Going Solo

The hard realities of business — agreements, selling, setting prices, negotiating — may be the last consideration for soloists as they launch their consulting practice. More often, they are motivated by a spirit of adventure, the desire to be their own boss, or a need to deepen their expertise in a subject area. But to be successful — to pay the bills, to avoid working like a slave, and to actually achieve some degree of independence — soloists need to gain a sound grounding in the business realities, and quickly. http://stoweboyd.com/message/

Panel moderated by Stephanie Booth : Solo in a Networked World With Laura Fitton, Linda Broughton and Stephanie Troeth During this panel, the speakers will talk about freelancing and social networks.

Freelancers often alternate between two extreme modes of working: On some days we can’t get anything done and procrastinate like silly. On other days we overwork and get under stress. Both modes are ineffective and inefficient.How can we work freely without falling into the traps of procrastination or overworking? How can we stay effective even when things go wrong?There are plenty of methods and tools for self-organisation and “Getting Things Done” around… but how do you make them work?This session will teach you:methods and tools that help you get organised (including GTD)psychological hacks to overcome procrastinationtechniques for staying effective and balancedLink to Martin's slides :http://www.roell.net/vortraege/080516-Going%20Solo-Effectiveness-MartinRoell.pdfhttp://www.roell.net/

Panel moderated by Suw Charman: Setting Rates and Negotiating with Clients (Martin Roell, Stowe Boyd, Dennis Howlett)During this panel, the speakers will discuss the skills of fixing realistic rates and negotiating efficiently with clients.

In a flat world where freelancers can work from pretty much anywhere they choose, it is tempting to think that establishing tax efficient structures will be plain sailing. It’s not. Freelancers often get themselves into trouble by being sold exotic ideas that always have repercussions and which are rarely appropriate to their circumstances. This talk will outline the way the major EU tax systems operate, offer tips on making the best of the system and suggest some easy ways to keep on top of your finances. http://www.accmanpro.com/

You’ve heard lots about social media and “web 2.0.” You might already have a toehold in using these technologies to expand your personal brand and develop a strong pipeline of potential clients. Unlike ever before, the soloist can construct a thriving community, deepen networking ties and position their business at the business end of abundant opportunity. Best of all, these opportunities to make yourself known through blogging and social networking replace expensive marketing tactics that may be draining your resources. http://pistachioconsulting.com/blog/

Stephanie Booth, Going Solo organizer, gives a brief tour of the area near the conference venue, Ouchy.Shooting and editing by Sébastien Baudet.http://going-solo.net/http://manafilm.com/

In San Francisco for a couple of days, Stephanie Booth was invited to co-star in Loïc Le Meur's daily show "Seesmicdujour" and talk about Going Solo and Getting Things Done. A nice video in which you can see Seesmic's founder and his VP of content, Vinvin, having a blast while talking about business! That's the way to go!Originally posted by Loïc Le Meur on his personal channel http://loic.tv video entitled "Seesmic Du Jour 107 : Stephanie Booth on Getting Things Done"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MwGxSFLeLU

Stephanie Booth presents Going Solo, a conference for independent professionals happening on May 16th, 2008 in Lausanne. Originally posted on http://www.liftconference.com