Do you want to learn how to work better on the web? We’re going to chat about ways that you can improve your workflow, automate some common tasks, and offload the things that you don’t want to do to focus on the parts of working for yourself that you chose in the first place! I’ve done web development since high school, and have run a web development company for the past seven years. A majority of that time was solely self-employed, but I’ve also worked for others, worked in teams, hired contractors, and worked as a contractor. There are pros and cons to each of these situations, and I’m here to discuss my experiences, as well as how to get the best out of these situations.

1. SELF EMPLOYED ON THE WEB
@DAVIDLAIETTA

2. @davidlaietta | dinosauriceberg.com
SELF EMPLOYED ON THE WEB
DO I EVEN WANT TO TRY FREELANCING?
▸ Limitations of Time / Wearing Every Hat
▸ Irregular Income
▸ Managing Personal Costs
▸ Work/Home Life Balance
▸ Client Relationships
▸ Finding a Market or Niche
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3. HAVE A PLAN

4. @davidlaietta | dinosauriceberg.com
SELF EMPLOYED ON THE WEB
HAVE A PLAN
▸ Use a customer relationships management tool*
▸ Use a contract/estimate/invoice tool*
▸ Use a project management tool*
▸ Use a time tracking tool*
▸ Use a calendar*
▸ *Use the right tool for you!
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5. @davidlaietta | dinosauriceberg.com
SELF EMPLOYED ON THE WEB
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
▸ Track Your Time – Internal and External
▸ Harvest, RescueTime, Toggl
▸ Keep Detailed Finances
▸ Freshbooks, QuickBooks, Harvest
▸ Manage Projects Intelligently
▸ Trello, Basecamp, Podio, Asana
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6. HAVE A PROCESS

9. @davidlaietta | dinosauriceberg.com
SELF EMPLOYED ON THE WEB
STAYING FOCUSED
▸ Stick to a Routine
▸ Find Your Motivation
▸ Set Regular Goals
▸ Remove Distractions
▸ Maintain a Work Environment
▸ Separate Office from Home
▸ Differentiate Between On & Off Time
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10. HAVE PERSPECTIVE

11. @davidlaietta | dinosauriceberg.com
SELF EMPLOYED ON THE WEB
THE CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT
▸ Know When to Say No
▸ Set Working Hours &
Stick to Them
▸ Keep Clients Happy Within Reason
▸ Maintain Honesty and Accountability
▸ Garner Repeat Business and Word of Mouth
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12. @davidlaietta | dinosauriceberg.com
SELF EMPLOYED ON THE WEB
YOU CAN’T DO IT ALL
▸ Build Your Support Team & Mentor Relationships
▸ Establish Network Fees/Barters
▸ Know Your Weaknesses - Fill Gaps in Knowledge/Skill
▸ Delegate to Maximize Your Impact
▸ Don’t Overextend Promises
▸ Learn on the Job
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13. @davidlaietta | dinosauriceberg.com
SELF EMPLOYED ON THE WEB
STAY CONNECTED
▸ Attend Conferences & Meetups
▸ Keep Tabs on Industry Leaders
▸ Make Time for Constant Learning
▸ Attend Events Outside of the Industry
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14. SELF EMPLOYED ON THE WEB
QUESTIONS?
▸ @davidlaietta
▸ https://dinosauriceberg.com/
▸ https://thisweekinweb.com/
▸ dino.team/wcatl2016