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How to avoid loneliness as a freelancer
- by @inc
- 04-04-2022
How to avoid loneliness as a freelancer. There are so many great reasons to become self-employed. A pre-pandemic survey found that self-employed people are happier and more engaged than those working in any other profession. As a freelancer or sole trader, you have the freedom to innovate, to make decisions based on your business growth as well as uncapped earning potential. However, it can be lonely if you don’t know of the growing resources available to you to meet other freelancers or sole traders. In fact, over half of all freelancers reported they have encountered loneliness. When you are an employee, you are part of an established team. We are generally social animals and enjoy interaction with others. Grabbing a coffee with a colleague can give you the boost or break you need from the screen or work in general. It is important to find that as a sole trader. Whilst you may be interacting with customers or clients the relationship is such that you are a service provider. If you need advice or guidance, it is not appropriate to seek this out within a client or customer relationship. Instead, it is important to find your network either virtually or physically. Accessing training programmes will help. Here at Inc, our co-working space offers a truly collaborative working environment with the shared space and connectivity but the added benefit of break-out zone and private areas for those moments when you need to be alone. If you are considering becoming your own boss, MENTA deliver across Suffolk a range of free start up training packages where you can access advice on how to grow your network when you start out as a freelancer or sole trader. Just communicating with the professionals behind the course will be hugely beneficial. Social media is a great place to start when you first become self-employed. Do some research and take advantage of the village and town community pages on Facebook around your area, not only are they a great way of letting people know about your service or product they can also help to link you to other self-employed businesses close by. Introduce yourself and what you are doing and see if there are any other freelancers or self-employed people in your locality who might want to meet for a coffee and impart any advice. Depending on the type of business you are operating there are also national Facebook groups you can join, dipping in and out of as you need. For example, a simple ‘start up support’ search on Facebook brings up ‘The start-up business help and advice UK’ page which has over 22 thousand members. As you start out as self-employed you will find yourself in unchartered waters. You have to learn all parts of business, rather than just rely on your service expertise. You may have legal or accounting questions which can be answered in the group without needing to pay a professional for the advice. Very often freelancers struggle with pricing structures and what to charge, a social media group gives you access to people who may have had the same issues and may be willing to share anecdotes to help you on the right path. Sometimes you may need to let off steam after a difficult day trading. Social media support groups are a fantastic way of connecting with people. They can also help put you in contact with physical businesses in your area like chambers of commerce or networking groups who meet monthly in your locality. In Norfolk and Suffolk, a great place to start to explore more about growing your network is with a free MENTA course. Talk to Suzanne here @Inc. Email space@menta.org.uk about workspace and MENTA as to the range of new business and self-employment support available. Email bookings@menta.org.uk
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- by @inc
- 28-01-2022
Self-Employed Support + The most common mistakes people make when becoming self-employed. Many of our members here in the co-working space are freelance and understand the challenge of making the move into self-employment. We have introduced a help pod for business questions and to share the business support that is available. The 1:1 business advice is available to all members here @Inc. and covers the grants, loans, set-up questions many have when starting a new business. Taking the leap into self-employment is an important decision and we understand that here at MENTA. The average person spends roughly 90,000 hours working during their lifetime, so ensuring you are doing something you enjoy and brings you the remuneration you anticipate, is a very real consideration. There are big differences between being employed and self-employed. The positives of working for yourself are clear. You get to choose your working hours, your customer base and salary. You don’t have to answer to anyone, and you can take your business in any direction you want without having to consult others. However, like everything there are pitfalls to consider. As the sole trader you must be across all aspects of your business. In this post we will look at things that are often overlooked by people starting out as self-employed. A lot of it surrounds the issue of paperwork. Ensure you have a contract and scope of work. Very often sole traders and those who are self-employed do not clearly set out a proposal to clients or customers with the project deliverables defined. It means that they can end up doing more work than they originally quoted for. Find an organisation like MENTA who offer courses which cover how to write ‘scope of work’ and proposal documents. Sometimes you will need to find a professional who can draw up bespoke legal contracts and MENTA can guide you through ways of finding those services. Track your sources of income. When you are employed, you get paid one lump sum of money each month by the payroll department. When you are self-employed your income can come from many different sources. It is important to ensure you carefully invoice each source and track payment. Often a simple spreadsheet will help with this. Record your expenses. When you are employed, HR takes care of your pay and tax. When you are self-employed you are solely liable for paying your own tax. You will need to fill out a self-employed tax return and submit it by January 31st each year. If you fail to submit a tax return you will be fined. Within the tax return you will be asked to submit your expenses which could help to lower your tax bill. It can be difficult to track expenses. Make sure you keep receipts. An expenses spreadsheet will also help. MENTA courses are invaluable when it comes to setting out ways of recording expenses and finances when you are starting out. Manage your time. Being a sole trader means you choose your own hours, there is no 9-5. However, some self-employed people find they start working constantly because they are not managing their time properly. At MENTA we advise those starting out as self-employed to set rules when it comes to time management and discipline. Establish a clear work plan and follow a schedule. That way you will meet your deadlines. For more information on what pitfalls to avoid when starting out as self-employed or a sole trader, get in touch with the team at MENTA or talk to Suzanne here @Inc.
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Andrew Swinney - Mobile Meditation
- by @inc
- 15-11-2021
Mobile Meditation @Inc. member, Andrew Swinney has launched a new business that offers mobile meditation mobile space which is delivering guided mindfulness sessions to workplaces, schools, universities and events across West Suffolk and the wider region. Andrew is the founder of Mynd. His passion for mindfulness started in 2012 when he was struggling with anxiety. It became an incredible tool that helped him through a difficult time, and he has practised it ever since. “I wanted to give people the opportunity to practise mindfulness in a calm environment that was away from any unnecessary distraction. Moreover, giving people a short mental break from their busy day” said Andrew “ Andrew’s research shows that: The number one barrier for people interested in meditation is finding the time to practice 17.9 million working days lost due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2019/20* 828,000 workers alone suffering from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety (new or longstanding) in 2019/20* The bespoke mobile space has been created to bring accessible mindfulness meditation sessions. The qualified mindfulness teachers at Mynd guide short sessions allowing individuals to fit a practice into their busy day. Away from any unnecessary distraction, this is an ideal environment to take a pause and help reset the mind. On-the-go meditation is at the core of (A newly launched business that offers mobile meditation space is delivering guided mindfulness sessions to workplaces, schools, universities and events across West Suffolk and the wider region.) Mynd. It means being able to practise mindfulness wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Stress is increasing.Andrew has a background in education as a schoolteacher and during lockdown he introduced short online meditation sessions for the pupils before the day started. This inspired him to come up with a mindfulness business concept and after a year of planning and research Mynd was created. “I wanted to give people the opportunity to practise mindfulness in a calm environment that was away from any unnecessary distraction. Moreover, giving people a short mental break from their busy day” said Andrew “I thought, if we built a mobile meditation studio then this would be the ideal solution” The Mynd mindfulness sessions aim to support individual wellbeing. The evidence illustrates that mindfulness can help decrease stress, improve focus and productivity as well as improve sleep.Andrew and the mobile space, as part of his launch activities, are offering a free trial. Visit the website at www.mynd.uk for more information or find them on Instagram @myndspaceuk
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- by @inc
- 21-10-2021
Podcasting Podcasting can be a great way to attract new customers to your business and raise your profile.There are more than 2 million podcasts in the world today offering everything from entertainment to the unusual and around 20% of the UK are listening to at least one podcast a month according to the latest stats. Here @Inc.BuryStEdmunds we have 4 members who either have their own or participate to regular podcasts and we wanted to check-in with them for their take. Below are some thoughts to help you craft your next or first podcast. Our site has podcast facilities and some great surroundings for that help you capture the best stories for broadcast. BASIC ESSENTIALS • USB Microphone and Pop Filter• Headphones• Laptop with editing software• Online Podcast Hosting PLANNING Before you begin your podcasting journey, it’s important to plan what it is you’re going to talk about - Perhaps you’ll be sharing guides on how to make a specific dish or instructions for simple domestic repairs. Whatever it is you choose, here are some other things to consider in that thought process: What do I want to tell the people who listen about my business? Special offers or promotions exclusive to the podcast audience What makes us different from other businesses who are similar to us? Will it just be me talking or will there be guests? You’ll also need to come up with a name for your podcast and decide whether you want to use intro and outro music too. To avoid paying for licences make sure you use Royalty Free music; there are plenty of sites online to choose from, try Pixabay Music as a starting point. It might help to script or bullet point a running order for what you’d like to say. RECORDING AND EDITING There’s lots of free software available to record and edit with. Mac’s come with Garageband preinstalled which is ideal for making your shows; else try downloading the free editing and recording programme Audacity, which is available to users on Macs and PC’s too. You can pick up good quality microphones for podcasting through Amazon from around £40 and upwards. A USB microphone that can plug into a laptop or computer with a sound card will help save buying extra equipment. Set your microphone up and connect it to your laptop. Placement of your microphone is key, but leaving around a handspan between your mouth and the front of the microphone should be enough. If you have a pop filter to go on your microphone then leave a handspan between that and your mouth. The pop filter will help reduce any harsh sounding noises on certain letters you use - it should be placed around an inch or two in front of the microphone. Make sure that where you choose to record has very little background noise, and isn’t too big or echoey like in a kitchen or warehouse (unless that’s key to your podcast). A warm room with soft furnishings (carpets, rugs, sofas etc) is usually best. When you have finished your recording, use your editing software to remove any mistakes or errors, and add in any music you’ve chosen. PUBLISHING Once you’re satisfied with your podcast recording and editing, then it’s time to get it online. There are plenty of options available to getting your podcast published ranging from various free services (E.G. Soundcloud, Youtube) to sites that give you a hosting page and help to publish it on multiple platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora and Amazon (E.G. Podbean, BuzzSprout). It’s worth investigating and comparing each of them and getting a service that matches your businesses needs. To go alongside your podcast, you will also need to decide on a logo, this could be your business logo, but make sure it is something which identifies it as your podcast. Finally, don’t forget to promote your podcast through your own channels and networks: mailing lists, social media and any other areas where you come into contact with people who might benefit from your business or service. FINAL THOUGHTS Common questions that always come up when entering into podcasting are: “How long should my podcast be?” and “How often should I make a podcast?” There’s no set rule about how long a podcast should be or how often you should make one, but make sure that your podcast is published regularly whether that’s daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly - so audiences that listen know how often to expect an episode. Need to talk podcasting, talk to Nick Pandolfi here @Inc.
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Networking @Inc. in Bury St Edmunds
- by @inc
- 21-10-2021
Networking @Inc. in Bury St Edmunds PREPARE YOUR PROFILE Your LinkedIn profile is your new business card – expect to receive a flurry of connection requests following a networking event, especially if you’ve made a great first impression. Ensure your profile is up-to-date, features a professional headshot (no wedding photos here, please!) and that information about your business is clear, accurate and detailed. MAKE A PLAN Networking is an opportunity to build mutually beneficial relationships. While there may be opportunities to promote your offering, a hard sell attitude and self-serving pitches tend not to be well-received. It is therefore important to establish your motivation for attending the event and set realistic expectations for what you hope to achieve: By asking delegates questions, sharing interesting information and keeping conversations relevant. And who knows, you may just be invited to be a guest speaker or present at the next event. FOLLOW UP During the networking event, make a note of those who you’d like to connect with afterwards – that is, those who run businesses that complement yours and where there are opportunities to collaborate or exchange skills. Here @Inc.BuryStEdmunds we host monthly events that attract a wide demographic of freelancers and people who maybe like you are not sure about walking into a room full of strangers, we understand that and that is why Suzanne and Nick are on hand to welcome you and make sure you feel comfortable and achieve your networking goals. We hold networking events every 2nd Thursday of the month (accept August and December) here @Inc. co-working on King’s Road in Bury St Edmunds. We start from 9.30 and you can enjoy making new business connections without any fuss.
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West Suffolk Business Festival
- by @inc
- 14-10-2021
West Suffolk Business Festival The official launch of the West Suffolk Business Festival took place with MENTA hosting the launch event @ Inc on Monday, October 4. The two-week business festival is packed with events for businesses and entrepreneurs and made up of partner events. The ribbon-cutting was overseen by Cllr John Griffiths MBE and MENTA Business Support CEO, Alex Till. More than 50 guests enjoyed live music and brunch as sponsored by local solicitors, Atkins Dellow, event organizer, Nick Pandolfi said; We were so pleased to see @ Inc take centre stage with businesspeople and our co-working members networking. The co-working and meeting space enjoyed the sound of musicians Curtis and Billy as people made new connections and utilized the business space. MENTA Business has been a senior partner and sponsor of the business festival from its inception and MENTA CEO, Alex Till went on to say; We are at the heart of business support and COVID has meant we have needed to offer greater support and deliver it in clever ways that suit our clients, having the Atkins Dellow brunch really felt like old times with people meeting and enjoying the festival launch face-to-face. The festival continues with events from partners, see the website for further details. https://www.businessfestival.org/ Pictures credit@ Greyhound Creative
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- by @inc
- 11-08-2021
Digital Skills go FREE @ Inc. A new range of FREE digital workshops are being delivered at Suffolk’s newest co-working space with the aims to help entrepreneurs further grow their business online. The sessions are free to book now and include social media subjects that are designed to help organically grow the business search engine optimisation and connect new business leads to the business offer. Inc. community manager Suzanne Banks says “Inc. is keen to support not just our members but the wider business community, these sessions will help growing businesses develop their digital strategy and build business awareness online – we know the tickets will book quickly and intend to offer further sessions in coming months” The sessions are part of the West Suffolk Business festival. Subjects include: FREE Social Media Brush-Up Tickets FREE Google My Business Tickets FREE Top Tips for Facebook Tickets FREE Top Tips for Instagram Tickets
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You are not on Mute! With @ Inc. business networking.
- by @inc
- 11-08-2021
You are not on Mute! With @ Inc. business networking. Networking face-to-face events are back in Bury St Edmunds this September as @ Inc. co-working space throw opens the doors, fills the coffee pots, and welcomes the business communities to join them for business networking. If you have had enough of Zoom and want to get back out there and network, these events are for you! There really is nothing to beat face-to-face events for making new business leads. The events return from September with guest speaker Stuart Grant, a social media Ninja sharing his thoughts on what small businesses should be avoiding in their social media marketing. @ Inc. community manager, Suzanne Banks says, these networking events offer a membership free environment to business networking, a truly wide business demographic and deliberately focus on helping guests to spark conversation and make new connections” You can book and pay online here The events are supported by Bury St. Edmund based Jacobs Allen Chartered accountants.
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- by @inc
- 11-05-2021
Suffolk has gone coworking The new coworking space has been designed by entrepreneurs and with its town centre location offers freelancers and a range of businesspeople a new style and way to work away from home with a new workspace in Bury St Edmunds.With the easing of lockdown and the reopening of town centres, the new space has been carefully designed for those looking to escape the clutter of working from home and enjoy the freedom and focus of a defined working space without the associated costs. The newest coworking space in Suffolk comes with super-fast broadband, a series of private areas for users to meet with clients as well as a Zoom room for those private virtual meetings. Located on King's road in Bury St Edmunds, the new space is in the heart of this historic Suffolk town and the space is managed by the team at MENTA Business Support. The new coworking site offers business benefits that include a postal holding and forwarding service. The 24-hour access space was decided upon after research showed that more and more people are now looking for well designed, comfortable working environments with minimal commitment. The desire for many not to return to the daily commute and work closer to home is what the space is partly designed to achieve. MENTA’s Nick Pandolfi says – “research shows that 21% state loneliness and lack of collaboration as the biggest struggles with working remotely. There is clearly a desire to work collaboratively and connect again” 65% stated it was important that a business had a local business address. 47% of people looking for a business say they would rather meet in a professional workspace. Source: Servcorp ‘The Secret Killers Of Business Success Study’ “We wanted to offer something that was ideal for those looking to make the next step and reduce those working meetings in a coffee shop” Inc. coworking space was created with the support of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership’s Business Resilience and Recovery Scheme. You can start using the new coworking space @ Inc Bury St Edmunds from as little as £10 a day. There are membership options, meeting rooms that can be booked, secure space for belongings. Arrange a visit, look around or book you space now! Pop in for a freshly brewed coffee space@menta.org.uk @ Inc. King's Road, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3DE
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- by @inc
- 29-04-2021
Coworking space for Suffolk With hopes that this Summer will see more day-to-day normality returning across Suffolk with people increasingly getting back into a routine, the routine will have changed for thousands of workers. Coworking spaces have skyrocketed in popularity over recent years and with that comes a few questions around what you do and how you fit in with others in a shared working space. MENTA designed its new coworking space for Suffolk with clear aims says project leaders Penny Rush and Paul Vella: Penny Rush: we wanted our coworking and meeting space to feel different from the models that are clinical and purely practical. Our space is a warm, friendly, a deliberately engaging space. The design is fresh, modern, and very much designed around the street art approach. Colour and design help spark a conversation trigger, the designs and furniture help relax and exude a friendly approach. There is little white and stark @ Inc. Bury St Edmunds. That design and the layout is instantly welcoming, relaxing, with the aroma of coffee brewing and helps people spark new connections if they choose. Paul Vella explains, “the style helps relax new members, we wanted a truly collaborative DNA to our coworking space with shared space zones for those wanting to chat and meet new business connections but of course we ensure that privacy and private space is always available also. Penny Rush: It is quintessentially British to not feel comfortable to bound in an open space and introduce yourself to new people and with that in mind, we ensure that new members are assured that the rules we have are fairly sparse, we have no dress code – this is the business individuals space not a private club with a designated seating plan, our demographic of clients helps break any concerns or reserves as we a see a finance adviser sitting across from a videographer, a designer and wedding planner talking over coffee and web designer working in the Zoom room on a live virtual meeting. Paul Vella: Our top tips for anyone using coworking space include… #1 Relax – say hello and enjoy the freedoms of your new workspace#2 Make the most of the new connections, by collaborating, you are not just helping a new colleague but raising your own business credentials#3 Enjoy meeting new people, many of us have missed that human connection during lockdown,#4 Expect your social diary to fill up – after work drinks or a bite for lunch helps not just spark a new conversation, some of the best creativity can be cracked over a sandwich#5 EarPods or headphones are a must – remember that noisy person on the train and their music volume issues? #6 Ringtone you might want to check it or at least lower the volume, nobody wants to hear your Abba love abandoned while you are getting a coffee. Our coworking space options include private meeting rooms, client rooms, some seriously good Coffee as well as money off deals with local traders. Join us at a future open day or pop in for a look around… you can book and pay for your space right now! Here @ Inc. Coworking space has private meeting rooms, shared spaces, membership options and day rates. Check the space options here
