As Joel and I contemplate starting a family in the near future, I can't help but wonder how our new responsibilities will affect our business objectives. We'll be faced with new challenges and will have a whole new perspective on work/life balance. As we determine what our future will hold, it is great to know that Austin has recently been rated as the top city for working moms by ForbesWoman's first list of this kind. Below is the recent short article from Austin Business Journal. Enjoy and let me know what you think makes a great city/town for a future mompreneur!
Memo to working moms: Austin's your kind of town
August 5, 2009
Austin Business Journal
Working moms trying to balance family and the workplace may be better off in Austin than a lot of other cities around the country.
That according to ForbesWoman's first ever list of the "Best Cities for Working Mothers," which ranks Austin second, just behind No. 1 New York City.
“There are numerous considerations for what working moms want in their choice of a city,” said ForbesWoman writer Heidi Brown, who edited the list. “We based our rankings on the premise that different mothers have different needs. Beyond good healthcare and safety, mothers who work want a city which offers plentiful jobs, high salaries and abundant daycare options.”
To create the list, ForbesWoman ranked 50 of the largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas by different categories, from earnings and unemployment to number of daycare and preschools and per-capita expenditure per pupil.
Rounding out the top 10 cities on the list, in order, are Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee, Portland, Cincinnati, San Jose, Pittsburgh, Seattle-Tacoma and Denver.
“I know how to do X, so I’ll just make a business out of that and life will be good.”
You probably said that to yourself when you first thought about freelancing. But if you’re totally new to the concept or have been toying with the idea a little while now, know this: It isn't quite as easy as it seems.
If you’re serious about taking advantage of the “freedom” inherent in freelancing, the only way to make it work is to be realistic, because unrealistic expectations can cause extreme disappointment. So if that’s your aim, read on and take a look at the real world of freelancing; it may save you a lot of time in the long run.
Myth #1: You’ll be a creative (or techie, or other professional) running a business. Reality: Being a successful freelancer starts with the right mindset. You must see yourself as an entrepreneur providing services, not a designer, developer, writer, or any other skilled professional making money from your skill or talent. This is a subtle but important distinction. If you see yourself as a professional who provides services, or, better yet, a solver of problems, you’ll realize that what you do commercially for others is based on their need. And focusing on the needs of the market — instead of on yourself — is a direct path to a thriving business.
Myth #2: You’ll be free to do whatever you want. Reality: Freedom is a double-edged sword. In theory, it’s true that you are free to do whatever you want, however, some of those things that you don’t want to do – like bookkeeping and marketing – are essential to the survival of your business. If you ignore them, you may singlehandedly undermine your own success. You are certainly free to do that, but it’s not a very good idea.
Myth #3: No one will tell you what to do. Reality: Your clients won’t tell you what to do the way a boss would, but it may feel that way sometimes. It may seem like they’re dictating deadlines, fees, and everything in between, unless you determine and state your own terms and conditions — like how much time you need to do a project and how and when you get paid.
Myth #4: You’ll have lots of personal time to have fun and relax. Reality: There aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Besides the work, you are responsible for writing proposals, finding new work (whether on Elance or in person), following up, billing your clients, dealing with customers, and even cleaning the office (which sometimes doubles as your home). And don’t forget that everything takes twice as long as you imagine it will.
Myth #5: If you do good work, clients will flock to your door. Reality: There’s no flocking involved. Once you build it, then you have to go out and spread the word about it in a world that is already cluttered with lots of other words intent on being spread. But if you communicate what sets you apart from the competition clearly, you are more likely to get the work that is out there.
Myth #6: “My work will speak for itself.” Reality: No way. Logistically impossible. You must toot your own horn, which doesn’t mean boasting or bragging. It means getting the attention of the right people — qualified prospects — long enough to make an impression, then educating them about how you can help them. It’s called marketing.
Myth #7: You’ll only do work you love. Reality: Maybe eventually, but only if you pursue the work you love. It doesn’t just magically appear on your doorstep (See Myth #6). First you have to identify the work you love, make a plan to get it, and then follow the plan diligently over time. Until then, you’ll probably take whatever comes along.
Myth #8: You’ll have great clients you love. Reality: You may have a few clients you love, but no clients are perfect — even ideal clients. There will always be miscommunications and misunderstandings, processes to improve and problems to resolve. If you focus on improving processes with whatever clients you have, you will attract better clients because the “bad” ones will weed themselves out.
Myth 9: The “business part” is boring and difficult. Reality: The “business part” (dealing with money, business development and managing other people, even if those people are your clients) will be challenging and, yes, sometimes boring. If you’re in business to have fun, your success is not assured. But if you rise to the occasion, whatever you find difficult will certainly make you better at business.
Myth #10: You have to be a “business person” to be successful. Reality: There is no such thing as a “business person,” and labeling yourself that way can be a huge obstacle to success. There are, however, business tasks, activities, behaviors, and skills, all of which you can learn. Then you are free to practice them to your heart’s content.
