What do you do when things you’ve dreamed about but doubted yourself on finally fall in your lap? Do you take charge and go for the gold without hesitation or do you step back in fear of failure?
Clearly people who know me read this and think, duh Chels, you do it! Why would you even hesitate? And normally my positive go-getter side agrees, except that I’ve always been the kind of person who wants to make sure I have everything planned out and prepared before I can go full force. Yes, I am the overly-cautious CRAWLED-across-the-moving-playground-bridge child that my mother still jokes about. Yet my boss’s Wednesday morning meeting mantra rings in my head, “I can accept failure. What I can’t accept is not trying.”
Today I was approached to be a social media manager for a children’s sports camp. Presenting what I thought would be a simple Facebook tutorial suddenly turned into a freelance opportunity. I almost didn’t know how to react feeling surprised and flattered I look to some of my local Social Media idols like Kirsten Wright and Mirna Bard and think I hope one day I can be as good as them, but how do you ever know when you’re expert enough to go for it? I wonder if I am ready to dive in. Is this my moment to begin a career in social media management? I mean I know the basics to getting started and how to compose marketing plans but the dangers of doing it wrong keep flashing in my mind. I immediately turn to Google to figure out answers to the questions I can’t answer and I discover a few what not to do’s.
This list includes:
- Horror stories of divulging the entire marketing plan and then having the company turn around and complete the plan with interns and staff. (That’s the jist of it, the stories themselves are much more painful).
- Not knowing how to create contracts and winding up without a dime and lost energy and effort.
- Undercharging and spending too much time and energy without having the worth match the work.
Recalling the words of Seth Godin from his LinkedOC presentation, which made me think I could conquer the world, I find encouragement. He said, “Initiative isn’t something you’re given, you have to take it,” and with that I will proceed with caution hoping that I will eventually “Pass Go and collect $200.”
Is this my new direction I am supposed to take? I want to hear how most small business owners gained the courage to get started? Was there an “Aha!” moment?
I've always told myself to be ready for the opportunity. Sometimes it comes along and sometimes you create the opportunity, and most of the time it comes when you least expect it and maybe even in a different direction (like running a food truck lol)
ReplyDeleteBruce Lee says it best: "Be like water..."
And about the horror stories of divulging too much information. Seth Godin also says to share your art with the world (via Linchpin). If a company is bold enough to steal your ideas and pass them off to an intern then they don't see your true value and you don't want to be affiliated with a company with such low moral integrity.
Nice job Chelsea; keep it up.
Thank you for the encouragement Justin! Everything you said is so true and just goes back to having faith in yourself! I'm reading Linchpin right now and you could not have said it more perfectly!
ReplyDeleteChelsea,
ReplyDeleteWhat you need to know is if you're willing to take the good with the bad - and make it work. There is no easy client and there is no easy project. But - if you are confident in yourself and what you can deliver then you will be fine!
I will say, jumping into "freelance" was never my goal. When I made the decision to go out on my own, I did it with an LLC (& legal team) behind me. If you are going to take the leap out and do work like this, you need to be protected.
Finally, if you really are going to go for it that manner, you need to consider who you are as a brand - and what image you portray to potential future clients (website, business cards, etc)
Good Luck.
Thank you Kirsten!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice and that was definitely what I was worried about. I'm going to start with my one client and see how this goes because I love my day job and I'm not quite at the point where I want to go out on my own.
Thank you again :)