Unconventional Life – Podcast, Blog, Live Events

Author: Jules Schroeder

Ep75: 3 Tips To Land High-Paying Gigs As A Freelancer

Freelancing is on the rise, with freelancers accounting for 35% of the US workforce.

That’s because millions of Millennials today are seeking location-independent and time-flexible work, and want to become their own boss.

With modern technology, freelance work is becoming increasingly accessible and profitable. The starving freelancer who struggles to find work is a thing of the past; today’s digital freelancer has access to millions of job opportunities around the world with the click of a button.

But it’s a two-way street—with more individuals onboarding to part- and full-time freelance work, businesses have more options in choosing a freelancer to fulfill a given task.

If you’re a freelancer or are considering freelancing, you may be experiencing frustration with the amount of competition. Losing prospective clients to competitors, having trouble retaining clients, and difficulty getting referrals are all consequences of a saturated market.

Still, top freelancers today earn as much as $112/hour, and work fewer hours per week than the average American. With the right strategy, becoming a top-performing freelancer can be extremely rewarding.

So how do you stand out as a freelancer and consistently land high-paying gigs?

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, I interviewed an expert digital strategist about successful freelance strategy.

Meet Franceso Gatti, the leader of global digital strategy at ReadWrite, an Internet of Things and connected world publication with over 6M users. Gatti is also the co-founder of Unbits, a curated marketplace allowing users to discover, review, and buy luxury tech products, which was acquired by ReadWrite. Gatti has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, marketer, and online strategist, enabling him to speak to the techniques and skillsets essential for any successful freelancer.

Below, Gatti’s shares three tips that will help you advance your career as a freelancer.

Refine Your Service

What sets apart the best freelancers is an unmatched commitment to improving their craft. Those who are consistently contracting high-paying clients know that in order to have an edge in the market, you must be providing services that exceed expectations and surpass what others can do.

The most effective way to refine your craft is to ask for customer feedback. Create surveys for your customers asking what you did well, what they liked or didn’t like, and how you can improve. The more specific your questions are, the more precise you can be at attuning your offer to your clients’ needs and desires. “Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from your clients because without asking, it’s impossible you’ll know how to serve them better,” says Gatti.

Increase your survey response rate by personalizing your requests—address each client by name and reference the specific service you provided for them. The shorter your survey, the better. Only ask questions for which feedback will be useful for you. Offer an incentive for completing the survey, and make sure to send a reminder email.

Build A Relationship

One of the biggest concerns for freelancers is the unpredictability of income. Sometimes, finding work is easy and opportunities are abundant, and sometimes it’s scarce and nearly impossible. So how do you buffer against the uncertainty and secure a more stable source of income?

You create relationships with your clients by building trust and staying top of mind so you become their go-to contractor. Gatti recommends adding your customers to an email list as well as sending them personalized messages. Keep them in the loop about how you’re upgrading your services and any special discounts you’re offering. Follow up with them individually about their experience and let them know you care.

Research shows customer experience is more important than price and product selection. 62% of customers leave their service provider because of poor service. Ensure quality service by being cordial and polite with your customers, responding promptly, and completing your work on time. Offer to make improvements free of charge until they are satisfied. “The key to create longstanding relationships is to make people feel important and listened to,” Gatti says.

March 23, 2017
Ep74: How This Millennial Started A Million-Dollar Business In 15 Months With No Experience

Just a few years ago, Caitlin Pyle was your average desk zombie working a 9-5 inside of a dreary office cubicle. Now, she’s a multi-millionaire teaching thousands how to create a prosperous income working from home.

What happened?

Pyle decided to start her own online business, Proofread Anywhere, which turns beginner proofreaders into professionals who can earn extra income from anywhere in the world. In just 15 months, Pyle grew Proofread Anywhere to $1M+ in annual revenue, which she expects to double this year. She’s also the co-founder of The Work Anywhere Life.

Pyle’s success story is the dream of countless office-goers today, especially Millennials, of which 85% want to telecommute 100% of the time, and 54% want flexible or alternative schedules. But starting a business can be risky, with most new businesses crashing before they ever really take off the ground.

Pyle’s secret? She says she couldn’t have done it without Pinterest, an invaluable marketing tool that drives more traffic than Google+, YouTube, and LinkedIn combined. Pinterest boasts 150M monthly active users, and 93% of them have shopped online at least once in the last 6 months—in other words, Pinterest is an exceptional platform for business.

“People go to Pinterest because they’re looking for great ideas or ways to change their life. If the content you’re offering is relevant to that then you should be on Pinterest,” Pyle says.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, Pyle shares her tips and recommendations to use Pinterest to build and scale your brand. Below, read on to see Pyle’s top three tips that helped her scale her business to 7 figures in record time.

Aesthetics Are King

It’s important to consider aesthetics when posting photos, because attractive photos will get you more clicks and engagement on Pinterest. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a design tool like Canva, which gives you plug-and-play, professional-looking design templates, and is great for beginners who have no design experience.

Some basic design principles: make sure to use bright, colorful, and high-res images. Pinterest users are often scrolling quickly through their feeds so you want to create an image that stands out. You can use contrast and pops of color to draw attention to what’s most relevant in your photo. Less says more, so try to keep to a minimum amount of words and design elements. Text that poses a question, starts a conversation, or leaves more to be desired is engaging and will help generate clicks and drive traffic back to your site.

Post Often

Research shows brands on Pinterest can experience rapid growth by posting multiple times a day. Consider posting up to five times a day for maximum success. The best times to post are when Pinterest users are most active—between 2pm to 4pm, or 8pm to 1am daily.

Pyle recommends using an automated software that will post to Pinterest on your behalf at scheduled times throughout the day. Her favorite software is BoardBooster. With BoardBooster, you can program your Pinterest account to recycle and repost photos every month or so, so you’re not constantly creating new content and are ensuring that your posts stay visible at the top of users’ feeds.

If this is your first time using Pinterest, you can still successfully build a following by repinning others’ well-performing posts. In fact, 80% of posts on Pinterest are repins, meaning if you’re struggling to create original content, repinning is a great way to get a sense for what content your niche responds positively to, while making posting consistently more manageable.

Be Social

According to Pyle, the hardest part about growing your account is when you’re first getting started. “Getting from zero to a thousand is the hard part, but after that it’s easier because you look more legitimate. People take you seriously and can see you’re not a total newbie so it’s more likely they’ll follow you,” she says.

Interacting with other users is a great way to build your following and create supporters and fans for your brand. Follow other users and like their photos. Consider giving away free relevant content in contest giveaways, encouraging users to share your photos. Lastly, join group boards related to your niche to increase your exposure and visibility.

Enjoyed this post? Check out more of my tools to create a life by your own design.

This article originally appeared on Forbes.com

March 16, 2017
Ep73: One Trait Top Millennial Performers Have In Common

Let’s face it—taking risks can be scary, especially when the stakes are high.

I remember when I was presenting a business initiative at the UN a few years ago and the performer that was going to kick off the big announcement was unable to make it last minute. I decided to show the production organizer some of my songs and offered to sing as an alternative. I got the gig and was live in 12 hours.

I ended up doing a twenty-minute improv set the next day, making songs up on the fly. I was met by roaring applause and ovation. Today some of my best contacts come from that event, not because they remembered my business initiative but because they remembered my soul and my voice.

That’s because business thrives on relationships. One-third of employers rank personality as a worker’s most important quality, above skills and experience. When deciding which brands to buy from, consumers choose brands that have a personality they can identify with.

Today’s most successful Millennials all have one thing in common: they lead with their personalities. Whether you’re looking to get promoted, build an audience, or find the right business partner, leading with what makes you unique is a worthy risk that will help you advance your career.

YouTube sensation JP Sears says his online presence exploded after he decided to share his sense of humor with his audience.

If you don’t know who Sears is, he’s a YouTuber with a rapidly growing following of 1.5M across social platforms, and over 100M video views. He’s most known for his hilarious spoofs on New Age culture, and his book, “How To Be Ultra Spiritual, which launched March 7. Sears is also an emotional healing coach, a retreat leader, and an international teacher.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, Sears shares how taking this key risk of leading with personality was the accelerator for his brand’s success.

According to Sears, it wasn’t until two years and 150 videos into his YouTube career that he decided to let his humor appear on camera. Before launching his ‘Ultra Spiritual’ comedy series, Sears’ channel was reserved for sincere life advice.

Though his channel was successful, Sears says he felt like something was missing. Humor had always been an integral part of his personality, but he worried it would damage his professional image. “I had told myself a story that it would be bad for business to let my sense of humor out on video,” he says.

In spite of his fear, Sears decided to film his first comedy video. “At the time I thought, this isn’t a good idea, but I’m going to do it anyways,” he recalls.

The video went viral and spawned demand for a comedy series, which is now the namesake of Sears’ brand. The ‘Ultra Spiritual’ series has over fifty videos and counting, and has done wonders for his business, enabling him to effortlessly sell out coaching sessions and international speaking commitments, as well as propelling him to social media stardom.

Sears’ message is that risking being 100% authentic is your greatest asset. “You always win when you’re yourself. You can’t lose,” he says.

Below, Sears shares tips to lead with your personality and showcase what makes you unique.

Get Connected To Your Why

Being authentic can be scary, and if you’re not connected to why it’s important, it’s much easier to just play it safe and hide.

Sears says what drove him to release his first comedy video was the pain of withholding a key part of himself from the world. If he never stepped up to the plate and shared his humor, he said he’d resent himself and feel empty inside.

Ask yourself, what would it cost me if I lived my whole life never letting this part of myself shine? Be honest, connect to the pain, and use this propel you towards courage.

Embrace Your Insecurities

One of the biggest roadblocks we encounter in the way of being authentic is insecurity. When we judge ourselves, we anticipate others will judge us too, which can keep us from sharing certain aspects of ourselves.

“It’s ok to feel insecure,” says Sears. “All people are insecure. We have to be willing to embrace the insecurity as part of our nature, and to become aware of it. The more we know what our insecurities are the more we can grow beyond them and live with them.”

Ask yourself, what are my insecurity-driven behaviors? What do I avoid doing? Once you gain awareness of your insecurities, you have the power to recognize them for what they are and show up powerfully by acting in opposition to them.

March 9, 2017
Ep72: Millennials, Here’s Why You’re Dissatisfied At Work

Dissatisfaction in our interpersonal relationships often spills over into our work. Especially when it is with our managers or coworkers.

I remember the first time I was a part of a big sales team my freshman year in college. I dreaded going into work and attending company functions, and avoided awkward encounters with coworkers at all costs. As a new face in the company, and someone quickly climbing the ranks as the Top Manager in Colorado, many of my coworkers had trouble welcoming me. I was constantly being undermined or seen as a threat and found myself in conflict with others.

That summer, everything shifted. The change was so significant that my team went from earning $1M to $6M in a span of just six months. Why? We started focusing on our relationships, welcoming different perspectives and seeing each other as more than just coworkers, but as people, which made executing easy.

Studies show a clear link between strong employee ties and a business’s overall output. As team bonds strengthen, productivity and sales increase—31 to 37 percent on average, says the Harvard Business Review.

So how do you build stronger relationships with your coworkers?

Meet Sean Wilkinson, John Thompson, and Jordan Myska Allen, the founders of Circling Europe, a relational practice that has grown in over 20 countries in just the last few years through in-person workshops and online courses that foster deeper presence, self-awareness, and connection. Tens of thousands worldwide practice circling, including many big Silicon Valley tech companies as their secret weapon in working through conflict and building trust.

“The basis of the practice is it’s an interpersonal meditation—trying to make room for whatever’s present in the connection in the moment,” says Thompson.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, Wilkinson, Thompson, and Myska Allen share how you can master the five pillars of circling in order to build rock-solid relationships at work that promote productivity and job satisfaction.

1. Be Committed Through Connection.

While it’s often easier to just disconnect or hit the “eject” button when you’re in a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable, there is tremendous value in weathering the situation through the discomfort. You’ll find that in your willingness to be with discomfort, you’ll grow more connected to others.

When a situation arises that has you feeling uncomfortable, wanting to leave, or modify it somehow, choose to stay in the situation exactly how it is. For example, if you’re experiencing conflict with a coworker, don’t try to appease the other person. Instead, allow the other person and yourself to feel hurt, frustrated, or whatever is real. Use these emotions as a gateway to grow closer to one another. In feeling, hearing, and witnessing the other person’s authentic expression, you create trust and safety in your relationship. Conflict becomes easier; instead of avoiding it, it becomes welcome terrain and an inquiry for deeper connection.

2. Trust Your Experience.

We live in a world of “shoulds”—how we should act in a given situation, what’s appropriate, and how we should feel. As a result, we often feel conflicted when how we actually feel isn’t how we think we’re supposed to.

Wilkinson, Thompson, and Myska-Allen recommend letting go completely of the notion of “should,” as it often prevents your real emotions from being expressed or having permission to be there. Instead, trust that what you’re feeling is exactly what you’re supposed to be feeling. Allow yourself to express authentically and you will allow others to connect to you more intimately.

3. Be With The Other Person In Their World.

Psychology tells us that empathy and understanding build bridges between ourselves and others. In imagining yourself in the other person’s shoes, you acknowledge their experience and demonstrate care for them.

Pay attention to your coworkers’ expressions, gestures, and body language when you interact with them. In noticing the subtleties of their expression, you will become more attuned to them, enhancing nonverbal communication and promoting relational closeness.

4. Own Your Experience.

Take responsibility for your emotions and in the same way, hold others responsible for their emotions. Recognize that you can’t “make” anyone else feel a certain way, but rather how they feel is a choice. The more you can take responsibility for what you are feeling and name it in it’s most accurate form without blaming others the more powerful your communication will be .

Oftentimes we hold back from sharing the truth of how we feel with others because we don’t want to cause them pain or we want to avoid conflict. But withholding things denies you both the opportunity of genuine connection. In a work environment, feeling unable to share everything with your team members contributes to distance, lack of cohesion, and ultimately a team that is less effective. Commit to being honest with your coworkers and create an environment where everyone feels safe to speak up, especially when it’s hard. Cultivate the art of being both honest and sensitive by sharing your truth in a way that is respectful and considerate.

5. Stay At The Level of Sensation.

Wilkinson, Thompson, and Myska Allen say the gold standard for communication occurs at the level of the body. Focus on how you feel. Ask yourself, what is going on in my body in this moment?

If you feel tightness in your chest when you’re interacting with someone, use that as a cue that there may be more to explore with the other person. Be honest about your experience, and invite the other person into your world. In staying in your body, you’ll remain connected to your emotions and be able to experience the flourishing of your relationships on a visceral level.

Enjoyed this post? Check out more of my tools to create a life by your own design.

This article originally appeared on Forbes.com

March 7, 2017
Ep71: The Do-Good Business Model: How To Earn More, Give More, And Create Change

I remember many years ago when Tom Shoes debuted their “buy-one-give-one” business model. It was revolutionary at the time and no one else seemed to be doing it.

Back then, I was developing a business idea for my business school’s pitch competition. Two classmates and I decided to model after Tom Shoes and pitch a business called “Rice2Rice,” which would give a bowl of rice to those in Nepal for every curry bowl sold.

Our idea won by a longshot and we received first place. Why? Because we put forth something into the world that was deeply needed—a business that partnered with consumers in making positive change.

It’s 2017 and we now confront even more global challenges than we did when Tom’s Shoes was launched. This type of business model is no longer an early adopter approach, it is a necessity.

While giving may seem counterintuitive to profit, it’s actually proven to increase earnings. One 15-year study found businesses who supported a good cause outperformed the S&P 500 fourteen to one.

That’s because 83% of consumers today are making conscious buying choices and selecting companies that support social and environmental causes over those that don’t. Millennials, who represent $2.45 Trillion in spending power, are 66% more likely to purchase from brands who do good.

So just how do you make your business a force for positive change in the world?

One co-founder has created a step-by-step methodology to start a business or adapt your existing business to this “do-good model.”

Meet Dmitriy Kozlov, the co-founder of Vision Tech Team and the founder of Maverick NEXT, a network for exceptional entrepreneurs under age 25. He’s also a contributor to the newly released book “Evolved Enterprise” by Yanik Silver that has been endorsed by Sir Richard Branson that teaches entrepreneurs how to start companies that make more profit by making more impact.

Kozlov calls these do-good companies “evolved enterprises” because they are leveraging business as a vehicle to create powerful global solutions.

This week on the Unconventional Life Podcast, Kozlov shares what it takes to create an evolved enterprise.

Align With A Cause You Stand Behind

With more global issues than we can count, it shouldn’t be hard to find a cause that works to combat an issue you care about. It’s essential that you have a personal stake in it, whether you or someone close to you has been personally impacted the issue, because otherwise your business will lack real drive—if you find yourself in a rut, you may not be able to withstand the pressure and withdraw from the cause altogether, appearing inauthentic to consumers.

“Choose wisely where you invest your heart because that’s the life force that will matter most,” Kozlov says.

Make A Real Impact

The bigger the impact you make in the world, the easier it is to rally consumers behind your product. In other words, don’t be stingy—donate a significant portion of profits to your cause. Consumers can sniff out when you’re only supporting a cause for the sake of the badge from miles away, and it may have the opposite effect of deterring them from your business.

Some of today’s most successful evolved enterprises include Bombas, a sock company that netted $2 million in revenue in its first year by donating a pair of socks to a homeless shelter for every pair sold, and Barnana, a banana snack company growing at 130% annually by eliminating waste on food farms.

Be Transparent

90% of consumers want to be informed about the concrete ways you’re benefiting your cause. They are partnering with you in using their dollar to make an impact, and it’s your responsibility to inform them about the results.

Be transparent and notify your customers when significant milestones are achieved, whether through your website, your product label, or your email list. When you share your achievements, your customers participate in the positive feeling and will continue to buy from you.

The book “Evolved Enterprise” sold 12,000+ copies within days of its release at more than double the shelf price by partnering with buyers to lift an entire African village out of poverty. In being transparent about his intended results, Kozlov was able to enlist others in his cause who were happy to help.

Enjoyed this post? Check out more of my tools to create a life by your own design.

This article originally appeared on Forbes.com

March 7, 2017