Blog – Page 25 – Holly Whittlef

April 21, 2015 — Comments are off for this post.

GOING FREELANCE / 01

I get a lot of questions about freelancing.

How's it going? Do you have enough work? Are you working from home? Isn't working from home distracting? Be honest, are you really just listening to Beyoncé all day + having a dance party?

The answers : good ( most days ), thankfully yes, yes, sometimes and some days.

Pound real talk.

Honestly, I've discovered that working for yourself is about finding a whole lot of ways of doing things that don't work. The beauty of this process is that through trial + error, the things that do work, over time, reveal themselves to you. Slowly but surely, you become more confident in your abilities both as a designer ( or other professional ) and a business person. And perhaps best of all, you learn more about yourself + who you are EVERY DAY—what works best for you, when your best time of day is, where you work best, what your evil nemesis is ( finances! ), how to avoid your evil nemesis ( a good accountant! ), and most importantly, why you do what you do.

I'm chest-deep in this process and will likely be for good long while. I make a lot of mistakes. I apologize genuinely + profusely. And I always try to be better the next time around.

Freelancing isn't for everyone, but if you're thinking of making the leap, please know that if I can do it, anyone can do it. Out of the five steps I recommend you take to start freelancing, I only did two of them when I first started out.

There's hope for all of us, friends.

( 01 )

DEFINE YOUR GOALS

Before you even start thinking about making the jump to freelancing, I recommend sitting down with an old-school calculator and hammering out some concrete numbers.

How much do you need to cover your bare minimum monthly expenses? Ideally, how much income would you like to make a year? What is the current status of your emergency savings + retirement funds?

Remember, the general rule is to set aside 25% to 30% of your income for taxes, so factor that in. Once you calculate these numbers, you'll have a clearer sense of how much work you need to stay afloat + how much to charge. If you're working full-time, you can also start to put away more of your hard-earned benjamins and build up your savings for when you do make the jump.

( 02 )

TAP INTO YOUR NETWORK

It's pretty simple—nobody is going to hire you if they don't know you're looking for work. Putting yourself out there can be awkward and all sorts of middle school weird, but it's essential. Start by letting family + friends know you want extra freelance work, then do the same on social media. I recommend posting a piece or two of your work, so people can see you've got skillz. If you're on good terms, email old bosses and work connections. If there's an agency or company you love, grow some balls and write an email saying you dig their stuff. Agencies often hire freelancers, especially when things get busy, and if they like you, it's a promising sign for more work.

( 03 )

TRY SOMETHING NEW

When you're starting out, every single talent you possess must be leveraged. Honestly, it's the only reason I've survived this long. When I first started out, I took freelance writing jobs and said yes to freelance photography work, even though I felt so unqualified for it. These jobs helped pay the bills as I finished my last year of school, as well as expanded my skill set and marketability. Whether it's writing, photography, blogging, social media, marketing, communications or stripping ( hey, no judgment ), every talent you have can and will help you start living the freelance life.

( 04 )

ORGANIZE YOUR BUSINESS

This is the one that I wish ( so hard ) that I had paid more attention to when I first started out. Getting the back end of your business together + tidy is one of the best things you can do to set yourself up for long-term success. It becomes so much easier to manage your day-to-day tasks—from email to incoming inquiries to getting PAID.

Register for an LLC ( or other business entity ) so you're legit. In Wisconsin, you can do this online at the Department of Financial Institutions. Most other states have a similar process.

Find a good small business accountant. They will be your savior.

Make business templates. I'm talking contracts, invoices, project proposals, FAQs, pricing guides, email templates, etc. They save you so much time.

Set up an invoicing, payments + expenses tracking system that works for you.

Get a website and online portfolio, stat! If you're a designer, Behance and Dribbble are great for showcasing your work. Personally, I've had a handful of freelance inquiries via Behance.

( 05 )

DON'T WORK TOO HARD

Making the transition from full-time to freelance is most likely going to require getting home from putting in an 8-hour day then doing at least a few more hours of work. It's hard. It often sucks. But it's necessary to making the big leap. That being said, don't work too hard or put undue pressure on yourself. It takes time to make the jump to freelance, and working yourself brain dead only means your work suffers, which is the very thing that's going to get you hired. And yes, this is the piece of advice that I need to take from myself most of all.

Like I said, I'm still learning.

Published by alphablossom in going freelance, hand-lettering

April 12, 2015 — Comments are off for this post.

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

With just two days, I feel like I only began to scratch the surface of Amsterdam.

Unlike most big cities, this one felt uniquely distinct. I knew I was in Amsterdam, and I felt it. The whoosh of people whizzing by me on their bikes. The wafting aroma of marijuana as I walked by an unassuming coffee shop. The tall, lean houses smushed one right after another along the canal streets. The murals and hand-lettered signage found in deserted alleyways and painted across trendy shops. The quirky houseboats lining every canal. The laid-back attitude of nearly everyone I met—never in too big a rush to meet up with friends at the nearest café for a beer.

When I first exited the train station into the busy Damrak area, I thought I'd hate Amsterdam. It was busy and ungodly touristy. I felt so claustrophobic that I immediately hauled major ass away from the madness. I had no idea where I was going, but headed straight south anyways. And after about 15 minutes of walking, the crowds loosened, the streets calmed, and I looked around to really see Amsterdam for the first time—charming and intimate, boasting a whole lot of character.

I can't say it's one of my favorite cities, but you can bet I'll be back for a second visit. Oh Amsterdam, you're truly one of a kind.

My two day trips to Amsterdam were most definitely not enough to take advantage of seeing everything this European hub has to offer. I'd easily budget a week here, although three to four days is probably doable to see most of the major attractions. Like I mentioned from Maastricht, I can't vouch for places to stay but there's a few good-looking AirBnb apartments here, here and here (on a houseboat!).

*Also an important note: cafés sell coffee, coffee shops sell marijuana. You've been warned.

EAT

If you don't like to waste time upon arriving to a new city ( like me ), I recommend starting your day at STACH. With a few locations around the city, it's the perfect place to grab a take-away coffee + a few healthy snacks for morning fuel. For a cheap + filling lunch, eat at one of the many kebab shops for a kebab, shawarma or falafel. I ate at KEBAB HOUSE ( ahem, more than once ), and it was delicious and only 5€!

Another great lunch or dinner option is a stop at the market. The ALBERT CUYP MARKT located in the hip De Pijp neighborhood had endless options—from falafel to frites to stroopwafels and fresh produce. When dinner rolls around, HOFJE VAN WIJS does not disappoint. Run by a 200-year-old coffee + tea vendor, the café is a lovely respite near the Red Light District. The fondue + seafood pasta were both excellent, as was the extensive wine + beer list.

SEE

The art lover in me demands that your first stop be the VAN GOGH MUSEUM. It's a thorough retrospective of his career and personal life, which ended with his suicide in 1890, and was my favorite museum I visited. That being said, the RIJKSMUSEUM is also fantastic with a can't-miss Rembrandt exhibit that runs through May. Sadly, I didn't make it to the ANNE FRANK HOUSE, but hear nothing but rave reviews ( including that epic trip to the museum in this tearjerker ).

As I mentioned, the ALBERT CUYP MARKT makes for a nice afternoon stroll, especially if you venture off the main street into the De Pijp neighborhood, which is littered with cute restaurants and shops. I took a nice bench break in SARPHATIPARK and people watched with the locals. No trip to Amsterdam is complete without a visit to the RED LIGHT DISTRICT, although I didn't last long before I quite literally had seen enough. Do stop at the DE OUDE KERK—Amsterdam's oldest city building and parish church—located in the Red Light District.

Honestly, most of my time was spent strolling along the canals ( the Jordaan area is especially nice )—crossing bridges, switching street sides and just gazing at the one million cute houses.

SHOP

Two shops in Amsterdam really caught my eye. I luckily happened upon SEC, located in the Red Light District, which sells minimalistic women's wear by Scandinavian designers. The shop owner was the cutest / nicest human being, so I couldn't help but walk out with this cute colorblocked dress. BY AMFI is another must-shop. The store of the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, the school's students concept, design and produce collections which are sold in the store. Seriously rad.

Published by Holly Whittlef in Travel

April 7, 2015 — Comments are off for this post.

MAASTRICHT, THE NETHERLANDS

Maastricht is a gem of a city.

Within 10 minutes of arriving, this southernmost Dutch city had already wiggled its way to the top of my list of favorite European cities. I found myself immediately captivated by its quaint streets, medieval city center + pan-European flair. People here are easygoing and energetic—always out in the plaza drinking by 5pm, which I'm sure is partly due to being nestled between Belgium + Germany. There's a term here called bourgondisch, which loosely translated, is an attitude for enjoying life. In Maastricht, there's always time to stop for a snack and a drink with friends.

What I'm trying to say is that I may have found my spirit city.

Maastricht boasts a well-regarded university as well as great museums, parks, ancient churches, shopping and eating ( so.many.waffles. ). Plus, it has a gorgeous train station, which, to me, is the marker of any good European city. The history of Maastricht is everywhere. Spanish and Roman ruins can be found dotting the city, and being so close to Germany, it still bears scars from World War II. And—nerd alert—in 1991, it was the site of the official formation of the European Union.

In other words, this place has everything.

Ideally, I'd budget three to four days to truly enjoy Maastricht and linger through its charming streets, although two days will suffice. I made two day trips to Maastricht, so I can't vouch for places to stay, but you can find a good list here. This house + this apartment on AirBnB look pretty rad too. Also, you should eat waffles...lots of them.

EAT

Start your day with breakfast at BISSCHOPSMOLEN, a local flour mill + bakery. They have the best spelt waffles ( see above ) and a small, sit-down breakfast menu. If you head to the back of the shop, you'll see it's still powered by a 7th century water mill. CAFÉ ZONDAG is an eclectic café that's perfect for breakfast, lunch or good coffee for take-away. REITZ is the only place to go for frites. I got a cone topped with mayo and onion gravy—a shop specialty—for about 4€.

For sweets, the café at MUSEUM AAN HET VRIJTHOF is a lovely stop. The atrium is open and airy, and the pastries are quite good. I recommend ordering the apricot tart + a latte for afternoon sustenance. If you're looking for a pint, I say pull up a chair and grab a BRAND beer ( the oldest brewery in the Netherlands ) anywhere along the VRIJTHOF, one of the city's main squares.

SEE

If you're an art lover like me, your first stop must be the BONNEFANTENMUSEUM. Now through June, they're running an exhibit of Dutch painter Henri de Fromantiou's still lives that is not to be missed. My second stop would be SINT JANSKERK, a small church located off the Vrijthof. Climb to the top for 2€ for sweeping views of the city. Exit the church and to the right is the MUSEUM AAN HET VRIJTHOF. This museum tells the history of Maastricht, as well as showcases local artists + artisans. A must see, if only for the cutest old ladies who greet you at the door.

All Harry Potter fans will love the SELEXYZ DOMINICANEN BOOKSTORE. Originally a Gothic church built in 1294, it now houses endless shelves of books and is truly stunning. A trip out to FORT SINT PIETER makes for an afternoon excursion. It's about 1.25 miles south of the city center, and offers a gorgeous walk along the old city walls and through neighborhoods. I hear a tour of the fort's underground tunnels + caves is pretty cool, although I didn't have time to go.

SHOP

I found RECHSTRAAT to be the street for shopping. It houses a collection of restaurants + shops, with one of my favorites being DE HEPPIE STORE, an adorable kids boutique. I wanted to buy my nephew one of everything there. GROTE STAAT is another shopping lane that's enjoyable to browse, although the city is sprinkled with cute shops + stores nearly everywhere.

Published by Holly Whittlef in Travel

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