Join in if you are self-employed and work from home

Wordsmith

You did well yesterday Sunshine Girl! You put me to shame.

Tile catalogues are a bit boring ...

moneymabel

Just booked a stand at a local weding fair in September.It will be the first one ive done and i'm a bit scared now!! Still it only costs £50 for a 5 foot table so a bit of a bargain :-)

starxtrouble

That is a bargain. I used to work as a chocolate fountain operator at weddings and parties when I was at uni, I sometimes accompanied my boss to wedding fairs and he was always complaining it cost him a few hundred quid, and that was 5 years ago!

Mmmm that was a good job, well paid, but hard work.. and bad for my waist line!

moneymabel

mmmmm chocolate... sorry distracted for a mo there !

Its in a local hotel so only a small show but will be good practice in case i do decide to do a larger one in the future,I know other bigger local ones cost about £250-£500 ..ouch!

Horace

Mabel - that's cheap for a stand at a wedding fair, I have been quoted upwards of £120 plus VAT and thats for a small stand with no electricity.:eek: My advert is going to into a rather posh magazine - so fingers crossed.

On the way back from posting my signed contract for my new accountant (:wave: in case she's watching), I nipped into my local florist as she has been really supportive and I asked her for my old cards as I wanted to replace them so she said that your old cards have gone people have taken them, so I left a few new cards (I wish I had taken more) - so hopefully I might get some business from that.

I am currently compiling a list of venues that I have yet to visit and will be tackling it tomorrow (its a big list). I am also preparing a questionnaire for couples so that I have an idea of their likes and dislikes (it all helps). I also need to carefully read the contract that my solicitor has prepared for me - there is something in it that I am not sure about so guess I will have to call her.

Off now to contact the chamber - I need to book on some networking events, I always have time for networking:D Still feel like saying "gissa job" :rotfl:

moneymabel

Thats good news that your cards have gone-fingers crossed! Actually thats reminded me-i have some cards in a local florists as well, must remember to change them for the new ones when the websites done.
Hope the advert does the job for you :-)

GreyhoundAngel

Gosh, so many of you either doing really well with your freelance working or making great progress in your bids for "freedom" ........ :T It's really good to read about your successes, despite feeling despondent and demoralised with my own progress and lack of moving forward.

My Avon sales this campaign have been a little disappointing, more in the sense that it seems to have taken alot more time & "effort" than it should have done to get the sales - but I'm reasonably pleased with those at this stage. Think I need to do some better strategy planning to make it “work” ….. ie work smarter not harder as my Dad used to say.

Two of the contracts I went for a while ago, have unfortunately been un-successful, though I had two more meetings yesterday - one of which seems promising (but I'm not banking on it).

Done some MS work this month, though the payments are going to be split part this month part next month, with a couple more booked in for May so far (although I may have to cancel one of those due to external circumstances). :rolleyes:

Got an interview tomorrow, for some part-time casual work – not my first choice, but am not in a position to be chosey right now. I’m also waiting to hear if I have been selected for interviews from a few others that I’ve applied to. It’s PAYE, so not really “ontopic” for this thread … however I’m viewing it as part of my “plans”, in the sense that it will pay the essentials thus keeping me afloat and hopefully giving me a little extra over which I will “invest” in moving the business forward … call it working capital !

Really not sure how worthwhile it is in either registering or re-activating myself on the Freelance sites … just seems to be so many on them now, and it’s almost swimming with people from India & similar area’s who are happy to work for £3 or £5 an hour. :eek:

Tasks I really need to focus on this week are:

PT PAYE / Temp work hunting
Look at Freelance site options (Services Business side)
Revise and revamp my range of Business Flyers (Both Businesses)
Draft mailing / distribution lists (various) for the flyers (Both Businesses)
Work on basic pages for website (Both Businesses)
Mind mapping for ideas on targeting “less saturated” markets (Both Businesses)
Look for new / more ideas for products (Gift Business side)
Source new / more “materials & stock” (Gift Business side)

Think that should keep me going for a bit …..

Hope you’re all having a productive day!

Purpleroses

i'm done for the day! so far today I have put together, labelled and parceled 100 promo packs, 18 letters, updated accounts, sent out invoices and paid in cheques. Uhh just remembered I have 2 orders to parcel up for tomorrow but think i'll have some coffee first.

Horace

Well done Purple.

Greyhound - you are also doing well.

Today I have: rung the Chamber to get my membership number (their membership dept need the sack because they are as much use as a bacon sandwich at a bar mitzvah:rolleyes:) I am now booked onto two events - one is a chamber induction on 5 May (free) and the other is a luncheon called Women..Who which has cost me £28.75 but as it goes on for a while and a posh lunch is included as well as a guest speaker then I cannot complain, plus I can go there on the bus as there is a bus stop right outside (its at the Radisson SAS in Birmingham).

Have spent part of the afternoon on the phone to Natwest Bank and their insurance brokers as I want some Professional Indemnity Insurance - had a lovely chat with chappie on the phone and it turns out that his mum lives around the corner from me and he was up here at the weekend (small world). He has recommended insurance from Hiscox and that I should go for the Silver package initially as it is cheaper and more useful to my business - I can always upgrade next year. Things are moving and I am feeling more energised that I have in a long time:D

Have a good day all. Thanks for your good wishes everyone it is much appreciated:A

TCM_3

Send some energy my way!!!! I'm lacking today and the chocolate........

Daydreaming

Again