What a difference a week makes....

What a difference a week makes...

The second week of being self employed is certainly a very different experience to the first week. Firstly, I have actually had some proper work to do which was a relief as there is only so many ways in which to fill your day organising stationary and your desk draw. Secondly, it has been great being able to get out and about to meet with fellow human beings – mind you, the social gathering which was the tax workshop on a ‘guide to becoming self employed’ was an amalgamation of the most random business models which you would ever want to have in one small room.

There were bizarrely several car valeters (who would have thought that car valeting in a recession was big business?), someone who was selling stereos to the yachting fraternity (not VHF radios, just stereos to play music) and then there was the Dance Artist. No, I haven’t got a clue what her business model was either and I spent four hours on Monday sat next to her.

The tax workshop was beneficial for anyone setting up as self-employed - well the work-booklet was. It gave all the information you needed in registering, book keeping, tax and NI examples – the four hours of explanation of this information however isn’t going to win any awards. Whilst the lady running the workshop was lovely, I really wasn’t interested in her husband (self-employed patio builder), two sons (Reading and Edinburgh Uni, one works in a Pizza parlour) and her mother (makes decoupage cards as a hobby).

However, the worrying part was that this sweet, mumsy lady, who had worked all her life in the tax office and was now employed to give; new self-employed people setting up their own companies; advice, her words of wisdom were:-

a) Don’t trust online banking, or any other online function for that matter – which makes bestowing the benefits of HMRC online tax returns slightly difficult

b) She actually advised us not to get a business bank account – ‘Do it through your current account, they won’t charge you’

c) Don’t bother doing your book keeping on a computer – ‘They aren’t reliable’ – she and her husband undertake all of his company book keeping with actual pen and paper.

You have got to love the civil service. Now, I’m not one for stereotyping, but I have an inkling this lady maybe a Daily Mail reader, believe Jonathan Ross is the antichrist and that Tiger Woods seemed like a ‘nice man’.

It has been a productive week though, tax workshops aside. I’ve been working on some start-up marketing branding and promotion for a local Arborist (tree surgeon to you and me), and I was also asked to put together a market research proposal for a salary survey for a client of Sue Sowerby from Sowerby Advertising. (great advertising & creative agency, have worked with them for nearly 10 years so take it from me, they are good!) so some possible work there – thanks Sue!

I also met up with an old friend, Steve Garratt from The Giggle Group, whose business is producing some amazing animated 30sec segments for branding online – it’s going to revolutionise online branding as the quality is spectacular. Good times.

I have yet to start cold calling, that wonderful job awaits me next week, however, I know who I am going to target as I have already written to them pimping outlining my services. I’m targeting local politicians. Well, if anyone needs a hand with brand promotion, PR and embellishment of services, in the coming months, our political friends are a dream target market.

At least it has been warmer working from home this week. I have managed to dispense with the hat and blanket, just mainly use a scarf for those ‘colder’ days. There are many pros and cons to being self employed and working from home, but, as the boyfriend is finding out, one of the key benefits has been my transformation into a domestic goddess. Not only is a home cooked dinner awaiting his return from work (proper job, regular salary), but the washing and cleaning fairy has also made daily visits leaving only the hint of clean, fresh linen in her wake. Now, I cannot guarantee how long this miracle as my mother would call it will last, but the lack of a commute means that the house can be tidied, washing on and work commenced by 8.30am – a month ago, I would still be waiting to exit the motorway at this time.

Social networking continues to draw me in. I am fascinated by the lives of ‘celebs’ on Twitter – honestly, it could take over your life if you let it. This week, I have learnt that Danni Minogue is pregnant, Katy Perry might be and Duncan Bannatyne is counting his blessings as he was due to be in Haiti this coming Monday. On a serious note, charities in the US are seeing for the first time the power of social networking. In the last two days alone, over $34m has been donated purely through social networking sites and an additional $5m from text messaging services. It’s a shame that the aid cannot get through to the people of Haiti with the same speed.

Thanks for all of your supportive comments from last week’s newsletter – you are all very kind but it has meant that you will continue to receive these weekly ramblings!

PS. Snacks were few and far between at the tax workshop – I knew I should have made vol au vents