Story of my strife What I learned when my company went bankrupt

Story of my strife What I learned when my company went bankrupt More people and companies declare bankruptcy in January than in any other month, and certainly this year will be no exception. Many more people will not technically declare bankruptcy, but they will feel financially battered. There is hope, though. There are tricks to being in a financial hole. I know because Ive been there. In fact, you could say I fell off a financial cliff. My stampede toward that cliff began when I got funding for an Internet company and cashed out of that company in the span of about five months. I started another company, and feeling like I was the most brilliant businessperson on earth, I invested my own money. I got a round of funding and paid myself (and my friends) extremely well. Then the Internet bubble exploded, and my company was one at the epicenter. The first thing I did was tried to protect the people at my company. I gave as much notice as possible, so they could save money, and I helped everyone update their resumes as a last, hopeful act. Then I was on my own. No more cushy, jet-set salary. No more juicy stack of stock options. I lost the pile of money I made, and I was lucky to get away with a portion of my savings intact. I spent a lot of time getting out of financial commitments: the personal assistant, the BMW, the trips to Europe. And no more investing in friends companies. But financial ruin is like death, and I spent a good amount of time in the denial stage. So I didnt cut all the obvious expenses right away. It was gradual. As in, I gradually ruined myself even more, and then I cut down my expenses to a sustainable level. I spent a lot of time with lawyers, which was a stupid idea because they did nothing for me except listen to me bitch about bankruptcy law. One lawyer could see that, more than legal advice, I needed life advice. He said, Almost all business owners fail once or twice. The people who make it big are the people who can bounce back and do something new. But I was not in a position to be a good listener. I was thinking about if he would charge me for the time he was giving unsolicited advice. I spent a lot of time with friends eating cheap sandwiches. Some of my friends dumped me when my company went bankrupt. Okay, they werent really my friends if they dumped me for that, but still, I felt embarrassed and isolated. My remaining friends were sympathetic for a while, but soon they said, Okay, its over. You failed. But you can start something new. This is when the lawyers advice came back to me suddenly sounding like it was worth $200 an hour. I thought a lot about what sort of life I wanted to lead. How much money I really needed. And it turned out that I didnt need as much as I had thought. So I cut down my expenses drastically while I thought about what I really wanted to do. I took swing-dancing lessons. I danced every night for a year while I thought about what to do next. Friends would call and Id say, Sorry, I cant talk. The band goes on in a half-hour. My friends thought I was crazy, but you need to do something a little crazy in order to gain distance from your failure. If you go right back to the life you were leading, its hard to find perspective. When I went back to corporate life, I tried a few things at once: I accepted a job in a new industry, I investigated starting a new company, and I did freelance writing. As it turns out, the freelance writing is what was best for my next step. But this is a step I would never have taken if my company had not gone belly-up. The saying that failure breeds opportunity is true. First you have to sulk. Then you have to explore. But you will find something that excites you, and you will try again. And maybe you will fall off a financial cliff again in your life. But the next time, youll be an expert.

How to Find Your Perfect Co-Working Space in Any City CareerMetis.com

How to Find Your Perfect Co-Working Space in Any City Co-working spaces are popping up in cities across the country. These spaces are ideal for traveling workers, freelancers and anyone who needs a space to do their work while they’re in town.The trick is finding a space that meets your needs, regardless of what those are. How can you find the perfect co-working space anywhere you go?What is Co-Working?evalevalFirst, for those unfamiliar with the term, what is co-working, and why would you need to look for a co-working space if you’re a freelancer in a new city?The term “co-working” dates back to 2005 when Brad Neuberg created the world’s first co-working spacein San Francisco. It was only open for two days out of the week and sat empty for its first month. No one had ever heard of a co-working space before, so no one knew what to look for.Google defines co-working as “the use of an office or another working environment by people who are self-employed or working for different employers, typically so as to share equipment, id eas, and knowledge.” What does this definition mean, though?Co-working spaces are safe, well-appointed places for people who need somewhere to work. They might not have the room at home for a home office, or they might be staying in town for a few weeks and need a space with reliable Wi-Fi and a printer to stay productive.Maybe a crew is fumigating their office space, but they still need to get work done, even if they can’t go to their usual workplace to do it. There’s no limit to the kind of person who might need a co-working space or the reasons they might need it.What to Look for in a Co-Working Space?What should you be looking forin a co-working space?The first and arguably most valuable, the thing you need in a co-working space is reliable Wi-Fi. Remote work, whether you’re at home or sitting in a coffee shop, requires a robust internet connection. If they don’t provide good internet â€" or any internet at all â€" it’s time to look for another option.evalLocation is another crucial criterion to consider. A co-working space on the edge of the city might not be as crowded, but it might take you a lot longer to get to, especially if you’re relying on public transportation or driving on unfamiliar streets.Choose a space that is easy to reach, and is either close to public transport or has adequate parking for your needs.Next, look at the amenities the co-working space offers. Do they provide access to a printer or other equipment you might not have at home? Is there a kitchen or a cafe for refreshments, or maybe an exercise lounge? Various facilities will offer different things. Make sure your chosen spot provides all the amenities you need.Take a close look at the furniture in the space to see if it looks comfortable enough to sit on for an entire workday. Some co-working spaces offer soft seating from sofas to beanbags and everything in between, while others might only have stark tables and uncomfortable office chairs.evalDon’t tie yourself down to one space. Try several until you find one that works for you.What are Co-Working Spaces so Popular?In 2005, no one had heard of the idea of co-working space. Today, there are more than 18,000 of themaround the globe, and experts project that number will grow to nearly 26,000 by 2022. Why are these spaces so popular?We have the rise of the gig economy and the independent worker to thank for that. The American dream doesn’t include working in a 9-to-5 job from high school until retirement anymore, and the number of people working remotely from home and from co-working spaces around the globe is growing exponentially.Right now, there are 3.9 million remote workers in the United States, with 70% of them making the transition from office to remote in the last four years. Nearly one-quarter of remote workers don’t even have a home base they could visit as needed, because the entire company is remote.With 57 million people making money from their side hustles and benefiting fro m the gig economy, co-working spaces are becoming the new office space. Remote work can be incredibly isolating, with people working alone from their living rooms or home offices. Co-working spaces give these remote workers the ability to network with their peers while giving them the tools they need to get their jobs done.Networking in the Co-Working CommunitySpeaking of networking, if you move or visit a new city, the first thing you should do is start networking with the local co-working community to help you find a new space. Poke your digital nose into social media groups on Facebook or LinkedIn, and publish a post or two to let the local co-workers know you’re new to the area and looking for space.You might be surprised how welcoming the co-working community can be, especially to a newbie who’s just made it to town. It can also be an invaluable opportunity to network for your business, making connections in a new city that could prove useful in the future.Not everyone in a co-working space is going to be open to having a conversation, but these communal areas can be a font of information if you find someone willing to chat. If you’re new to a city, chatting with someone in your co-working space can help you figure out the best places to visit, the parts of the city you should avoid and how to navigate your way through unfamiliar areas.evalBudget for Co-Working MembershipsevalWhether you’re a freelancer looking for a space in your hometown, or you’re moving to a new area and need a place to work while you’re setting up your home office, make sure you’ve budgeted for the costs of renting a co-working space. The price may vary depending on your location, but on average in the United States, you can expect to pay $387 a month for a dedicated desk and $195 a month for a shared desk.Make sure to include these numbers in your monthly budget. It typically isn’t as simple as walking into a Starbucks or a Panera and taking advantage of their free W i-Fi. You can work out of these places, or any other restaurant or cafe that offers free internet. However, the quality of the Wi-Fi is usually terrible, and you may run afoul of the crew if you’re tying up one of their tables for hours and only drinking one coffee, even if you tip well. Plus, it’s not healthy to subsist on Starbucks pastries or Panera Bread’s mac and cheese all day, every day.Download an App or TwoNetworking is one tool to help you find a co-working space in any city, but it isn’t the only tool in your arsenal by any stretch of the imagination. All you need is your computer or your smartphone and an internet connection, and you have everything you need to find open co-working spaces.Websites like LooseCubes, Kodesk, and WorkSnug act like the Airbnb of office spaces, helping you find a place to workor even post your office space if you have room to rent. If you prefer to work on your smartphone, WorkSnug has an app as well. LiquidSpace’s app lists both co- working spaces as well as free spaces in local offices if you’re having trouble finding somewhere to set up.Depending on your location, you may even find co-working spaces or office sublets listed on Craigslist. In spite of the site’s negative reputation, it can be a valuable tool for traveling workers or freelancers hunting for office space.evalIf you’re traveling and looking for a place to work, consider renting an Airbnb that provides wireless internet. It doesn’t offer the social and networking benefits of co-working spaces, but it does give you a place to both work and sleep, which often kills two birds with one stone.If you’re not in a metropolitan area, you may have a bit more of a struggle identifying a co-working space, but they aren’t impossible to find, and more are popping up every year.Looking ForwardRemote workers are becoming a massive part of the workforce, and not all of them can work from home, which is why co-working spaces have started becoming so pop ular.If you’re new to a city or need a change of pace during your workday, consider renting a desk in one of these communal spaces. You might be surprised how much more productive you can be if you’re outside your normal comfort zone.Your best resources for finding new co-working spaces will always be the internet and the local co-working community. Take the time to network with other freelancers and remote workers on social media when you move into a new area, and you won’t ever have trouble finding somewhere to plug in your laptop when you sit down for a day’s work.

Four Ways To Move Your Business Forward Today

Four Ways To Move Your Business Forward Today Sometimes when it comes to your business you may be wondering what you could be doing next. After all, starting out probably took everything out of you, not just financially but also mentally. You build on your dream, you make it your reality and you make sure that you do all you can to make it a success. Right now, you may have reached that initial goal. But sailing on through might not be enough for you, so what next? How do you move the business forward? I thought I would share with you four easy ways you could start doing that today. Change communication options and diversify Things are changing within business all of the time, so you may need to think about how you can move along with that. You may have the usual phone and email methods available, but it is time to get with the times and enhance those options. Catering to all customers. For example, there will be people who like the idea of fax, but now you don’t need to rely on old systems as there is an internet fax service that makes the concept much easier. You may not have through about live chatbots, but this could save you a lot of time with those frequently asked questions that pop through from your website. There are further options out there, so make it easier for people to be in touch. Move on with your social media and be proactive Social media is apart of many peoples lives these days, and there is no hiding from that fact. So you may want to think about how you can go about that and make a difference. It is all well and goods uploading on social media, but if you don’t engage with your audience they will soon lose interest in what you have to say. The content also needs to be creative, stand out and be a little different. What can your business do differently? Expand your product or service range or begin to have faith The next thing to think about would be the product and service range and what you can do about it. Is now the time to start thinking about expansion? Could you add to it? Making waves to do that will appeal to a wider audience, or even bring back repeat business. You may also want to start having a little more faith in your lines, and perhaps even having more stock to maximise potential. Add to your staff or cut the slack Finally, when it comes to employees you with need to start hiring more staff to help with the increased workload, or think smart and get rid of people who are not bringing anything to your business. It is difficult to know what to do, hire or whether to let go of certain individuals, but you need to think about the overheads and costs to you, and what benefits they can bring to enhance your business overall. I hope that this has given you something to think about when it comes to moving your business forward.

Skills Test From odesk Answers Can Improve Your Resume

Skills Test From odesk Answers Can Improve Your ResumeJob seekers who are seeking their resumes in order to enhance their skills and career options can ask the help of odesk answer answering service from Odesk. The questionnaires they send are processed within minutes and the answers are readily delivered by email, by mail or on your web site. All of this can be done in a matter of seconds from the comfort of your own home. You are free to work at your own pace and the best part is that you can use the help of people who are in the know about your profession.This is the reason why many people think that a skills test from odesk answers can improve your resume. For example, if you are an engineer and are seeking a job in a manufacturing company, the company may ask you questions like, how many years experience you have in the same field. Also, they may ask you what area of expertise you have so that they could better match you with the right job for you. Most likely, your resume would reflect your experience, but you could include your strengths, weaknesses and other criteria that would help them hire you.odesk answers service providers provide their clients the opportunity to have their resumes reviewed by a selection of highly qualified applicants. They will help you in creating your resume by providing it with details of the company's requirements. You can then review the entire set of answers provided by these professionals and give a choice to yourself, choosing the ones that would be most appropriate to you.odesk answers service providers can also be useful to job seekers who do not have any network of contacts in the industry they want to go into. You can request the services of a resume writing service provider to help you in creating your resume. These professionals will handle all your questions about the format and contents of your resume, including information that would help them narrow down the list of applicants to choose from. They will help you in reviewing each applicant's answers to questions like, what qualifications do you have that make you an ideal candidate?odesk answers service providers have also been found to have the power to help those applicants who have had some doubts or apprehensions about their skills or their abilities. In such situations, they can assist you in developing and strengthening your skills and your professional background. These professionals can also help you in developing your resume by sharing their experiences with you and helping you improve your skills and knowledge in various areas of business and other fields.odesk answers service providers provide a very convenient service to their clients. Instead of spending hours at home, you can get your resume uploaded within a few minutes. Your resume will be published at least 24 hours after you send it to the company.Another important reason for hiring a resume writing service is that it helps in reducing the time needed to prepare a resume. In the past, it would take hours to complete a resume that would include details of skills, experience and other relevant information. Now, this process is so much easier because of the help of these professional service providers.

Resume Writing Tip - Use Email To Create Your Resume

Resume Writing Tip - Use Email To Create Your ResumeToday's world is filled with smart and knowledgeable people and therefore, a resume writer can save you from some tough times. A good resume writing tip will help you create your resume without spending a lot of time. If you are an unemployed person who has just found employment then your task has become much easier.Just write a brief job description which is about 100 words and the rest can be filled up later. There is no need to spend a lot of time in writing your resume because it can be filled up in a day or two. An applicant does not have to spend too much time on writing a resume. He or she can get the resume jobs on the internet as well.In these present circumstances, the only problem that an applicant has been about his/her choice of resume writing tip. So here is a resume writing tip for free that helps you come up with the right resume in a short span of time. It is an email resume writing tip. Simply put, you can type the information which is relevant in the email and get it professionally formatted.A resume is not complete without the name of the applicant. However, if you do not have a name then get one from the internet. You can look for a free service which is readily available on the internet. Here you can type the details of the applicant.The next step is to contact the applicant and check if he or she is registered with the company. This ensures that there is no misnomer in the application. In order to avoid any kind of conflicts in the future, you can ask for the resume from the applicant personally.Once you have a copy of the resume, you can add the personal information about the applicant and add it to the application. You can also add your contact details so that you can reach out to the applicant by email or any other method. When you are typing the information in the resume, always add the information which is relevant.There are many ways which you can use to create a good resume for yo urself. Just remember to follow a few guidelines and you will be sure to create a perfect resume in a day or two. You can also opt for a freelance writing job. This is a fast and cost effective option to get your resume written.

Social Media Writing Resume at a Glance

Social Media Writing Resume at a Glance If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Social Media Writing Resume Community management is having the ability to navigate the on-line sphere of promoting your brand when engaging with your customers. Customer Service Social media isn't only a way to receive your message out, it's also a means to listen. If a company or organization wants people to speak about their work, they must have a social networking presence. Even Professional resume writing services are attempting to produce and include the perfect infographics to the resume to make it even more striking and crisp. There isn't any way someone can supply you with a perfect resume on the very first shot even minor adjustments and edits will be necessary. When you're anticipating a career change, giving an expert makeover to your resume is going to be a good idea to look at. Additionally, writing can conserve a whole lot of money, based on our motivations and goals. D etails of Social Media Writing Resume Never neglect to include your most important abilities, like the site optimization and cross-platform advertising skills listed in the social networking specialist resume sample. Therefore, social networking marketers ought to be adept at creating high-quality and intriguing content. Herein you'll get a number of free social media resume templates to select from. The expression social media marketing was not in the lexicon. The internet advertising and marketing business is always on the lookout for anyone with superior people skills, superb advertising talents, and the capability to reach a wide selection of individuals. There are already more than 200,000 individuals who work in social networking and the variety of interested applicants will keep growing. It is possible to also take a look at our website should you need assistance with finding more templates and various types of resume profiles you may use to properly create your resum e. Searching social networking jobs online isn't a rocket science. You're able to learn about all of the important social networking skills that you should increase your resume within the next section. When social media started there were not any tools to measure the effect of your campaigns and advertising initiatives on social networking. Your activity on social networking impacts whether you'll get work. Social media marketing jobs aren't any different. For instance, if you're asking for a social networking marketing position, it could. You can trust our social media writing service for creating compelling social networking content that isn't just compelling, but in addition shareworthy. When applying for a social networking manager position, you'll need to highlight your understanding of social networking accounts, trends and analytics on your resume. A rudimentary understanding of social networks, like Twitter and Facebook isn't sufficient to land work in social netw orking.

Tweet Your Way into the Job Interview Process - Work It Daily

Tweet Your Way into the Job Interview Process - Work It Daily It turns out that Twitter is for more than just following celebrities like Justin Bieber or Ashton Kutcher. It has a very practical side to it, and Twitter has become one of the necessary arrows to be found in every job hunter’s quiver. There are a few ways to do this...Create a Twitter Search Create a search for anything you want on Twitter, like “software engineer job AND Boston.” You can save your searches and continue to rerun them over time, or turn them into streams on Twitter platforms like HootSuite. Check in every day or two to see the updated tweets on your searches, and continually refine your search terms to meet your specific background, areas of competency, and aspirations. Use Hashtags (#) Anyone who uses Twitter can make up a hashtag (#) that can serve as the search term to use in a tweet, and people can put the hashtag (i.e. #career) in their tweet to make it easily findable. You can include hashtags in your search. For example: #Boston AND “sales jobs.” (Here, because I’ve included the two words, sales and jobs inside quotes, they are treated as a single word or expression.) There is no catalog of all the hashtags in use, and people make up new ones every day. But there are quite a few common ones that make sense for you to use if you want to get into the job interview process. Here are some of my favorites: #jobopening or #jobsearch or #hiring These are often used by HR staffing people or recruiters to list the title of a job and/or their company. Combine this in a search with your job title (if it is standard), or particular skills, and a location. Try different search combinations, and you’ll be amazed to see what opportunities come up that you never could have known about. #hireme You can use this in your own tweet to really put yourself out there. Include some of your skills and a link to your online resume and or LinkedIn profile... but make sure that they are in tip top shape before you start sending people there to check you out. #MBA or #MSEE or #(insert your graduate degree or something special about yourself) You would be surprised how many recruiters are looking for people who put themselves and their unique background or skills on Twitter to be found! #legal or #salesjobs or #webdesign or #(substitute your field or industry) Use a hashtag that describes what it is you do, or the industry in which you have a history of working. Add into the search “job” or some specific skills and geography and you will likely find specific opportunities listed for the plucking for the person innovative enough to find them. Of course there are lots of other hastags useful for the job hunter. Check out these: #employment #job #jobs #career #jobtips #unemployment #interview #career. All of these can produce for you online discussions about the state of the job market, and advice about how you can get yourself into position to be more successful connecting with employers and recruiters, and finding success during the job interview process. Job interview process image from Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!