Author Archives: Elaine Pofeldt

Working With Demanding Clients

You’ve just arrived at your hotel on a long-awaited vacation, and an email message from a client shows up in your inbox. He’s working this weekend and wants to brainstorm about a project. You know it isn’t particularly urgent and wonder … Continue reading

Growing Your Business, Uncategorized , , ,

Why Is Anyone Grousing About Women Breadwinners?

It’s hard to have missed the hoopla about the recent Pew Research Center survey that reported that 4 out of 10 families with children under 18 now depend on the income of women who are the sole or main breadwinners. The … Continue reading

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Create a Killer Blogging Program

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of calls from people who want help attracting visitors to their companies’ websites. Can I write a blog post or two every week for them? Plans to publish a gigantic list of blog posts … Continue reading

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Protect Yourself from Nonpaying Clients

There’s nothing more draining than chasing down payments for projects you delivered on time, months ago. The best way to avoiding doing so is vetting clients carefully from the get-go, to make sure they can actually pay you. But, as … Continue reading

Growing Your Business, Your Back Office , , ,

Living Honestly

One of the most valuable messages I’ve taken away from financial gurus like Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey is the importance of honesty about our finances. It’s easy to get into debt if we delude ourselves about what we can … Continue reading

The Lifestyle, Uncategorized , , , , , , , ,

A Workaholic’s Cautionary Tale

It’s easy to read Erin Callan’s essay about her former life as the CFO of Lehman Brothers and feel like you’ve dodged a bullet by stepping away from the corporate track. That’s how I felt as I started reading. Then … Continue reading

The Lifestyle, Uncategorized , , , ,

Avoid Toxic Clients

One of the best parts of freelancing is that you’re free to work with people you enjoy. While corporate friends may have to endure bad bosses to earn a living, you’re free from that slow suffering. If you work hard, … Continue reading

Growing Your Business, Making the Break , , , , , , ,

Do What You Love–and Still Make a Living

Many of us have heard the advice, “Do what you love and the money will follow.” It’s not always true. As a freelancer or solo professional, part of your job is figuring out how to make the money follow when … Continue reading

Growing Your Business, Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Time for a Deep Breath

Most of us have learned not to load our plates so full of work that we’re collapsing under the pressure. However, sometimes, Murphy’s Law intervenes. A client asks you to bump up a deadline because he’s got to go on … Continue reading

The Lifestyle , , ,

A $100 Ticket to Peace of Mind

I started out as a freelancer in October 2007, not long before the global financial collapse. When Lehman Brothers folded, there was a ripple effect in many businesses, and many of my clients delayed paying me. It was pretty scary–my … Continue reading

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