Wobizzle

In this fun and informative episode, Melissa and Michelle interview Beth Z of YourNerdyBestFriend.Beth is a technology and app guru and a whole lot of fun. Listen in as Michelle and Melissa tap Beth’s beautiful brain for the lowdown on the latest tech tools to help make video conferencing more fun, the best apps for time management and improved focus, and a whole lot more. Find Beth at www.yournerdybestfriend.com or text NERD to 66866.Here are the tools Beth refers to in this episode.Make virtual meetings more fun with:Stream Deck (www.elgato.com)Ecamm (ecamm.com)OBS (www.obsproject.com)Mmhmm (www.mmhmm.app)Manycam (manycam.com)Fend off online distractions with:StayFocusd (www.stayfocusd.com)Forest (www.forestapp.cc)Stop being terrible with passwords. Use one of these instead.Last Pass (www.lastpass.com)1Password (www.1password.com)Dashlane (www.dashlane.com)Transfer large files with:Dropbox (www.dropbox.com)Google DriveUse these tools for recording and transcribing important conversations and interviews.Otte

The struggle is most definitely real! The challenges and uncertainty of the ongoing pandemic are taking a toll on all of us. In this episode, Melissa and Michelle interview Dr. Dayle Lattie, a licensed clinical psychologist and professional “coach for life,” on the psychology of resilience and how you can train your brain to be more resilient and thrive in the face of chaos and conflict.Find out more about Dr. Lattie at drlattie.com.

We’ve all got opinions, and social media gives us so many ways to share them. But that doesn’t mean you should. In this week’s episode, Melissa and Michelle share some real life examples of how letting your feelings fly on Facebook and other social media could harm your business.

From fighting off Imposter Syndrome to not giving away the farm, in this episode of The Wobizzle Podcast, Michelle and Melissa reminisce over the five things they wish someone had told them before they launched their freelancing careers.

Not enough time (or energy) for managing social media? In this week's episode of The Wobizzle Podcast- the Minimalist's Guide To Managing Social Media, Melissa and Michelle interview Claire Sakaoka, owner of the public relations and digital marketing firm, Engage5w to get social media management tips for time-crunched freelancers and solopreneurs.

It’s not too early to start setting your freelance business up for success in the new year. In this episode, Melissa and Michelle guide listeners through the action steps they can be taking right now to help grow their client bases and their revenue in 2021.

One of the keys to successful freelancing is being able to manage multiple projects at once. In this episode of The Wobizzle Podcast, Melissa and Michelle share their favorite tips for keeping projects organized, staying ahead of deadlines and doing it all while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

COVID-19 has turned everyone’s lives upside down. But opportunities to launch a freelance career or grow your existing freelance business are out there.In this episode, Michelle and Melissa highlight the most important characteristics of successful freelancers and offer tips for women who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 or who are feeling job insecure and are considering freelancing as their next career move.

What a summer! Michelle and Melissa are back in the studio after a summer hiatus and are ready to help you get prepared for a productive fall! A little travel, a little time off, and some great summer sunshine can help reset even the busiest entrepreneur and the process definitely helped us re-focus and tackle the workload with renewed enthusiasm. Here’s to growth and change and making the most of the coming season!

Are you struggling with setting a freelance rate? Let's face it ladies. We're all ready to rally on the issue of pay equality in the workplace, but we are notorious for charging too little for our freelance work. So, how do you set a rate that is compatible with the value that you and your expertise bring to the table? Today, Michelle and Melissa tackle the tough topic of what you should charge. They'll have tips for setting a freelance rate, giving yourself a raise on a regular basis, how to handle pricing on flat rate projects, and warning signs and strategies for dealing with clients who want to pay less. All this, plus the light-hearted laughter you've come to expect from the women of Wobizzle.

A lot of businesses fall victim to predatory marketing and may not even realize it. Today, Michelle and Melissa are going to talk about what predatory marketing is, how to spot it, and how to protect your business from it. This is not an attack on sales professionals, but takes a hard look at those who are focused only on selling the product – whether it’s a good fit for the client or not. We recognize that shopping for ad space or marketing help can be overwhelming, especially if it’s not what you do. We’ve got tips to help you navigate and help you make sure that your marketing dollars are well spent!

Not all clients are a good fit, and sometimes it’s better to part ways sooner rather than later. Today, Michelle and Melissa will discuss how to know when it’s time to fire a client, and how to do it gracefully. Sometimes it’s scope creep, sometimes the client is a haggler, or perhaps they push their way to the front of the line and expect you to be “always on”, and sometimes the project just isn’t a good fit. We get it, and know that when it’s time to let them go it’s super scary. Sometimes though, you just need to do it, for your own good and the good of the client.

In today’s episode Michelle and Melissa look at why it’s important to take time off, and how to make it happen. Burnout is bad, and an “always-on” approach to work will lead to it fast. Busy isn’t always a good thing and if you don’t pace yourself, your mental, emotional, and mental health will suffer. We share strategies to help you avoid the negative side-effects of high performance, and tips on forecasting, ways to maximize efficiency and workflow, and how to set a schedule and stick to it.

Today Michelle and Melissa are tackling an issue every business owner has to deal with – surviving peaks and valleys. We share strategies on how to deal with the ups and downs of a changing workflow while you’re in the moment and look at ways to see the peaks and valleys coming and plan accordingly. We also share tips on managing expectations, developing a more balanced schedule, and look at the always dreaded valley panic. Learn how to continue to deliver your best and ride the wave of small business ownership!

In this episode, Michelle and Melissa tackle the issue of scope creep, aka the projects that start to creep beyond the scope of what was originally agreed upon. It happens, and while sometimes it can be a good thing, other times it can be problematic. We discuss ways to communicate with the client when this happens, as well as ways to protect yourself financially, and how to protect your schedule as well as other clients and projects that you have going on. Learn how to stay in the zone of your money-making best, and make the projects you take on work for you.

In this episode, Michelle and Melissa talk about the art of the pivot. Regardless of your industry, it’s a given that your business will evolve over time and we discuss how you need to expect it and be ready for it. We also look at the importance of paying attention to trends, keeping up with technology, and adapting quickly to meet the needs of your clients (or customers). You’re responsible for your own success, so get comfortable with the pivot - your ability to stay competitive in an ever-changing marketplace depends on it!

Michelle and Melissa talk about getting paid. If you’re a full-time freelancer, you’ve no doubt had to deal with slow paying or even no-paying clients. We’ve been there, and today will discuss the importance of a contract, the art of the advance, invoicing and collection strategies, general tips and tricks for getting paid faster, and some tools to help you keep it all together.

With this episode of The Wobizzle Podcast,Michelle and Melissa tackle ways to make working from home work. Looking at everything fromthings to think about before you get started to maximizing space, setting boundaries, andfinding support, the home-based veterans share their own experiences, and lessons learnedalong the way.

The Wobizzle Podcast is an extension of Wobizzle.com, which serves as aresource for women who own or aspire to own their own businesses. Hosts Michelle (West)and Melissa (Miller Young) both want to help other women, and with each episode will providethe tips and tools you need to succeed.