need when you need it—and not before.)Accounting/Taxes: find a good accountant


The View from TTMC: Lessons Learned

Clients don’t always know what they want or need.So revisions are inevitable.Don’t take it personally. You are not a mind reader.Decide which battles are worth fighting. Most are not.

Clients are people.They are different from each other, so how you work with one may not carry over to another. You now have many bosses. And they can change what they want with no warning.Be ready for it.


Problem Areas Everyone Talks About

Setting RatesRounding Up Your ConsultantsFinding ClientsGetting PaidDealing with Money (e.g., taxes)Managing TimePreventing Isolation


Setting RatesSet One Hourly Rate

Despite the project, the client stills gets your servicesHalf of what you make goes to taxes

Discount Hours, not DollarsFind Out What Others are Charging in Your AreaDon’t Undervalue Yourself


Round Up Your ConsultantsAccountantGraphic Designer/IllustratorLawyer ProofreaderTechnology support Writing Specialists

Anybody need an indexer? A really good indexer, who meets deadlines???

Cleaning serviceLawn serviceHELP Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing (513 333 HELP)Source of good office chairsSTC CIC SIG


Finding ClientsUpending rocksReferrals from people you knowReferrals from other communications peopleColleagues in professional (and other) organizationsEveryone is a potential clientSix degrees of separationPeriodic “keep-in-touch” emails (direct mail)Advertising: targeted, maybe


Getting PaidContracts: Yours or the Client’sLetters of AgreementInvoice, invoice, invoiceFollow up, Follow up, Follow upKeep Track of What’s Come In/What’s Not

Simple ways may work bestCheck those 1099s


Dealing with MoneyInconsistency: that’s the way it is30, 60, 90 days to pay: that’s the way it isSeparate Business Checking AccountBudget, save for the unexpectedEstimated taxes

Avoid penalties: You can make as much as you can this year, but pay in taxes at least as much as you paid in taxes last year

Self-employment taxes Keep track of all business-related expenses

Even a % of cleaning service and lawn care costs are deductible if you have a home office


And...Managing time

It’s a 24/7 worldYou may not be able to stop work at 5pm every dayThat’s the way it is

Preventing isolationPlanning and schedulingLunching outSTC becomes even more important

Take on a chapter/SIG job to increase your involvement, prevent isolation and (ta-da!!) GET YOUR NAME OUT THERE!!


Finally...Your Personality—Can You Handle

Juggling?Balancing?

Flexibility is a two-way streetThe Unknown?Discipline?The Need to Focus?Professional Development responsibilities?


What I miss about corporate AmericaBenefits that appear to be paid by someone elseMore of a standard schedule— sometimesCamaraderie of colleagues every dayAvailability of resources, like the mail room, the copy machine, and the IT departmentNo cats on the keyboard


What I enjoy about working independently

Not having to be somewhere everyday at a specific time and (at least) until a certain other timeNo office “politics”Not dealing with as many difficult people More variety in the workWorking harder and longer hours, and sometimes, working less hard and fewer hoursMore flexibility about when and how the work gets doneWorking for moi (no one telling me my job has been eliminated—except me)Cats on the keyboard


SourcesBarker, Thomas and Kathryn Poe. “Changing world of the independent: a broader perspective,” Technical Communication, 49:2, May 2002, p. 151-153Carvel, John. “Wave goodbye to the nine to five, and say hello to virtual enterprise, Guardian.co.uk, March 14, 2008. Accessed November 3, 2008Florzak, Doug. “Are you ready for the e-lance economy?,” Technical Communication, 49:2, May, 2002, p. 162-170.

Kahan, Seth. “New rules for mass collaboration,” FastCompany.com, September 25, 2008. Accessed September 30, 2008.Lewis, David. “The (not so) future workplace,” Mensa Bulletin, March 2014.Poe, Stephen D. “Technical communication consulting as a business,” Technical Communication, 49:2, May 2002, p. 171-180.Stewart, Linda. “Independently employed are the next wave,” BostonHerald.com, Business Today, February 1, 2008. Accessed October 15, 2008.Vliestra, K. “Encouraging self-employment should be a focal point of the new SBA director.” HuffingtonPost:Small Business, www.huffiningtonpost.com/news/what-is-working-small-businesses/, accessed 23 April 2014.

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Twenty years self-employment-forsldshr