I'm Self-Employed!
You read that right!
I feel like it’s not official until I create a “Life Event” on Facebook or something, but it’s true, I’m officially self-employed! Ahhhh! This transition has definitely been a work in progress this past year, and really there was no “perfect” time to take this leap of faith but after lots of thought and TONS of prayer here I am, ready to jump in.
I’m really going to miss the entire Grand Slam Social team — I had the best year and a half working with all of them. I learned so much and am lucky to call everyone a friend outside of work! Along with texting and sharing GIFs all the time I will also remain a part-time contractor. Yay for remaining an honorary GSS girl!
The Why…
GREAT QUESTION. I never ever thought I’d want to work for myself. I’ve been doing freelance work on the side since college and have slowly but surely built up a reliable client base and expanded my portfolio in the process.
I thought it would be really hard being a business owner, even just becoming one, starting with figuring out how to set up an LLC, a business bank account, how to make money…ya know, the basics! All of that *glam* stuff can be overwhelming at first, but I took everything in steps ordered by priority, and that made it a lot easier. Running your own businesses is not for the faint of heart though ($$$), I have to make sure I have enough money to survive, pay for all my creative and social media subscriptions (Adobe, Later.com etc.) and make sure I’m able to save 25% of my income for taxes (yay!).
FORTUNATELY, there are a lot of great deductions and resources for freelancers, so be sure to look into these come tax time.
My first week of self-employment was actually last week, and it was spent it out of the office at the beach! Matt and I finally went on our honeymoon and let me tell ya, Maui was amazing. Not only did we both to recharge, I came up with some new business ideas and a couple of new leads also came through (I promise I didn’t work other than responding to email inquiries, and hey, I was poolside). I feel refreshed and ready to tackle this next chapter thanks to that vacation.
The What…
My services include web design, social media management, copy + content writing and blogging (both personally and for clients).
My client list showcases cattle breed associations, construction businesses, non-profits and health care companies. To view some of my recent work, check out my portfolio.
I still have room for a few more clients so if you’re in need of services or would like to chat, fill out my form here!
The Future…
Now I’m going to work on some existing projects and growing my biz! Something that’s also worked into the schedule is continued learning and keeping up with industry trends. There are so many resources out there, I’ll be sure to blog about some of my favorites later!
As I said, I’m scared but am mostly excited. This is something I think about every day and I feel ready. I really appreciate all the support from my friends and family, it means the world.
If you or anyone you know is in need of my services, please fill out the form here!
Xo Caroline
