A very dear friend of mine, Monika, just wrote a book. She is such an inspiration for me. A woman with drive and passion and kindness. She quit her job just about the same time as I did and had about a million and one questions (just as I did). However she took matters in her own hand and talked with entrepreneurial women all over the world on their advice for people who are just starting.
She combined the knowledge in one fantastic book (I already read one chapter) which she’s funding via kickstarter. She took the time off her busy schedule to (eat this dessert with me) and answer some questions.
What is your book „This Year Will Be Different“ about?
It’s a book for and about entrepreneurial women; a practical guide filled with tips, tricks, stories and interviews with women who are now making money as bloggers, designers, consultants photographers and many more great professions.
What made you write it?
I quit my job a couple of months ago and I wasn’t feeling like applying for a new one. Becoming a freelance community manager and content strategist seemed like the best option.
When I first started, I had millions of questions about how to best pull it off. I was seeking practical tips to understand what it takes to run a viable business. While asking around I figured I couldn’t possible be the only person on the planet who had all these questions so I decided to publish a book on the subject and include pragmatic tips from women who make money working in the creative industries. I wanted to make a guide that would feel like asking a good friend.
What was your favorite part of writing this book?
All interviews were done via Skype and while it was challenging to manage appointments with people who all live in different time zones, once I got the girls on the phone we’ve truly had a lot to laugh about. It’s always challenging to answer questions about your mistakes and failures and also tactics and strategies. I feel very fortunate that all these women openly shared stories of the early days of their freelance careers with me.
Could you name the 3 most important things when starting a business?
– Go out there, talk to people and share what you’re interested in and want to work on
– Be your own client and work on projects you eventually want to get paid for to build your portfolio
– Make yourself a website and show and write about the kind of work you enjoy doing
If you’re interested in the book you can fund it here. I’ll let you know as soon as it is out. It will be available as kindle book as well as a real book.
Now. Carry on!
