Freelancers

How to Build a Team of Freelancers

Remote working is continuing to grow, and it’s estimated that 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely by 2025. Here are a few tips to help you build a successful team of freelancers. 

Consider Nearshoring

While outsourcing allows you to hire freelancers located anywhere in the world, nearshoring usually involves working with freelancers from countries located nearby, such as the Dominican Republic, and therefore a  similar or close enough time zone. This lets you increase efficiency by maintaining a similar daily workflow.

Post on Online Job Boards

To find freelancers, post a job listing with information about the available position. If you have a specific country in mind, you can often find job boards for that location. In the Dominican Republic, for example, it’s possible to hire freelancers via the online job portal Workana.

It’s also important to be industry-specific. That means posting job listings in places where they will be seen by relevant talent. There are job sites geared towards specific fields, from cryptocurrency to social media. Pick those most in line with the position you are looking to fill.

While a portfolio or work samples are helpful, you’ll still want to have a Google Meet, Zoom, or FaceTime call to learn more about each candidate.

Schedule Weekly Check-Ins

Be sure to schedule at least one video call a week with your freelance team when possible. Remote teams using video conferencing can build better relationships.

Establish Communication Lines

Be clear about how you’ll communicate with your team. While there are numerous social messaging channels, it’s better to try and keep workflow on email or in a messaging channel such as Telegram. Depending on the size of your team, you may want to have a Discord channel or set up Google Meet to make sure everyone is aligned.

There are a few options when it comes to paying freelancers. First, you’ll create a contract or negotiate a rate based on your needs. This can be hourly or a fixed fee delivered on a project basis. You’ll need to also discuss a timeline for payments. Consider using a money transfer service such as Remitly to ensure low fees and reliable transactions. Remitly can help you avoid high transfer fees, and instant payments to the Dominican Republic are free for first-time transfers.

Form an LLC

You’ll need to handle some logistics and admin work before you begin hiring freelancers. Depending on the amount you need, you might want to consider forming an LLC. An LLC is a limited liability company and comes with many benefits that are useful to a small business.

The amount of time it takes to form an LLC and the regulations associated with doing so differs depending on the state in which you’re planning to register. Formation services can help you with paperwork and other logistics associated with incorporation, such as ensuring you file the correct documents. They can also save you expensive lawyer fees.

Build a Team For Success

Every great idea needs support to come to fruition. Hire a team of freelancers to help you accomplish your vision. Utilize the internet to connect with talented professionals around the world. It takes a team to achieve success, and now you can choose the one that’s right for you.

Explore Keetria for more entrepreneurship insights and tips.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

4 Ways To Make Money Over The Holidays

Everybody wants to earn a little extra money for the holidays. Having a little extra can mean different things to different people. It can mean a new gadget to tinker around with, a memorable meal, an important gift for someone you like, or even a plane ticket home. However, not everyone wants to work the same job during the holidays, year after year. If you’re tired of being an elf at the mall, check out these other gigs you can work at. There are a lot of holiday season job opportunities that are always available if you know where to look.

Here are some other jobs that can earn you some money during the holiday season.

1. Catering

If you like cooking and serving food, you can check out your local caterers. There are a lot of parties that happen during the holidays, and a lot of these will be catered. You can get seasonal work with the outfits that will be handling these events. Caterers will need all sorts of temporary staff over the holidays. You can easily find work as a server, delivering food and drink to the guests. If you want to work in the kitchen, you can always find work as a dishwasher. If you want to find seasonal work as a cook, the jobs offered will depend on the size of the catering company. Smaller catering companies just need cooks, while larger ones may need some cooks who know how to work as part of a line.

There could be some other seasonal jobs available at your local caterer, restaurant, or event place. Some venues may need people to drive, set up the tables, or even host. Just ask your local establishments what they need help with during the holiday season.

2. Babysitting and Child Care

Since there are a lot of events that happen during the holiday season, the need for sitters also rises. If you enjoy spending time with children, you could offer help to busy parents and daycare centers during the holidays. Working parents will need someone to look after their kids while they attend the catered events that they have to go to. And, if you get this type of gig, this may blossom into a series of sitting dates with their children. This is because working parents have to go back to the office before their kids have to return to school. They may need their favorite sitters to stay with their loved ones all throughout the holiday season.

3. Work From Home

Working from home is a normal way to work nowadays, and several large organizations hire seasonal remote workers during the holidays. These jobs usually come in the form of customer service. There are two types of customer service jobs to choose from, call and email support. There are a lot of transactions that happen during the holidays, and these companies need people to man their phones and keyboards. If doing customer support is not your thing, there are tons of online gigs available all year round. You can write, edit, draw, do some research, or act as a virtual assistant. Most of these are contractual or project based, so you can choose the work that fits your holiday work needs.

If you’re working from home, take steps to maximize your workspace so you can stay focused and free of stress. Declutter, get organized, clean, and add some mood-boosting indoor plants to your home.

4. Seasonal Tax Preparer

Okay, so this type of work isn’t available until after the new year, but you may want to consider it. The job of a seasonal tax preparer is to assist accountants or accounting firms in preparing their clients’ tax forms. This requires training, possibly during the holidays, in preparation of the incoming tax season. This training will teach participants how to assist in tax preparation and update them regarding new tax updates in their area. Accounting firms will soon be busy preparing their clients’ tax forms January through April, and they will need help during the tax season. Different firms have different requirements, each offering their own type of training.


There are a lot of seasonal jobs to earn some money with. You never know, one of these might just be the start of a new career for you.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Freelancers: Start Creating Financial Security With These Top Passive Income Ideas

Each year, more and more individuals are choosing the freelancer lifestyle. Having the freedom to work remotely, set your own pay, and follow your passion is an appealing career path for people of all ages. However, with all of its benefits, becoming financially secure is one top challenge experienced by many freelancers — especially at the beginning of their journey.

One solution to this problem is setting up streams of passive income. Not sure how to do this for yourself? Keetria offers her top recommendations for creating quality passive income streams that offer greater financial security.

Write a book.

As a freelancer, you’re already an expert in one (or more) subjects. From writing to photography to graphic design, you understand more than most about your field of work. Leverage this expertise by writing a book about what you know. Research publications in your industry to see what already exists. After conducting your research, brainstorm ways to cover a specific aspect of what you do from your unique perspective. Once you’ve self-published a book (which is more affordable than ever before), you can earn a sizable passive income for years to come.

Launch a business.

Not all business ideas require you to put in hours each day to earn money. On the contrary, many can be run in such a way that you can earn a passive income. Start your new business by choosing what you plan to sell. The best ideas for generating passive income include selling online courses – (check out The Ultimate Guide To Creating Courses Online), eBooks, website templates, and the like.

After launching your business, it is crucial to have the right marketing strategies in place to promote your brand. To keep your marketing as hands-off and effective as possible, consider enlisting influencer marketing services, which you can easily find through online job platforms. Prior to hiring anyone, you can weigh reviews, delivery times, and proposed fees.

Build your own app.

Have some tech development skills? Turn your passion into an app. Related to your freelancing business or not, apps have the potential to generate serious passive income from ad revenue, purchases of your app, and in-app purchases.

Rent out your home or apartment.

If you own your own space — and your HOA or condo board allows it — start renting out your dwelling on one of today’s top vacation rental websites. According to the latest figures, the average host on Airbnb makes $11,000 annually.

Being a freelancer means that you need to have a solid system in place to keep you financially stable as your workload fluctuates. When you set up multiple streams of passive income, you can quickly and easily achieve this goal. Rather than having just one stream of passive income, work to set up between 3–5 for maximum results.

Among her many titles, Keetria is an entrepreneur, lifestyle wellness coach, and business consultant. For more empowering content that leads to your success, visit Keetria’s blog.

 

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

5 Freelance Tech Tips – Help Grow your Success as a Solopreneur

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Being a solopreneur means being a true boss. But it doesn’t have to mean going it alone one hundred percent of the time. After all, even bosses need help every once in a while. Wondering what type of tech or help could boost your business?  Then check out these tips from Keetria.

Accounting and Taxes 

Your money is one area where DIY savings just aren’t worth the risk. If you’re a first-time entrepreneur, having accounting help is even more imperative. You may need to set up estimated tax payments. A freelance bookkeeper can also help you figure out whether setting up an LLC will benefit your business. Then you can proceed with the next steps. 

Virtual LLC Formation 

Thinking about forming an LLC for your small business? That’s a wise move since you will be afforded more protection for your finances. You’ll also be setting yourself up for more savings come tax time. On top of all of these perks, you can use an online service to fill out the paperwork, which will save you money, time, and hassle. Each state has its own regulations around LLC’s and formation steps, so check yours before you proceed. 

Online Meetups and Events 

Another way savvy entrepreneurs can use tech to grow their business is by putting together virtual meetups. This can be oh so helpful if you plan on launching a new business, product or service in the coming months since live events are still on hold. Drum up excitement around your virtual event by sharing details with your social networks. Then be sure to really listen and engage with participants to help them form a deeper connection with your business. 

PR and Marketing Services 

You can certainly create your own publicity to get people interested in whatever you’re selling. As already mentioned, you can use your social media accounts to attract new connections and cultivate an image that will have people begging for more. This can take some time and savvy though, so if your career begins to blossom, you may also want to consider reaching out for help. Check out freelance sites to find PR and marketing consultants or ask for recs from friends. 

Web Design Help 

DIY publicity is one thing, but a DIY website? Using free and discounted tools to build your own website will work in a pinch, but if you truly want to grow your image and become an authority in your industry, you need professional help. That help should come from a web designer who has the expertise and experience to create a custom website that is sleek and easy to use. It’s just too easy to make small mistakes that can cause your followers to run the other way. 

You’re a boss but that shouldn’t mean feeling burned out and busy every single day. Use this guide to get the help you need with tech and other projects. That way you can focus your time and energy on growing your reputation and small business. 

Author Bio: Courtney started gigspark.biz to be a resource and the first step for people who are looking to join the gig economy, either to supplement their income or as a way to fulfill their dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Freelancing Your Way to Freedom with Dayne Shuda of Ghost Blog Writers

Summary:

In episode 53 Keetria sits with Dayne Shuda, Founder of Ghost Blog writers. Keetria and Dayne talk about freelancing, and Dayne shares his story about how he transitioned from his job to full-time freelancing. Dayne shares best practices when deciding to freelance full-time and gives us a peek into the life of a freelancing entrepreneur.

Show Notes:

  • Introduction of guest Dayne Shuda, Founder of Ghost Blog Writers
  • How Dayne´s first job sparked interest to start exploring digital content
  • After he secured two clients, Dayne started to consider freelancing as a job
  • Having clients and a basic setup of the company eased Dayne´s transition from the corporate realm to entrepreneur life
  • How Dayne comes up with content for the blog
  • The goal of a business blog is to attract people to your brand
  • Don´t look at your blog´s analytics during your first year
  • How a personal blog and a business blog are different
  • Blogging is a unique way to connect with people
  • How Dayne would pivot his business if the blogging world collapsed

3 Key Points:

  1. Freelancing as a viable job is becoming more and more popular.
  2. Developing an understanding of digital content and getting clients eases the transition into freelancing.
  3. If you are serious about freelancing and can see some potential, just do it.

Tweetable Quotes:

–       “Having the clients was a big one [help] instead of just jumping on an idea.” – Dayne.

–       “Content creators are big consumers of content.” – Dayne.

–       “If you are serious about it and can see some potential, just do it.” – Dayne.

Resources Mentioned:

6 Holiday Gifts Freelancers Will Surely Love

‘Tis the season to shop for gifts, and if you happen to have a freelancer on your list, you might need a little spark of imagination when choosing a gift. Freelancers are a special breed. They’re resilient, eccentric, and independent and they deserve something truly unique. We’ve rounded up some gifts that are guaranteed to please:

For the freelancer who lives on coffee: The self-heating coffee mug

For freelancers, coffee is life. And what better gift to give than a coffee mug that keeps coffee perfectly hot? The Ember Ceramic Mug’s smart technology enhances the flavor of coffee by automatically choosing the best temperature for the coffee. It can also adjust its temperature according to the user’s preference to keep beverages at the ideal temperature.

For the freelancer who never bothers to change clothes: The “I woke up like this” sweater

For a freelancer, working from home can a blessing and a curse. They can work on their beds, in their pajamas or bathrobes. They can go on for days without a shower because frankly, no one really cares if they don’t. For the bleary-eyed, sleep-deprived freelancer who hardly changes his clothes, this gift pretty much says it all.

For the freelancer who is the best multitasker: The multitasking watch

Freelancers are great multitaskers. They could be juggling multiple projects while doing laundry and surfing the net. Managing multiple projects and deadlines can be stressful that’s why they need a watch that works as hard as them.

For the freelancer who needs to save: The modern piggy bank

Things can be volatile for freelancers. There are peak seasons and slow seasons. One day, they’re turning away projects because they’re swamped. The next month, there’s no new work. The best gift for them is a modern piggy bank where can save and withdraw money.

For the freelancer who always falls asleep in front of the computer: The weird head pillow

Most freelancers are sleep-deprived, and others have strange sleeping habits, like napping in front of their computer. For the freelancer who’d rather sleep on his desk than his bed, the perfect gift would be the Ostrich Pillow. It will conveniently block the light out and has pockets for easier napping on the desk.

For the freelancer who loves to procrastinate: The procrastinator t-shirt

There are many reasons why freelancers are prone to procrastination. One, the freelancer dreads doing the project. Two, there’s still plenty of time to do the project. And three, the freelancer is lazy. For the dude who lives to procrastinate, this t-shirt is for him.

For the freelancer who loves to put his feet up while working: The feet hammock

The feet hammock is the perfect gift for the easygoing freelancer who works better and faster with his feet up. The feet hammock is easy to install and can be adjusted to the desired height of the user.

Do you have other gifts in mind? Share them by commenting below.