"Bootstrapping" in Social Entrepreneurship -- and in Life

(Source)

I often write about studying Creative Writing in college. What many readers might not know is that I was also a student of the Marshall School of Business during my four years at the University of Southern California. I majored in Creative Writing; I minored in Entrepreneurship.

I learned a great deal in my Business courses: about economics, accounting sales and marketing. I created revenue models, financial plans and costs/benefits analyses. For my final "capstone" course in Entrepreneurship, I wrote an entire Business Plan about creating a publishing company that would publish books written by young writers, for young audiences. That Business Plan became a reality when I founded my Dancing With The Pen series of books by young authors in 2011.

In the years since graduation, I still think of those Entrepreneurship courses often. My professors were encouraging, funny, and down-to-earth. Successful entrepreneurs themselves, they shared hard-earned lessons they had learned during their own business journeys. Something that has especially stayed with me is the idea of "bootstrapping."

This term comes from the famous expression to "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" (attribution: anonymous) which means to improve your situation by your own efforts. In entrepreneurship terms, the idea of "bootstrapping" means to use grit, hard work, and outside-the-box thinking to turn your business into reality, rather than renting fancy office space, trying to find a ton of venture capital, or investing lots of your own money into the venture. Metaphorically, other entrepreneurs might be planting seedlings --or even full-grown plants! -- they got from somewhere else; bootstrappers plant seeds, watering them diligently every day until they sprout forth from the soil. Bootstrapping might take more time and creativity, but it can yield huge return -- and lead to big change.

I thought of bootstrapping when I listened to this recent Innovate Podcast interview with Eric Sorensen, CEO and Co-Founder of Carbon Roots International, a business that encourages and enables the adoption of sustainable green charcoal in Haiti and the broader developing world. Because more than 90% of Haitians use charcoal for heating and cooking on a daily basis, deforestation is becoming a widespread problem. Carbon Roots International -- which is now the largest charcoal company in Haiti -- provides an innovative solution.

Here is a description of the "roots" of Carbon Roots International from their website:

In 2010, three friends arrived in Haiti armed with an idea about how sustainable charcoal might help a country still reeling from a devastating earthquake. Ideas were tested, and abandoned. Iteration ensued. One person contracted cholera, another typhoid. Two of them got married. The organization pivoted from agriculture to energy. They built a local team, then they built a factory, then they built a brand. Today, CRI is the largest charcoal company in Haiti.

Bootstrapping. Three friends had an idea about how they might make the world a better place. They didn't start with millions of dollars and fancy equipment. They began with a small idea that they tested, retested, changed and grew. They started locally and build their business from the ground up. They got the local citizens involved. They stayed humble, curious, and open to new possibilities.

Today, every ton of CRI's green charcoal consumed by Haitian households offsets an estimated 6.7 tons of wood harvested from live trees, and represents 8.8 tons of C02 emissions avoided. That's HUGE change.

Not only have I used this concept of bootstrapping in my own social entrepreneurship endeavors -- publishing the Dancing With The Pen series, holding contests for young writers, teaching writing camps and classes to empower youth to share their unique and important perspectives with the world -- I also think that bootstrapping is a terrific concept to apply to many different aspects of life.

Is there something you long to do, but you keep putting it off and putting it off? Maybe you think you need an expensive gadget, a fancy workspace, or a prestigious degree before you can pursue your dream. Maybe there's a project you are passionate about, but you're not quite sure of all the steps you would need to take to succeed. Or maybe you simply don't feel confident enough in yourself and your abilities to try.

Whatever your project or dream might be, I encourage you to revisit it with a new perspective: as a bootstrapper. What is the first small step you might take? Take that step, and then take the next step. Little by little, you'll be pulling yourself up towards your goal -- and using your own grit, grace and determination is what makes the whole experience that much more satisfying.

Good luck, and keep me posted -- I always love to hear your success stories! Also, you can listen to additional episodes of the inspiring Innovate Podcast at this link. Happy bootstrapping!

We Are All "Creative People"

Occasionally when I tell someone that I am a fiction writer, a stunned expression crosses their face -- as if I confessed that my day job is being a Superhero.

"Oh, I could never do that," they say. "I could never make up stories out of thin air. I'm not that creative."

However, if there's one thing I've learned from teaching writing to people of all ages for the past eight years, it's that everyone is indeed creative. Some of us just might have more trouble accessing our creative selves. And others might not recognize their own creativity, even if they use it all the time.

We all possess imagination; we all solve problems; we all daydream. Sure, the problems I solve at work often revolve around fictional characters in made-up situations. But I don't think there is much difference between a fictional character's problem (for example, trying to solve a crime before the murderer strikes again!) and a real-life workplace problem (such as trying to put together a business strategy the client will love, in time for a big meeting with the team.) I think we use the same problem-solving, creative muscles to do both tasks. I guess a main difference is that as a fiction writer, I create both the problems AND the solutions! (And believe me, sometimes I manage to create real doozies for myself and then have to try to wrangle my characters free...) ;)

A real-life problem I am trying to fight is these boxes many people drop down around themselves, labeled as "not creative." It makes my heart ache every time someone tells me they could never be a writer, because they are "not creative enough." It's not true! Don't believe it!

This is a serious matter. Because to accept that limiting, false belief -- to hunker down into that "non-creative" box -- is to turn away from your inherent gifts as a human being.

In his ground-breaking book Genership 1.0: Beyond Leadership Toward Liberating the Creative Soul, leadership guru and business expert David Castro approaches creativity and leadership in an entirely new way. He transforms the way we think of organizations, communities, and "progress" in general. He writes:

"What if our most critical human goal, the most fundamental human activity, is not to know or to understand, but rather to create, to generate? What would it mean if at the heart of human nature we discovered not reason, not rationality, not the capacity to grasp the world in the mind, but rather the capacity to imagine and invent that world?"
(pg. 3)

In Genership 1.0, David Castro explores exciting, freeing new definitions of leadership in the 21st Century. He coins a new term -- "genership" -- defined as: "The capacity to create with others; the community practice of creating." What would this approach mean for our businesses? Our schools? Our politics? He guides the reader into a new way of thinking about leadership that transcends limitations.

To me, this book is not only about being a leader in a business sense; it applies to our personal lives too. It inspires you to reflect on how you see yourself and how you live your everyday life. Here are some questions I jotted down:

• What world do I want to create and invent? 
• How can I take the steps to get there?
• What does it mean to come together and lead as a team?
• What can I generate, for myself and for others? 

I want to close with a poem that Castro quotes in his Preface, from Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke:

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and
try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms
and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue.
Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you
because you would not be able to live them. And the
point is, to live everything. Live the questions now.
Perhaps you will find them gradually, without noticing it,
and live along some distant day into the answer.

Maybe leadership -- or knowledge, or adulthood, or teaching -- is not about "having all the answers" but rather about helping others to learn to embrace life's uncertainties. Maybe true wisdom means cultivating an insatiable curiosity.

Here's to living the questions.

Interview with Author & Mt. Everest Climber Paul Fejtek

Paul Fejtek has the unique distinction of being the first person ever with Brachial Plexus Palsy to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. He and his wife Denise are among only a handful of people in the world who have completed the “Peak to Heat Double” consisting of summiting Earth’s highest peak and also finishing the Triathlon World Championship, the Hawaii Ironman. Paul was named the Most Inspirational Athlete of the Year by the Challenged Athletes Foundation, and OC Metro Magazine named him one of the 25 Hottest People in Orange County, California.

Beyond his athletic accomplishments, Paul is a distinguished business leader. After the sale of his family-owned company, he began a flourishing career as an investment banker in 1997. Renowned for his deal-making prowess, Paul currently advises prosperous entrepreneurs on the sale of their businesses as a Managing Director of Ascendiant Capital Markets.

A popular business speaker and author, Paul has shared with millions his inspiring story and insights on achieving business success. Paul and his wife Denise have appeared on NBC News, ABC News, Fox News, and The Today Show. Together they are frequently keynote speakers for professional business groups and corporations, and have been honored to share their inspirational message on the prestigious TED Talk platform.

I am honored to have Paul with us on the blog today discussing his book Steps to the Summit!

What inspired you to write this book?

 

Steps to the Summit: Reaching the Top in Business and Life is first and foremost an adventure story chronicling my journey with my wife climbing the tallest mountain on each continent around the world, including Earth's highest Mt. Everest. The book also draws useful parallels that readers can apply to their own mountains and challenges in life. Very few people have the privilege of doing something like this in their lifetimes and I felt the incredible experiences and valuable lessons learned were worthy of sharing with others. I was also inspired and encouraged after recounting stories from climbing adventures to others and hearing in response, "You absolutely MUST write a book about this!" So after the 20th or 30th person said this, I finally did.

I would imagine that there are similarities between writing a book and climbing a mountain; for example, both endeavors require remarkable persistence, inner strength, and determination. Do you have any mountain-climbing lessons that you could share for writers?

Indeed there are many similarities and in fact I've often said that writing a book can actually be more difficult than climbing a big mountain like Everest. And similar to a mountaineering expedition, planning, preparation, and setting intermediate goals can make a seemingly daunting task much more manageable and attainable. In addition to the book being an adventure story, it's also a guidebook to achieving true success with each chapter providing readers with a brief lesson or "Step" to reach their own summit, whether that be writing their first book or any other major life goal. Some of the 15 Steps in the book that are directly applicable to writers include:

• "Make a Decision"
• "Discover Your Creativity"
• "Maintain a Sharp Focus"
• "Move Fast"
• And one of my favorites, "Never Give Up."

What is your writing schedule? How do you find time to write?

I had to balance my writing with a full-time job as an investment banker, so my most productive time to write was early in the morning. In addition I always had my manuscript with me so if a clever idea flashed into my head in between conference calls or meetings, I was able to capture it in my notes or string together a few sentences or paragraphs before the moment of brilliance passed. I also put a schedule together with my co-author to make sure we stayed on track to complete a certain number of chapters by specific predetermined dates. The accountability factor made a huge difference and enabled us to complete a high quality manuscript within our self-imposed goal/deadline of six months.

What is your biggest advice for people facing their own challenges in life?

Good question. And I feel well-qualified to answer it because I was forced to begin overcoming challenges as an infant. During birth I sustained a paralysis causing injury to my right arm known as brachial plexus palsy. My advice is pretty simple: regardless of your challenges, whether physical or psychological, it's important to remember and truly believe that Anything is Possible!

Through my involvement with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, I'm fortunate to have many inspirational examples of individuals with far great physical challenges than my own. When I see regular people like you and me face something tragic like a double amputation of their legs or a spinal chord injury, and then come back and accomplish some amazing athletic feats, it's hard not to be motivated and put our own so called "challenges" into perspective.

   
Who are some of your favorite writers?

John Krakauer, of course. He did an amazing job keeping readers on the edge of their seat while recounting the '96 Everest tragedy in Into Thin Air.  I just wish my mother could have chosen a different book to read while I spent two months in Nepal climbing Everest!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) is a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization, and 100% of the profits from the sale of Steps to the Summit go to CAF to help severely injured and disabled individuals get back into the game of life. This is accomplished through grants to purchase specialized wheelchairs, sports equipment, prosthetic limbs, training and mentorship. Thank you for spreading the word about Steps to the Summit and supporting the cause!

BIG THANKS to Paul for being a guest on the blog today and sharing his amazing story!

• Purchase a copy of Steps to the Summit at http://StepsToTheSummit.com or through Amazon.
• Ebook available through Amazon, iTunes, or Nook.

Guest Post by Sean Gray

The Most Enjoyable and Practical Business Books of All Time

by Sean Gray

More and more because of today's economy, people are starting their own businesses. However, the money problems that plague them personally will follow them in their business lives unless they learn how to manage their money differently. For these folks, some basic money 101 is in order. Fortunately, there are a number of books, which not only teach the principles of personal finance, but give readers some ideas about how they can apply these personal lessons to their business's bottom line. These books are both enjoyable and practical.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

"The first hurdle is Ignorance. In a culture that worships knowledge, to say ignorance about money is an issue makes some people defensive. Don't be defensive. Ignorance is not a lack of intelligence; it is a lack of know-how." Pg 78

No business can succeed for long without sound finances to keep it afloat. Unfortunately, many new business owners are not equipped to deal with the financial aspects of their businesses due to their ignorance about how money works. But according to Dave Ramsey, it's not something they need to feel badly about; it's something that they need to do something about. In this case, they should educate themselves about the principles that govern wealth and the flow of money in their lives. As Ramsey says in his book, no one expects a baby to be born knowing how to drive and yet people are expected to know how to deal with money without being taught. This isn't sound wisdom for personal or professional financial growth.

The Total Money Makeover gives people practical baby steps that will help them learn to think about their finances differently. Ramsey himself is a businessman, who knows personally how ignorance can damage a person's bottom line. Ramsey went broke, because he knew little about how money works. He was able to regain his wealth and rebuild his business and then some, because he learned the principles of how to take care of money. The book is easy to read and offers simple, but effective principles for taking control of one's finances once and for all.

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

"Algamish, you are very rich man. Tell me how I may also become rich, and all night I will carve upon the clay, and when the sun rises it shall be completed." Pg 12

This is the answer to the unspoken question of the previous book recommendation: Where does one learn how to take care of his or her wealth? Most people grew up in households where money wasn't discussed nor were they around people who truly knew how to make money. As a result, they have gotten their knowledge of how money works and have taken money advice from someone who's broke.

However, the best money and business managers don't do this. Instead, they seek out the advice from people who have considerable wealth—not the conspicuous wealth—think luxury cars, big houses and designer clothing that often has nothing behind it—but rather from people who have investments and money in the bank. This is one of the key principles in the book The Richest Man in Babylon.

The financial principles in this book are revealed through a series of parables that make the lessons enjoyable. The book arose from a series of pamphlets that banks and insurance companies distributed. Although, the book does not give the specifics of where to invest, it does offer basic sound advice that everyone must follow before they gain any kind of wealth, regardless of the types of investments they involve themselves in. Its principles work regardless of whether a person applies them to his or her business or personal money matters.

Elizabeth I CEO by Alan Alexrod

"Elizabeth, a leader of great spiritual force and personal magnetism, devoted a large portion of her personal genius to creating and maintaining her popular image as the Virgin Queen, an almost unnatural presence of earth. She was eminently practical, a hard-nosed pragmatist with an eye on the bottom line and absolutely no tolerance for waste, for excuses, or for the airy and endless arguments of theoreticians." Pg 203

Once the new business owner has mastered the basics as taught by the previous two books, he or she is ready for some more advanced lessons. Elizabeth I CEO teaches business principles through the lens of one of the greatest leaders in world history. Elizabeth herself inherited a broke and crumbling kingdom. The kingdom she left upon her death had been completely turned around and the country was thriving.

This book deals with the idea that the business person is not separate from the private person. The good queen held herself accountable and recognized that she could not effectively rule over others until she learned to rule over herself. The lessons in the book include financial ones, but there's also sections on leadership and perseverance and often the principles are demonstrated through the queen's own words.

Bio: Sean Gray operates his own business called we buy cars San Diego, and uses information from various books to do so.

Interview with Carol Roth, author of "The Entrepreneur Equation"

What would you like readers to know about you as an introduction?

I’ve spent 16 years advising businesses. Some of my notable accomplishments include:

• Helping raise over $1 billion in capital for my clients;
• Completing over $750 million in M&A transactions;
• Secure high-profile licensing and partnership deals for my clients with companies like Disney, Paramount and EMI Music;
• Creating 7-figure brand loyalty programs;
• Appearing regularly in media, including on Fox News, MSNBC, Fox Business, WGN TV Chicago and more;
• Having my blog acknowledged as one of the Top 10 small business blogs online;
• And now, becoming a published author!

I’m known for my tough love approach -- I will tell you if you are being foolish and then give you a hug afterwards -- truly combining “tough” and “love.”

I also love to laugh and am a die-hard sports fan (especially of NFL football).

Tell us about your new book. What was your inspiration/motivation behind this book?

My book, The Entrepreneur Equation, came out of the frustration at the lack of realistic business advice available to new and existing entrepreneurs. Most books give you 7 steps to success and promise if you follow them, you will have the life of your dreams. I think that’s ridiculous, because we all have different definitions of success—not to mention different goals and circumstances. So, how could one path fit all? It can’t.

That’s why I wanted to create a framework to help aspiring and existing business owners do more planning, make better risk and reward tradeoffs and stack the odds of success in their favor, based on their own circumstances and objectives.

What have you learned through writing this book?

The process of launching a book is very similar to the process of launching a business. It’s one thing to have an idea, but another thing to launch it and then make it successful.

Deciding to start a business is different than deciding to start a successful business. The plans to open one store vs. a goal of creating a massive nationwide retail chain vary significantly. It is hard to know what steps to take if you don’t know your end goal.

The same goes for your book. What’s your end game? Are you using it as a calling card to get more clients? Are you seeking a label of achievement (like “best seller status”) for your brand? Are you hoping to make gobs of money from it or are you using it to spread a message (by the way, if your goal is make gobs of money, you might want to chat with a few industry professionals first)? These goals will significantly impact the planning and strategy of not only your manuscript, but the launch and marketing of your book.

And while you are at it, you might as well set the biggest goal that you can. Nothing happens if you don’t achieve your stretch goal, but as Wayne Gretzky says, “You miss 100% of shots that you don't take!”

How did you get started writing?

I’ve always been encouraged to write and have always liked to write. I remember writing as a child and then continuing through school. Even when I worked for a major investment bank, one of my favorite tasks was writing the materials we used to raise money or sell companies.

What is your writing process like? Do you write on a computer? In a spiral notebook? Do you draw illustrations?

I tend to write prolifically in chunks of time. I will spend hours and do nothing but write, because when I get in the flow, I can go very quickly. I sketch out some ideas or bullets often on paper and then type the content as I write it in full. This has changed over the last ten years -- I used to have to hand write it, now I can barely hand write it.

I do not draw very well, but I did do the rough illustrations for my book on a computer and then a professional made them “pretty.”

How do you get ideas for what you write?

I usually am inspired by solving a problem. Most of what I write is to solve a problem -- either for others, or sometimes for myself.

With my book, I was truly frustrated at the lack of success for entrepreneurs and so I started writing-- a few months later I had 80,000 words and realized it was a book.

I also tend to pay attention to trends, and when I see the same issues popping up over and over, it often inspires me. Now that I am blogging regularly, I get inspirations almost everywhere.

What is your biggest advice for young people, especially young women, reaching for their dreams?

Set a goal -- and a big one at that! A goal is different than a wish. A goal is specific, measurable and has a plan and an intention. You can’t figure out a path to get somewhere if you don’t know where it is that you are going.

The times in my life when I have been most successful is when I turned dreams into goals. Since time is so fleeting, you want to make sure you are pursuing goals that have a big enough payday -- both financially and from a quality of life standpoint, so don’t limit yourself.

And particularly for women, don’t worry about being “nice” or liked as much as being authentic and respected. To do something interesting, you are going to inevitably make some people uncomfortable- that’s usually when you know that you are on the right track. This is very counter to what girls are typically taught.

What are some of your favorite books?

Probably my two favorite books are Pride & Prejudice and Atlas Shrugged, the latter being the most impactful book I have ever read. The funny part is that the first 100 or so pages were so grueling, I didn’t want to continue; but I was encouraged to, and boy, did it pay off.

I also think the Harry Potter series was one of the most entertaining I have read. As far as business books, outside of the fiction of Atlas Shrugged, I also am a fan of the E-Myth Revisited and Made to Stick.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Always keep in mind that there is an actual cost and an opportunity cost for the choices you make. When you do something with your time, money and/or effort, that is time, money and effort that can’t be spent elsewhere, so choose wisely and when you do, dedicate yourself to making whatever you want happen.

Also, you can do whatever you want that will make you happy. Don’t let other people’s narrow mindedness limit you.

Links:

• Carol's website
• Carol's blog
• Order Carol's book The Entrepreneur Equation

Guest Post by Carol Roth

7 Ways to Mentor a Future Businesswoman

by Carol Roth

Adapted from her new book The Entrepreneur Equation

For girls, Barbie has been a good role model, showing them that attractive females can be astronauts, diplomats, and doctors. But when Ken launched his aggressive social media campaign to get Barbie to take him back by Valentine's Day (she did) after their 7-year breakup, Barbie's work-life balance seems to have gone out of kilter.

Message to Barbie: Ken's great, but don't let him distract you from your serious career goals. Like many young professional gals, Barbie has been successful working for others. But she's also occasionally worked for herself and been entrepreneurial, as an aerobics instructor, veterinarian, wedding stylist, photographer, pediatrician, and makeup artist, to name a few.

If, like Barbie, your girl has a nose for business and dreams of owning her own company one day, here are some ways you can help her grow into the role. If a girl can learn these skills while she's still playing with dolls, she'll be well on her way to success in any future profession.

Tell her she's good enough. Even the young businesswomen I coach hit a brick wall of fear. Can I do it? Can I learn it? Will I succeed? Yes, yes, and yes. Remind your girl often that she's got what it takes.

Stop her when she's self-critical. There's a difference between having high standards and beating yourself up. Women and girls tend to be hard on themselves. Teach your girl to do the opposite.

Don't discourage her inner Barbie. These days, I see lots of beautiful, successful women in business who have embraced their femininity. It's okay to be a girlie-girl. In fact, I've found it has some real business advantages.

Help her be honest, not nice. Our mothers taught us to be nice all the time, which was not always to our advantage. In business and in life, your girl needs to learn how to be polite, but honest. She'll garner more respect that way.

Tell her not to wait to be called on. Girls raise their hands and then wait for their cue to talk. Successful businesswomen speak up and contribute their ideas before they're asked to.

Help her think big. No goal is too big for a young girl to believe. When girls create an ambitious vision for their future, it will shape everything they do -- in school, extracurricular activities, and socially.

Encourage her to fear not. The fear of going after something and being rejected is often stronger in girls and women because they are taught to be safe, while males are taught to be risk takers.

* * *

Carol Roth (www.carolroth.com) has been helping businesses grow for over 15 years, ranging from solopreneurs to multinational corporations. A popular media personality on Fox News, MSNBC, and WGN-TV Chicago, among others, she is author of a new book, The Entrepreneur Equation: Evaluating the Realities, Risks, and Rewards of Having Your Own Business (BenBella, March 22, 2011). Because she aims to be a role model for girls and young women, she created the Carol Roth special edition doll -- sporting a smart black dress, leather computer bag, and hot-pink heels -- to show girls it's okay to be beautiful, successful, and powerful when they grow up. Carol Roth is on the cover of February's Doll's Magazine (http://www.dollsmagazine.com/)

Guest Post by Dee Barizo: 4 Tips for a Successful Freelance Writing Career

A career as a freelance writer can be a roller coaster of a ride; it is not uncommon for many freelancers to feel insecure in their jobs. After all, you might have one really profitable week or month and then the next month be wondering if you will make enough to pay your electricity bill. If you want your writing career to expand beyond just a part-time hobby and into a full-time business, these tips for building a successful freelance writing career will help you become more profitable and keep the writing gigs coming your way.

Tip #1: Treat Your Career as a Business

If you want your writing career to become a profitable small business, then treat it like a business from this point forward. Taking your “job” as a freelance writer seriously is of the utmost importance if you want to be perceived as a professional writer. All correspondence with clients, both potential and existing, should be professional, grammatically free from errors, and a sample of what type of writing you are capable of. As a professional writer, always deliver the best work that you can, and never, ever make a promise to a client that you do not intend to keep. Putting your best foot forward allows you to be singled out as a competent writer that is in demand.

Tip #2: Network with Other Writers

Networking with other people who share your passion for the written word is not only a good way to find more work as a freelancer, but is also motivational. Having a circle of writers to share your thoughts with is like having a water cooler to come to and de-stress. While working at home as a writer can be very rewarding, it can also make one feel isolated from the rest of the world.

Tip #3: Create Passive Income

It is important for a freelance writer to have some streams of passive income coming in so that they can concentrate on landing good-paying writing gigs. If you are working full time from home as a writer, consider building passive income by running your own monetized blog or by creating a few informational products or e-books that can be sold over and over again indefinitely. These types of smaller, less profitable endeavors can generate some income for you while increasing your exposure as a writer and giving you something to do in your free time when you are in between larger projects. Pennies, nickels, and dimes add up fast.

Tip #4: Learn How to Earn

And last of all, follow the Pareto Principle. Eighty percent of the sales you make as a freelance writer will likely come from twenty percent of your client base. Learn how to earn by determining which clients have the potential to become the most profitable and enjoyable for you to work with, and give special care to nurturing a positive relationship with those clients. Make notes on how and when you make the money that you bring in as a successful freelance writer, and avoid projects that may be causing you to waste too much time for too little compensation.

Keep in mind when building your freelance career that any tree that bears sweet fruit needs to be nurtured patiently for a few seasons before you can reap the true benefits of sowing a seed. But once your freelance writing career takes off, the hard work and perseverance you have shown will be greatly rewarded with the financial and personal freedom that comes from being your own boss.

Bio: Dee Barizo is a staff writer for The Best Degrees, an online education resource featuring the top online degrees.

Article on Trojan Entrepreneur

I published an article titled "Turning Disadvantages into Advantages" on the Trojan Entrepreneur website. My thoughts about building a successful business are also very true about writing. Enjoy!

http://trojanentrepreneur.com/2008/11/turning-disadvantages-into-advantages/