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It is important to get a rough idea of what makes the best freelancer and the general personality traits they seem to have before deciding to take that career path. This way even if you do not think you possess these specific qualities now, it does not mean you cannot adapt once actually in a freelancing role. That’s why we have put together a list of some attributes for you to look at to help determine whether this is the best route for you.

Self-discipline

It is a common myth that freelancers are able to pick and choose exactly when they want to work because realistically, there will be times when you do not want to work but have to. This is where having self-discipline becomes crucial, as you might not always have someone pushing you to get on with work the same way you would as a permanent employee.

While you should still take up opportunities to enjoy yourself when possible, you must balance this with ensuring you are getting all of your required work done as well. The consequences of becoming too relaxed while freelancing can be severe such as losing clients, damaging your reputation and potentially a loss of money. Having the self-discipline to set a work schedule can help you get into an organised structure which will play a significant part in your success.

Responsibility

As a freelancer, you must take responsibility for all of your actions and decisions that you make in business. This means within all of your success and failures that you experience, you take them as your own and learn from them. You might not have this attribute right from the outset of becoming a freelancer, but over time you develop it through learning and improving your skills.

Showing that you are willing to take on responsibility gives off a professional image to clients and determination can give the impression that you are experienced, even if you are not. This attribute is key, as a huge part of being a freelancer means taking control of your own decisions and therefore being responsible.

Time-management

Without set hours, as permanent employees generally have, it is important to manage your schedule of work through pre-planning as a freelancer. As you are effectively your own boss, you are only one who will be under scrutiny if you do not complete a piece of work in the time that you promised your client. Success as a freelancer can be significantly elevated through positive word of mouth. Therefore proving to clients that you are a reliable person to work with can encourage more work with that same client or their connections in the future.

Although there is a great deal of responsibility that comes with freelancing in terms of running your business ventures, there are ways you can get help with managing your time effectively. An example of this is using a contractor accountant to help you handle your financial administration which can be time consuming. Without this burden on yourself, you can focus on completing your tasks for a client or enjoy some more freedom. Your level of income can then be managed by using a contractor salary calculator so you can assess how much each job you take as a freelancer will impact you financially, organising your profit schedule.

Initiative

Using your initiative links to being responsible in the sense that there is no one in charge of your actions and essentially telling you what to do. A client will expect more to come from you, and to not have to oversee everything you are working on. Initiative is proved by asking your client questions, making suggestions regarding the project and having trust in your own expertise. It is fairly crucial to use your initiative as a freelancer as you do not depend on anyone else to get a task done at exceptional standard except yourself.

Communication skills

Many freelancers, particularly those in the design industry where it is crucial to have input from both parties (freelancer and client), must prioritise communication. Establishing a clear idea of what your requirements are as well as putting forward ideas can help you avoid any errors occurring in the work you are carrying out.

There are various ways in which a freelancer can ensure communication with the client is at its best. Their communication between one another should be kept clear, by avoiding wasteful information being swapped. Agreeing on progress stages is also an important aspect to communicate effectively and helps a freelancer become efficient and improves relationships with clients. By achieving this a freelancer should be able to gain a positive reputation and give your client exactly what they have asked of you.

Flexibility

Being entirely responsible for your future career moves when freelancing means you need to make sure you can get ahead of others that might beat you to your next job. Diversifying your portfolio to make you the most appealing candidate for a job is crucial in a competitive market. That is why a freelancer must be willing to be flexible in their work and ready to learn new things.

This flexibility will also benefit you in being able to take rush jobs, where a client urgently needs your services. Being a freelancer with various skills means you do not need as much training time and can take up these opportunities as they come. To gain this skill of being a flexible freelancer, you have to be willing to move outside of your comfort zone which could be fairly daunting for some. However, this will pay off when you are able to take up a wide array of freelancing jobs that are presented to you.

Freelancing is a very rewarding career path to take, and it gives you a clear sense of independence in your work. Acquiring these traits that we have listed will undoubtedly increase your potential as a candidate that a client would be happy to work with, as well as increase the likelihood of you finding further work.

Suggested further reading

https://www.churchill-knight.co.uk/blog/2016/10/software-versus-accountant-which-is-the-better-option-for-me/

http://www.churchill-knight.co.uk/blog/2016/06/what-is-a-director-s-loan-and-how-do-i-get-one/

Many Thanks to Bart Kot for his invaluable insights

This article has been written by Milosz, the digital strategy consultant at Chilli Fruit Web Design

Saving money is underrated especially for young people out there.  They are too excited with the fact that they are able to earn their own money. Thus, they buy things they like and even those that they do not like. It is crazy how hard it is to earn money yet it is so easy and effortless to lose all of it. Therefore, if you want a good future, to be able to buy a house, a nice car, enrol your kids in good school and be able to afford to go to vacation at least once or twice a year, then it is important to start saving now.

This article will give you some tips on how to increase your savings significantly and be able to enjoy a better future with it.

1. Spend money on a budget – it is important to become disciplined when it comes to spending money. You cannot just wander around spending money left and right or else you will end up broke. It is advisable to create a budget plan and make sure to follow it strictly. It will give you a clear direction on how to spend your money wisely.
2. Avoid excessive spending on shopping – it is also best to tone down your shopping habits most especially spending on luxury brands. You can limit a once or twice a year splurge but do not make it a habit because it will drain your savings for sure. It is best to go to the mall with specific items to buy and budget in mind.
3. Find a good job with good pay – of course, there is no better way to increase your savings than getting a good job that pays well. If you think you are getting less than what you deserve then maybe it is time to find something new. Do not get yourself stuck in a place just because you are comfortable. Sometimes you need to go out of your comfort zone to reach your goals.
4. Find another source of income – it is also best to find other source of income like a small business or a freelance job that will allow you to earn extra cash. It is good to spend free time doing these things rather than doing nothing or burning cash while drinking with your friends.
5. Stop your vices – speaking of drinking, another way to help you increase your savings significantly is by cutting down on your vices like drinking, smoking, gambling and other things that waste your money. You will definitely see the difference in a short period of time. This is also good not only for your pocket but for health especially.

It may be difficult in the beginning but you should learn to adjust and impose discipline on yourself. You will be able to get used to it and before you know it, it will be a piece of cake for you. It is important to become cautious in spending money – future goals should always be kept in mind like buying land from a high-end developers like Lendlease and the future of your family.

In England and Wales, common practice has evolved to make use of a provision to specify that the service of legal documents can be made on a process agent service located in England or Wales. So “process agent” refers to the representative of a contractual party upon whom court proceedings may be served. The appointment of a process agent thereby removes the need on the serving party to serve proceedings outside of England and Wales.

Article 6.11 of the Civil Procedure Rules provides that: ”Where a contract contains a term providing that, in the event of a claim being started with respect to the contract, the said claim form may be issued by a method or at a specified place as stated in the contract; and a claim solely in respect of that contract is started, the claim form may, as subject to paragraph 2, be issued on the defendant by the method or at a specified place as stated in the contract”.

By appointing a trustworthy and accepted process agent means the serving party can be confident that service will be accepted and not by any way contested by the process agent. The following is an example of a clause used to appoint a process agent.

The [Party] will irrevocably appoints the agent [Name of Process Agent and his address] as its process agent who will be in charge of receiving on its behalf service of any proceedings in connection with this agreement in England and Wales.  Such service however shall be deemed completed on delivery to the process agent.  In case the agent regardless of his reasons ceases to act as an agent or the agent no longer resident or has an address within England and Wales, the [Party] shall immediately appoint a new process agent and notify the other parties the name and address of the new process agent in England or Wales.

In England and Wales, civil procedure rules are very strict regarding the service of proceedings. If a company is not located in the UK, the service of process can be even more difficult to follow. This is why it is important when trading internationally for a company to hire a process agent for the peace of mind of all concerned.

In the event that services of proceedings are served on the process agent, they will need to forward the documents on to the principal of the company concerned in accordance with their instructions. It should be noted that within a time specified by the Courts, the principal is obliged to respond to the service of proceedings. It is however also important, that the process agent is kept updated by a company official and that he also updates the company with his relevant contact details at all times.

I am sure that nobody likes the idea of living his life on credit. After all, our debt is something we owe to other people, and we will need money to pay it off at some point, sooner or later. Due to difficult financial circumstances in many parts of the world these days, people find it more and more difficult to pay their debts. People usually have a few credit card debts at the same time and this is the sort of reality many of us are facing.

If you are not able to pay one credit card debt, you might soon start having problems with paying other debts as well. This is the sign that you need debt relief in the form of debt settlement. Negotiating with your lenders to lower your debt might not be easy if you decide to go for it alone. Apart from that, do you know the terms debt management and debt settlement? There is a big difference between debt management and debt settlement and it is really a good idea to make yourself familiar with both of them at the same time so that you know what you are dealing with. You will want to ask for debt settlement services if you are already in a very serious financial condition. This means that you have big problems paying your debts, and the only thing that you can do is to ask for lowering your debts. If you have old debts, or if you are already a lot behind in paying your debts, then you might qualify for debt settlement.

I have always liked the idea of debt settlement. Debt settlement is a fast and reliable method of getting out of debt in as little as 18 to 36 months. I know that some people think that debt relief takes many years to accomplish, but this is not true.

If you have an unsecured credit card debt, you are a perfect candidate for debt settlement. Without debt settlement, it would take you probably 30 years to pay your debt off and you would have to spend a lot of money on paying your lenders their interest rates.

With this being said, it is better not to try to settle your debts on your own. The company that can help you with your debt settlement is a company that I came across recently, but had a chance to read a lot about. This company consists of professionals who deal with debt settlement issues on everyday basis and they absolutely know what they are doing. They know how to ask for debt reduction, because they have done it hundreds or even thousands of times before. They will do for you things that were impossible for you before and thanks to them you will be able to stand back on your feet again. They are a trusted company that aims at helping you as much as possible. Once you put your fate in their hands, you can be sure that they will do everything to recover you from your difficult financial situation.

The modern business world offers unprecedented opportunities enterprising people to make it big. On the other hand, the global economic climate is so competitive, that organisations need to constantly be one step ahead of the game in order to succeed. This is never truer than for startup businesses. There is no shortage of bright minds with amazing ideas but 90% of them will fail in the first year. The ones who plan well and prepare themselves for the rigours of the marketplace will be the concepts that become reality. So what are some ways that a startup can get itself primed to compete, survive and thrive?

Be Smart About Your Space

Every startup likes to think that they are Google or Apple and set themselves up in a hip, upmarket environment in order to create the kind of atmosphere that promoted the culture they want to develop. Unfortunately, that inner-city converted warehouse comes with a price tag that can cripple a fledgeling business. You are far better off being patient and saving your cash for product development and seek alternative office arrangements. Virtual offices, for example, can be the perfect solution. Follow this website link to find out more information about how you can present a professional face at an affordable cost.

Microfunding

One of the biggest frustrations that I hear from startups is that they are so busy chasing funding that they don’t have time to attend to product development, sales and marketing. Fortunately, recent times have seen the emergence of numerous microfunding websites that harness the power to match investors big and small with concepts like yours.

Know Your Users

The world is changing at a staggering rate and consumers are evolving with it just as fast. One of the best assets you can have is a firm finger on the pulse of your target market’s wants and needs. For tech startups, in particular, your digital presence is extremely critical to how you are perceived and the way in which users interact with your brand. However, market research can be incredibly expensive and way out of the range of most businesses in early growth mode. The good news is that help is at hand. There are numerous technologies that specialise in customer satisfaction measurement, that can assist you to get valuable feedback from your users without the huge cost.

The Right Stuff

We all want to surround ourselves with people we like, so involving friends and family in your startup venture can be a natural reflex. Unfortunately, doing so can not only hurt your business but damage those relationships if things do not pan out as hoped. Sure, if the person in question is appropriately qualified and motivated, go for it! On the other hand, if you’re thinking of giving your deadbeat pal Jimmy a token job as the warehouse manager, you could be making a mistake. Surround yourself with people that are as passionate and hard-working as you are and you will be far better off.

Find a Mentor

The average age for a startup founder is around 40 years. While this is an age where people have some experience, all of us can benefit from learning from those who have been around longer than us and achieved success. Most successful business people are more than happy to mentor someone in whom they see a spark and can establish a strong connection and rapport.

When added to a healthy dose of inspiration and a mountain of hard work, these tips should help you chart your path to success.

With interest rates at record lows and appetite for risk diminished, it makes sense to seek out tax efficient homes for your hard-earned cash. Why share returns with the tax man if you don’t have to?

The premise that cash is king has lost much of its credence over the past 5 to 10 years because returns on bank savings have generally been under 1%. This is below inflation so the buying power of your money actually diminishes over time. Even the best known banks are no longer as financially solid as they used to be, so the small interest rate is little reward for placing money with a bank who may need a Government bailout.

Premium Bonds

This is why premium bonds have increased in popularity so much during this period. Your capital is safe as you’re essentially lending money to the UK Government. Each month you’re then entered into a prize draw to win one of millions of prizes ranging from £25 to £1million. The chances of winning (number and size of prizes available each month) is based on underlying interest rates. So right now, average prizes over a year would equate to around 1%. Not great, but you have the comfort that your capital is safe and there’s the chance of higher wins. Plus any returns are free from tax, unlike your bank savings.

ISA

Many people get confused with Individual Savings Accounts (ISA). Essentially, an ISA is simply a tax efficient wrapper for certain investments.  The two main types of investments which are bought within an ISA are cash savings and equity funds. So cash savings with a bank ISA would still offer very low returns but those returns aren’t taxed at least. For those with more risk appetite, equity ISAs offer the chance for increased returns. These investments are linked to the fund of your choice and returns based on the performance of the underlying shares. It makes sense, that if you’re interested in buying into a European equity fund for example, that you do this within an ISA rather than on a standalone basis. Then all dividends and increases in value are free from tax. Obviously, there’s also the risk that the value diminishes, especially as we’re in such unstable economic times. The main restriction of an ISA is the annual limit which currently stands at £20,000. Anything you wish to save above this amount, needs to be invested outside of your ISA

Tax free gold

The asset class growing in popularity the most is tax free gold. Certainly, those who are concerned about the effects of Brexit or how the US election result may affect their family’s wealth, are turning to gold as the world’s safe haven asset. Gold tends to act as a hedge in times of uncertainty, with its value generally rising while other assets fall.

The real bonus comes if you know which type of gold to buy as it can be completely tax free. All investment grade gold is VAT-exempt. This needs to be 22 carats or higher, in the form of a bar or coin. Even better, certain coins qualify as legal tender in the UK, so are free from Capital Gains Tax (CGT) too. This way your gold can grow in value and no profits will be taxed at all. Like an ISA, it acts as a tax free store of wealth, but there’s no annual limit.

If you want to buy gold but are unsure which types to buy or how, then seeking the guidance of a reputable gold dealer will help you obtain the best gold at the lowest prices.

Whichever combination of investments you choose, ensuring you select tax efficient options first will at least mean you maximise your returns.