eLance: The Best Way to Work in Your Pajamas

Yes, I admit it, even now, I am sitting here in my cloud pj’s writing this post…and at the same time, I am bidding on ework… I love that we can now add “e” to the front of everything internet related…it is everywhere… edating, ecommerce, ehouse cleaning…ok, maybe that’s just fantasy… But the reality is, more and more of us are using our virtual office (ie comfy living room chair) to earn a living.

There are a variety of ways to find ework; message boards like www.craigslist.com, niche related websites like www.freelancewritinggigs.com and online newspaper classifieds (www.oregonlive.com). One of my latest finds is eLance…catchy, huh? It is a great concept…and makes a lot of sense in some ways…maybe not as much in others.

eLance is a website where people in need of services in find qualified professionals. Here’s what they have to say for themselves…

“Elance is a place where businesses connect with professionals to get work done now.

With the largest network of rated and certified business professionals, Elance facilitates the entire work process from hiring to collaboration to payment.

Businesses use Elance to achieve more by finding great people and getting work done in a new way, and talented professionals find meaningful work that fits their lifestyle.

Corporate Information
Founded in 1999, Elance was established to help small businesses easily and efficiently hire freelance talent. Today, Elance is the leading online workplace. Elance is privately-held and headquartered in Mountain View, California.”

And there you have it…The site has thousands of listings. A good resource for contract work…very thorough in its collection of information from service providers. They also have a well-thought out system that allows for funds to be held in escrow, after a bid has been made and accepted, which protects both parties. They also have built in project management software and mediation services, should that be necessary.

On the downside, the site is not necessarily intuitive in its use…it takes a bit of finagling to find information. The provider information is very thorough, but it does take quite a long time to fill out all of the necessary information. Do not plan to skip right through this…it is a process…go get another cup of coffee…

Still, it is free…and in my book, that makes it a no brainer…give it a try and let me know what you think…

Remember How I Said I Had A New Business Model?

Yeah, and didn’t it sound so cool? Well, it sounded cool to me anyway…And remember how it sounded like it was the “future” plan for my business? As in, soon, but not today?

Yeah.

Well, it’s today. In fact, it was yesterday. I had a meeting with a really great new restaurant…cool chef, up from San Fran (won’t hold it against her), wants everything I have…times, oh, say THIRTY!!! What, did I just say we could provide 30 pounds of Arugula? Ok, I didn’t say I could do that today…but I did say I could do that.

And I can do that…not here at Windy Hill Farm (where I live), but here at Dancing Hills Produce, the name of the produce arm of Gardener to Farmer. I think I should say Farm one more time…

So, I need a network NOW…and interestingly enough, I already have two growers (since yesterday!)…so that is a great sign! Now, I need to spend this weekend hammering out the details…Here’s what I think I will need:

• A contract with the grower that includes a non-compete clause and income split
• A strategic growing plan
• Ummm…a finished business plan? (don’t throw rocks…I know I need to finish it)
• A harvest and delivery process
• Legal incorporation
• Liability insurance (these last two are musts, actually, they are all musts)
• A Tanq and Tonic…with a couple of limes, please…

It is clear that I will have no shortage of postworthy topics…and if you have any suggestions about other things I can do, please, feel free to contact me!

Social Networks and Social Network Marketing, the Great Equalizers

OK, seriously, people…Since I got a laptop and ditched the family computer, I have become engrossed with all of the new ways to connect and build community online. I hate to say it, but I am addicted to social networking and social network marketing.

Sites like Facebook and MySpace are usually the first things that come to mind when people think about social networks. But, as I have discovered, there are so many more. One of my new favorites is Twitter. It is a “microblog” that asks you to answer the question “what are you doing?”. I know, this sounds odd…and it did to me, too…until I started “tweeting” regularly.

I am also excited about sites like Stumble Upon, Reddit and Digg. These are sites that allow you to identify cool posts, pages, sites,etc, review them and post them to a publicly viewed page. For those of us who have businesses attached to our blog, or if you are trying to build readership, these sites are great ways to get the word out there. They are generally easy to use, and (this is big) they are fun! I particularly like the feature on Stumble Upon where you click a button and go to one of the higher rated sites…it lets you “stumble” around the net, randomly unearthing cool sites.

Finally, my most used site is Flickr. I post all of my pictures here. I am able to share photos with friends and family and also easily upload them to my blogs and other sites. A certain amount of storage is free, but I use the paid membership version. It essentially gives me unlimited storage and other options, like on line photo editing.

Believe me, this is not an exhaustive list. There are plenty of other ways to connect. These social networks are built around all kinds of themes, bookmarks, photos, even gardening (find me at Gardener to Farmer on Blotanical and MyFolia). There are also blogs that have their own social networks on site. Amazing…and just in case this seems too overwhelming to follow, there is a site that collects all of your sites… Friend Feed is a great place to keep tabs on your friends…and your teen aged daughter who just got a laptop…no more searching for all of her, I mean, your, postings…this aggregator has it all in one place. Check me out at http://friendfeed.com/jeanannvk.

And what I like the most about social networking and social network marketing, and really all emarketing, is accessibility. In a way, the internet has become the great equalizer. We have the opportunity to reach readers just as effectively as the big guys. We only need an internet connection and a computer (now found at local libraries) and we are ready to take on the world.

Do you use any of these networking sites? Do you use others? Are there some I should join? Let me know!

Networking and Cultivation Update

A busy week, to be sure! I had several appointments, of which at least 30-40% were canceled and rescheduled. It is not uncommon to have to reschedule…and in the days when I had an executive assistant, this was not a problem. But the more time I spend on things like scheduling, the less time I have to do the work that makes the money…I think I have a solution, though…I am drafting my partner to do the organizing side of things for me. I am not one to have much patience for the nitty gritty…I need a handler!

In any case, I had some very rewarding meetings this week:

I had lunch with Tom Imeson, a well known and respected business person in Portland. He talked with me about his experience as a consultant. It was great to catch up and he offered to pass along information about my consulting practice, as was relevant.

I had a meeting that resulted in my second Produce Partner, Tim Healea of Little t Bakery.

And, I found my first victim, err, first guinea pig, ummm, I mean, my first PARTICIPANT, in a new feature that will start next week. Tune in to find out what the feature will be…but in the meantime, meet Lindy Maxwell…

I had a wonderful networking lunch with Juan Martinez of Basic Rights Oregon…I shared my fund development knowledge and he shared a willingness to pass along info about my consulting practice.

I also had breakfast with Roey Thorpe with the Equality Federation. It was great to reconnect with her and she had some great suggestions…she is connecting me with a couple of people she thinks would be good to help develop Gardener to Farmer.

Slower this week for eNetworking…I added a couple of new contacts on my LinkedIn account, but that’s about it.

That’s all for this week’s update…keep making those connections!

A New Business Model for Gardener to Farmer

Gardener to Farmer is one of my two businesses…the other is Escalation Business Consulting. This week, I finally figured out what the heck I was doing. Starting a business is a stutter step, trial and error, wrestling with ideas, crying and laughing adventure…probably made worse due to the fact that I am…wait for it…an idea person…chaos errupts, papers fly in the air, people run screaming from the room. Yes, that’s right, I am not ashamed to admit it, I love generating creative solutions, big picture thinking, strategy and business development.

And Gardener to Farmer started as a dream for the future. Last summer, my mom and I started talking about what we would do if we could do anything we wanted to…and a picture emerged…we would have a wonderful ranch in Northern California where we would have a small boutique farm…one that produced unusual produce on a small scale. In our dream, we added that we wanted chickens, mini goats and mini donkeys. I think we felt that small scale would be more manageable…somehow, I am not sure that applies to donkeys.

In any case, we have kept that dream alive. I have a painting of Northern California right above my coffee maker. It is the first thing I see when I wake up. And although I still live in Oregon, many things have changed that have brought my dream closer to reality.

One major thing that has changed is that we moved to a bigger place so that we could add children to our lives. My partner and I did a lot of research, read postings, looked on line, drove by houses…and when we finally had an appointment to go into a house and see it, we knew it was the right place for us. It just so happens (and we didn’t know this until we arrived), that the only house we looked at had an organic garden and a miniature orchard (another mini!). Are you kidding me? Did I mention there is a greenhouse? We’ll take it!!

This was in October, just before the darkest and rainiest days here in Oregon. I did a bit of rototilling, but that was it…too wet to do anything. In February, I started my blog, Gardener to Farmer. Exploring what I could and would do with this land…and in March, long before I had any produce available, I found Ali and Evan at the Little Red Bike Cafe.They became my first Produce Partners…for the whole story go here.

But, I have struggled with what my actual business model would be…I now have two partners, and another meeting set up next week…and I have realized two things. One, there is a market for the type of produce I provide and for the marketing methods I offer and two, I do not have enough space to grow for multiple restaurants.

This is a good problem to have…much better than not having anyone buy produce. And after much stress and general thrashing about, I think I have developed a new business model. I will find “growing partners”. These partners will be people who already know how to garden, who already have gardens, and who would like to make extra income. I particularly want to work with stay at home moms, helping them become mompreneurs, like me.

So, I will be looking to recruit my partners in the next couple of weeks. I am excited about the prospects and feel like I finally have a clear enough vision to start my business plan…If you would like to follow the gardening side of my business, you can go to the business website at www.gardenertofarmer.com or the blog at www.gardenertofarmer.blogspot.com.

Whew, that said, I am taking a much deserved long weekend away from the computer (gasp!). I am going to get one more post in before I go…don’t want to miss the networking update…then, I will return bright-eyed and bushy-tailed early next week.  Have a good Memorial Day weekend!

Networking and Cultivation Update

And here we are with the first NCU (networking and cultivation update). This week, I networked with 6 people in person, from that I:

Learned the ins and outs of consulting from expert consultant, Kathleen Saadat

Adopted a non profit for some pro bono work, Donors Resource

Started a conversation about joining the board of PABA

And saw a good friend, good resource and new produce customer…Jeff Miller of Travel Portland

Jeff had some great ideas and suggested he could refer me to some people I should contact. Letting folks know that I have started a consulting business is very important, particularly in a city like Portland. Portland is a small, big city and referrals more often come from who you know, rather than more traditional advertising. Networking here has the potential for huge impact in social networks.

Which brings me to my online networking site for the week, LinkedIn. If you look to the right, you will see the button for my profile. In some ways, it is the traditional social networking site that it isn’t very social.  There are various groups you can join, but it primarily serves as a place to track and expand your network. This is not the place to go and chat up your best friend from high school…

You can develop an extensive business profile, an online resume of sorts, search the contacts of people you know for a connection, look for jobs and generally keep a log of all of the business people you have met, either virtually or in person. It is handy if you want to find the friend of a friend who knows so and so over at company x.  Or, I use it to find other consultants in Portland who do work that is similar or complimentary to mine…always good to have a place to refer clients who want something you don’t provide or who need consulting and you are too busy (!).

I have connected with lots of people, some I knew, some I didn’t.  I have also met people online and have followed up with in person coffees. In fact, next week I am meeting in person with another consultant I met on LinkedIn.

This week, I networked electronically with lots of folks and here’s what resulted:

An in person coffee with a new colleague

A referral to a potential client for my produce business, Dancing Hills Produce

A freelance job for a newspaper on the coast

A paid blog posting job

Never underestimate the importance of networking…and remember, it is not about the quantity of people you connect to, it is about the quality of the connection.

Networking = More Business

We might as well get this on the table right now. Networking is critical and unavoidable if you want to have a flourishing business. That said, there are tons of ways to network…way too many to write about in one post. I am adding a new feature to TEE (The Edgy Entrepreneur, isn’t it a cool acronym?)…each week, I will highlight the contacts I have made in person and highlight one or two ways to network online…

Let’s see, what shall I call it? Something catchy…something that grabs people’s attention, I do want people to read it. How about Networking=Money. While this is true, it is a little too hard of a sell for my style. Maybe Building Relationships, Building Income…but that is still too monetarily focused for me. Yes, money is very important…I need to feed the family, after all, but if your sole purpose is to network to make money, people are going to see you coming a mile away…think pushy sales people. You may get the initial sale, but you won’t get the return customer…deadly for a small business. The Relationship Update sounds like we are dating, or this is a therapeutic blog…Let’s go with “Networking and Cultivation Update”…it is a bit long, but it captures the principle.

And the principle is this…it is not enough to go out, meet a lot of people and hand them your card…or go online and develop profiles in several places…this initial contact is important, yes…but if you don’t CULTIVATE that relationship, it is a lukewarm lead at best.

I love the term cultivation…I have a gardening business, Gardener to Farmer, and all of my produce sales have come from person to person contact. True, if I was selling a lot of widgets, I would not know all of my customers. But selling produce is a whole different matter. I started this business with the idea that purchasers need a relationship with not only the seller, but the produce. That added value is a competitive edge that sets me apart from other suppliers.

Start considering your network and how your business interacts with it…let’s see how we can make it solid and add strong leads, ultimately benefiting you and your customers.

StartUp Nation and Office Live, What’s not to Like?

Listen, this StartUp Nation site is unbelievable…It has to be one of my favorite resources. I don’t know if you are a podcast addict, like I am, but they have a million casts, all about issues that are relevant to business owners…A couple of my favorite…one with Tim Ferriss and this one about eCommerce.

These guys really know how to sell their product. They have identified their niche, providing support for start ups and entrepreneurs, and their whole site is dedicated to just that…so many resources, they have essentially become my “go to” business site. Now, that is an accomplishment when there is such a glut of information out there that I spend most of our time screening it out…

And they are such smooth sellers…they have plenty of free information on their site, but they also offer products and services at a cost…usually, they have a great deal, a certain percentage off, extra benefits, etc…which makes these offers very appealing to businesswomen on a shoestring budget. And here’s the deal…I can be very cynical when it comes to being “sold”…been there, done that, don’t want to do it again. But, this format is so genuine, transparent, and helpful, that I don’t mind it. I think, “Yeah, that is a great deal and I DO need someone to help me with X”. Do yourself a favor and check them out.

One of my other favorite sites is Microsoft Office Live. I know, I know, Microsoft Office is an expensive, but necessary software for business owners everywhere…but here’s the deal…most of what is offered on Office Live is FREE…yes, you can choose to upgrade and/or buy additional services, but it is really designed to function very effectively for small businesses who can’t afford all of the bells and whistles…

For example, I host my gardening business (Gardener to Farmer) website there…I created a site off of a template and they gave me the domain free…yes, FREE! None of that cost me a dime. I also have an email account that is forwarded to one of my MSN accounts for free.

I recently discovered that forwarding of email accounts, something I thought to be an essential component of all email accounts, is not always free. A fact I am none too happy about…

In any case, Office Live has a contact manager that links your accounts with Outlook, as well as multiple business applications. All of the services are so user friendly my 8 year old could do it…note to self: train Nathan to use Office Live, STAT…

Which brings me to the ultimate value of both of these sites…as an Entrepreneur, I am already working long days, scrabbling around to piece together information, funding, contracts, etc. The last thing I need is difficult to manage technology…if I am going somewhere for help, it has to be easy to find what I need and simple to use.

In a business, saving time equals saving money…and saving money equals cash in your pocket…

Is that a Blackberry in Your Pocket, or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

Edgy Entrepreneur:

[ej-ee] Pronunciation Key – Show IPA Pronunciation –adjective, edg·i·er, edg·i·est.

1.	nervously irritable; impatient and anxious.

2.	sharp-edged; sharply defined, as outlines.

3.	daringly innovative; on the cutting edge.

en·tre·pre·neur /ˌɑntrəprəˈnɜr, -ˈnʊər; Fr. ɑ̃trəprəˈnɶr/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[ahn-truh-pruh-nur, -noor; Fr. ahn-truh-pruh-nɶr] verb –noun

1.	a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, esp. a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.

Entrepreneurs are a different breed…we embrace things that are uncomfortable. We welcome change, we take risks, we leave our day jobs because we believe we can MAKE IT HAPPEN. We constantly walk the edge between failure and success…practicing deep breathing techniques and progressive relaxation, hoping to push through the uncertainty and gain the advantage. And although these same characteristics have existed since the caveman created the wheel, then turned around and sold it to his neighbor for 5 rocks, the world around us has changed…making it easier and easier to go into business for ourselves.

Today, we are no longer limited by geography or technology. We are living in an age of internet networking, instant messaging and a camera/phone/tv/mp3 player/hard drive strapped to our sides. Anyone with the ability to create a website from a template can immediately be in business and drive customers to their products…For someone who loves possibilities and big picture thinking, like me, this is Nirvana (no, not that Nirvana, this Nirvana).

It is a great time in history to be starting a business…so many resources, so many options…I was so enthusiastic, I decided to start two. I left my executive job, with a great assistant and a regular paycheck, to embark on this adventure…I just kept thinking, if I can run a company this size for someone else, why couldn’t I do it for myself?

And I can…I am…and I am taking you with me…

/ˈɛdʒi/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation