While you may dream of ditching your 9 to 5 in favor of more flexible work, quitting your day job isn’t always practical. But just because you can’t go all in as a an out-of-the-cubicle thinker right out the gate, doesn’t mean you should abandon your flex work pursuits entirely.

Instead, start a side hustle that lets you hold onto your office job as you build a business that lets you work on your own terms.

Hosting

A successful side hustle starts with a strong online presence. In many cases, this means an eye-catching website that sells your services or showcases your goods for sale. And behind every great site is a hosting company that keeps your website ‘live’ so that customers and clients can actually find you online.

For newbies, I always recommend BlueHost for all your hosting needs. With 24/7 support, a free domain name, and monthly hosting that costs less than a latte, you receive a ton of value for your buck. There’s also one-click WordPress install that makes it super easy to get a beautiful site up in a matter of minutes.

As an added bonus, BlueHost offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy, they’ll make it right or give you a refund. No questions asked.

Productivity

Although your day job likely requires you to show up in office, your side hustle allows you to work where you’re happiest. If you’re like me, your happy place is your home. And having the ability to work from home comes with a lot of perks. Coworker cats, no commutes, and a comfy wardrobe all come to mind. But as an at-home worker, productivity can sometimes take a backseat to other daily responsibilities.

To keep your side hustle on track, use a productivity tool. From online activity trackers to website blockers that keep social media at bay, there are a number of free productivity tools that help you make the most of the limited time you have to grow your side hustle.  

Expenses

When you start a side hustle — whether you’re a freelance writer, blogger, virtual assistant, photographer or anything in between — there are going to be business related expenses that get intertwined with personal finances. And, don’t forget about invoices that need to be sent out to customers, clients, or even advertisers. How do you keep your side hustle finances on track?

Invoice tracking software! By using invoice tracking software you can send out professional invoices, accept a number of payment methods, bill clients per project or by the hour, and even set reminders to follow up on any unpaid balances!

Think of invoice tracking software as your personal virtual bookkeeper that keeps your business and personal expenses separate so you can keep your side hustle on point.

Project Management

It doesn’t matter what kind of side hustle you have, everyone from bloggers to boutique owners will juggle multiple projects at once to stay in business. And if you’re a freelancer working with clients, you’ll absolutely need a way to manage your day to day activities so you hit your deadlines every time — no exceptions!

An easy way to make sure all the moving parts of your side hustle are headed in the right direction is to use a project management tool. Handy apps like Asana or Trello give you a chance to organize the many aspects of your side hustle and prioritize tasks. You can even create project to-do lists to see what needs to be done to get from Point A to Point B.

Some people swear by Asana. Others prefer Trello. You’ll likely find you favor one over the other. Whichever you choose, make sure to put it to good use as you work to build momentum in your side hustle.

Organization

Your computer will quickly get bogged down by all the downloads and projects you’re working on as a side hustler. This can quickly lead to a cluttered desktop and items getting ‘lost’ in the shuffle!

Instead of storing everything locally on your computer, put your side hustle work on the cloud. Not only does it keep your computer super organized, it helps you stay in business in the event of a computer catastrophe like coffee being spilled on your laptop or a PC that suddenly goes rogue. With cloud storage, you won’t lose any work (or money) because everything you’ve done is safely tucked away and easily retrieved from any computer.

You may already have access to plenty of free cloud storage without realizing it. If you’re an Amazon prime member you receive complimentary cloud storage with your membership. If not, Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. 

Amazon isn’t the only place to find free storage for your side hustle. Dropbox offers a free plan that provides enough space to get your going. Whenever you need more, no problem, you can upgrade to a paid plan anytime.

Email Management

The average person receives 120 emails daily. Every. Single. Day. When you’re trying to balance a side hustle with your day job, you can quickly get buried by your inbox. Instead of letting your inbox dictate your to-do list, why not turn your inbox into your to-do list?

Now you can with the Inbox by Gmail App. With Inbox, you can turn emails into individual to-do tasks, pin important emails to the top, and ‘pause’ emails until you need them. Plus, you can create new tasks to go along with emails so you’re actually working alongside your inbox and not against it!

Of course, Inbox is exclusive to Gmail and G Suite accounts. If you’re not a gmail user (and don’t plan on switching), consider one of these 16 email apps to gain control of your inbox, once and for all!

Social Media Management

Social media networking helps deliver customers and clients to your virtual doors. But it also happens to be a major time suck. If your side hustle has you pinning, posting, tweeting, and updating on a daily basis in the name of marketing, you can end up losing precious hours that may be better spent completing projects.

To free up your time and give you a chance to step away from your computer, use a social media automation tool. When you take advantage of automation, you can sit down once a week instead of every day to schedule all of your social updates.

There are plenty of social media management tools to choose from. And the one(s) you end up choosing greatly depends on the social sites you use. For example, if you’re active mostly on Pinterest, you can’t go wrong with Tailwind. If your focus is Facebook and Twitter, Buffer is a great option!

Whichever social media automation tool you use, you can rest assured that you’ll spend less hours manually updating social sites and more time growing your side hustle.

Outsource Options

When in doubt, don’t be afraid to outsource! Balancing a side hustle with your 9 to 5 can be exhausting at times, and there’s only so much a single person can do in any given day. So, when your to-do list is a mile long and you feel like for every item you check off ten more are added, call in backup!

Today, you can send out a virtual SOS without breaking the bank. Outsource sites, like Fiverr, give you a chance to catch up on little things without spending a fortune. You can also join a monthly VA service, like Fancy Hands, to have a VA at your disposal whenever menial tasks rear their ugly heads. 

A virtual assistant can be used even for a few hours to help you hack through your overgrown inbox or simply tackle the little things that seem to take up way too much of your valuable time.

Get Started

The saying getting started is the hardest part is so true when it comes to launching a side hustle. Fortunately, when you have tools in place, like the ones listed here, you can launch with confidence already knowing you’ve got what it takes to get the job done.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and set a goal and get started — anywhere. Just get started. Once you launch, you can organically grow your side hustle to a point where you can finally kick your cubicle to the curb — for good!

The post 7 Must-Have Tools to Balance a Side Hustle with Your 9 to 5 appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

In that time, I’ve had people ask me over and over “How do I become a freelance proofreader? How do I start? What if I make a mistake? What if I don’t know what to do?”

They love reading, working with words (some have even proofread before) but are scared to freelance. They don’t know if they can make it on their own.

What I have to say to anyone who feels the same way is I understand because I was in the same situation once.

I knew I could proofread, but I didn’t know if I could leave behind job security, a steady income, and a daily (if mindless) routine.

I also wasn’t sure if I could even handle being my own boss and all the responsibility that went with it.

All I knew was I couldn’t handle a corporate job anymore. I also wanted to be able to look back at my life and say that I pursued my dreams, I tried my best, and I lived freely.

So what I did was make a plan to escape the grind and to build up my confidence.

I busted my butt trying to land remote proofreading jobs, and I took them regardless of the size or pay. Just having someone say “yes” to me was a huge motivator to keep pushing forward. I felt better about my skills and my ability to take care of myself. I was also learning how to think and act like a self-employed person.

For a year I proofread as a side hustle on top of my full-time corporate job until I had an emergency fund in the bank and I felt 100% sure that I could make it out there. If things got tough, I knew how to keep pushing forward.

Because that’s all you can do when you’re a freelancer—if things slow down or you get rejected, you learn that you have to keep marketing yourself, keep looking for work.

Like any venture you take on in life, your results are dependent on the work you put in. Because it will pay off if you work hard and don’t give up.

Be creative, try new things, don’t be scared to get rejected or even to be accepted. Whatever project is thrown your way, there are resources galore that you can reference.

That’s also why I wrote my ebook The Ultimate Guide to Freelance Proofreading. I wrote it to answer questions about being a proofreader, and to give you advice, tips, guidelines, and resources to get you started. I even have a style guide and practice test.

A big hurdle a new freelancer has is landing that first gig. I’ve put together some tips to help you start off.

Getting Out Of The Newbie Circle

An obstacle that new proofreaders hit is being told you don’t have enough experience for a job, but then how can you get work if you don’t have any experience? This is one of the most frustrating parts of starting a freelance career. But hang in there, because once you land your first job things will get easier.

Here are some tips to get out of the newbie circle:

Volunteer Your Proofreading Services

I started out volunteering as a proofreader for a publishing house, and it didn’t take long for me to land my first paid gig after that. Volunteering is an excellent way to build up your experience but also to warm up your skills and prepare you for paid gigs. You learn how to communicate with clients, how to manage deadlines, and what process and system works best for you.

An added bonus is being able to ask volunteer clients for testimonials (and maybe they’ll turn into paying clients, too!).

Places you can volunteer:

• Non-profit organizations
• Clubs and associations
• Small local businesses
• Entrepreneurs

Apply For Entry-Level Jobs

The truth is that you’re new to proofreading and are starting from scratch. When doing your job search look at simpler proofreading jobs that require only a couple years of experience. Those skills will be easier for you to align with.

 Join An Editing Agency

An editing agency matches writers with freelance proofreaders/editors, and typically serve the business and academic communities. They hire proofreaders to work on business or academic content. If you have a strong high-level background in medical/science you can find work proofreading articles and manuscripts through an academic editing agency.

A big bonus here is that when you are accepted by an agency you don’t need to market yourself to find work, they send it to you, and will also act as mediators if any disagreements arise with the author. Some agencies will even offer feedback on your work if you’re new. Some editing agencies are:

• Dragonfly Editorial 
• Editage
• Proof-Reading-Service.com

Publishing Services

Publishing services are very popular with indie writers. After the author has completed their manuscript they join a publishing service to proofread their book, publish, and distribute for them. Some self publishing companies are:

• Lulu
• Bookbaby
• Book In A Box

Join Job Bid Sites

Job bid sites like Fiverr, Upwork and Damongo are popular for finding one-off freelance proofreading gigs, but I always caution people to use these sites carefully. Many opportunities are posted on these sites every day and there’s a lot of competition. Keep in mind that the time you spend applying and proposing for jobs, you could be marketing yourself directly to potential customers, with no competition. People have found success and regular clients on these sites, so using them is your choice.

Become a Freelance Proofreader

In my book I also address more freelance proofreading issues and guide you in the steps you need to take to get started. However you decide to proceed with proofreading, keep in mind your dreams of being your own boss and enjoying a life of flexibility. You’ll be able to spend more time with friends and family, carve out some “me time” when you need it, bring in extra money to live more comfortably, or even pick up and go whenever, wherever you want. Just remember to work hard and keep going ’cause it’ll be worth it.

The post What You Need To Know To Become A Freelance Proofreader appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

When people hear what I do for a living they usually get taken aback because it’s not every day you meet someone who reads romance novels and gets paid for it. Usually the surprise is followed by questions from both men and women like “How did you get into that?” or “How can I do that, too?” How I got here required me to be the heroine in my own story.

Damsel in Distress

I used to be an in-house proofreader for a global publisher where I worked on various fiction novels, mostly romance. It was what you’d imagine a romance publishing house to be like: pink cubicles, a never-ending stream of treats, and Valentine’s Day was the biggest holiday. I loved my company, boss, coworkers, and my work, but after a while I started to feel stifled and stagnant. I wanted to be free, and to me that meant setting my own schedule, choosing my work location, and being able to spend time pursuing my goals and interests.

When I received my post-graduate certificate in book and magazine publishing, I had dreams of being a remote worker, but ended up going for a secure office job instead. Six days of the week were defined by my job. I had 11-hour days that included a one-and-a-half hour commute each way. By the time I got home I was exhausted, and only had a couple hours to relax and spend time with my husband before I had to go to bed and do it all over again. I didn’t like living for the weekends, and most of Sundays were a write-off since I was basically the poster child for the Sunday night blues.

My unhappiness grew and grew and it started to affect my attitude at work. I so badly wanted out of the cubicle that I started to write down my ideal day on Post-it notes. Whenever I felt down I cheered myself up by writing what I could’ve been doing instead. I wrote down simple things like what I’d do from the moment I woke up (no alarm going off, grab a latte, take my dog for a long walk) to the end of the day (work on novel, watch a movie).

In hindsight, I realize that back then I was doing a form of visualization. By writing those Post-it notes, I was actually putting into motion the next course of my life. I remember one day reading my Post-it life and thinking I can’t spend the rest of my days planning and yearning for a life that never happens. I had become like some of the women in the stories I read, who dreamed of a way out.

How I Rescued Myself

I went online and started to pick up freelance proofreading and writing jobs that were flexible. I did these side hustles in the evenings after work and on the weekends. Before I quit my job I needed to see what was available for me out there. I had a mortgage to pay, and my husband was starting a new business so it was important there was no change in my finances.

I also wanted to see where my skills would take me in the remote-working world. I applied to everything that utilized my skills, even if just a portion of them, and I looked outside of the publishing industry. There weren’t as many telecommuting jobs back then as there are now, so my choices were limited and competition was fierce.

I worked my full-time office job and juggled side hustles for about a year until I felt confident that I could make a successful go of freelancing. I had just secured a freelance managing editor position for a lifestyle website and was picking up more writing jobs. My decision was also bolstered by a former coworker who had left the company to work from home, and she raved about how wonderful it was.

After discussing everything with my husband, who was fully supportive, I knew it was time to break free. I had goals I wanted to accomplish like learn marketing, help my husband with his business, grow my writing career, and take my editorial skills beyond proofreading.

I had a great relationship with my boss, who I suspect knew I was unhappy. I was also a valued employee and had been trusted with training new proofreaders, and I was hoping, based on my performance and solid relationships, that I’d be offered freelance work.

When I told my boss I was leaving she was sad to see me go, but was very understanding. And like I had hoped, I was offered freelance proofreading work. I can honestly say that one of my biggest fears was not having romance books in my life—you can’t imagine how much I grew to love them—and it was a relief to not only get the extra source of income, but to also have that joy in my life.

A Happy Ending, And What My Days Are Like Now

I’m now a freelance proofreader and editor who works on all kinds of content for various clients, but one of my consistent streams of income is proofreading romance fiction. I’m grateful that every day I get to read love stories; I really get drawn into the story lines and characters and have even shed some tears.

I think I’ve worked in every romance subgenre imaginable such as Western, Thriller, Supernatural, Religious, Fantasy, and Historical, to name a few. And, yes, many of my days are happily spent reading stories featuring sheikhs, firemen, Navy SEALS, and billionaires.

Every time I receive a new book I feel a little anticipation. Will it be a Regency romance with brooding rakes and fiery duchesses? Or a sweet Western with a sexy rancher falling for a single mom? Or maybe it’s something totally hot and steamy, even a little on the naughty side? Currently I’m working on a unique feminist romance set in the early 1900s in Eastern Europe, and I’m loving it.

My ideal day has always been about being flexible, which was why I so badly wanted to freelance. I’ve been able to accommodate my job around my life. I can travel when I want (all I need to work is my laptop), act as tour guide for visiting friends and family, go to appointments, run errands, volunteer, and drop off and pick my son up from school.

I don’t have a set routine; every day is different. While my son’s at school I’ll tidy up a bit and do a few hours of work. I also make sure to put in time toward other activities like exercising, meditating, and developing my tech skills. Recently I started a website, Art of Proofreading, to teach people how to proofread all kinds of content. Usually I stay at home and work in my sweats, but I’ll also go to my local library or coffee shops to change things up. Occasionally I’ll treat myself and watch a movie, nap, or bake instead of work. While it’s important to me to work hard, I also value having the ability to enjoy my life.

What I’ve Learned

I’ve learned how important it is to set goals and to have an image of your future life and self. How do you want to live? How do you see yourself changing? I inadvertently learned this in my little cubicle when I was writing my ideal days down on Post-its. Little did I know that I was showing my subconscious, which influences your actions and feelings, what I truly desired. The subconscious doesn’t know the difference between what’s real and what’s imagined, so I’ve started a habit of writing down what I want to achieve. It’s a trick that’s helped me overcome obstacles and go for what I want. I even ask students in my free proofreading ecourse to do this because it can position you in the right direction toward your goals.

I also discovered that I had the potential to do more with my skills. By being self-employed, I pushed myself to explore other opportunities that I wouldn’t have before. I wasn’t limited by my job title, which tends to happen when you work for a company. I approached my job search creatively and found positions that weren’t in my field, but required some of the skills I had. As a result, I’ve ventured into new industries and now do higher level editing.

I’ve also learned the power of a network, and how reaching out opens up new opportunities. If you’re serious about working remotely, let your network know you’re available for freelance work. I recently reached out to mine to update them on my new online business, what I’ve been up to, and to remind them that I’m still a freelance editor who welcomes new opportunities.

People are always willing to help. Networking is a different way to approach a job search than clicking “Apply” on a website and submitting your resume. Also, maintain good professional relationships (even if you’re unhappy) and never, ever burn your bridges. You never know when you’ll have to use them.

Do You Want To Proofread Romance Novels, Too?

Romance fiction is a billion-dollar-a-year industry and one of Amazon’s best-selling ebook genres. If you’re interested in proofreading romance books I recommend you learn how to proofread properly. Working on books is more than just correcting spelling and fixing commas, and requires some knowledge of copyediting skills.

Many people think you need a degree or certificate to work as a proofreader, but the truth is you don’t. You do need to have an eye for detail because proofreading is the last step of the publishing process, and you have to be able to catch all the mistakes. If you want to learn more and see if you have what it takes, I suggest you try my free online course, Intro to Proofreading. It’s designed to give you a strong understanding of proofreading and teach you practical skills.

The post How I Went from Cubicle to Reading Romances from Home for A Living appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

So, you want to become a freelancer? Now is a great time to be freelancing!

About 1 in 3 U.S. workers earn at least some of their income this way. If you’re not one of them, you’re missing out!

But don’t just take my word for it. There are some well-known benefits that come with taking the freelance plunge — pros that are sure to make you want to get up and out of your cubicle so you too can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of freelancing.

Benefits of Freelancing

As a freelancer, you get to be your own boss. And I don’t know about you, but being in charge of the show is infinitely better than being micromanaged any day of the week. Amiright?

Aside from the obvious perks of having boss status (boss lady coffee mug!) you get these added benefits when you become a freelancer:

• Set your pay rate
• Choose projects that interest you
• Make your schedule
• Pick your clients

And, if those weren’t enough, most freelancers get to work from home or Starbucks or Sri Lanka or wherever, really, as long as there’s Internet.

Of course, you can freelance in person too but why bother when you can freelance from a location of your choosing?

How to Become a Freelancer

Have I convinced you yet of the awesomeness that happens once you become a freelancer? If so, you’re probably ready to take the next step — getting started.

But, be warned, getting started is the hardest part (it gets easier after that, promise!)

Like cleaning out that drawer in your kitchen with random buttons, chip clips, coupons, and unclaimed chargers, the deeper you get, the more overwhelmed you may feel.

So, instead of diving in, you close the drawer — “for another day,” you tell yourself (sorry, metaphors aren’t my strong suit). And while the desire is there, that day never actually comes!

But that’s the easy way out!

I’m not gonna lie, launching a freelance business is W-O-R-K.

Yes, you may be in yoga pants or PJs most days once you become a freelancer, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be endlessly snoozing or stuck in child’s pose.

Remember, as the boss lady (or gent), your success is entirely dependent on you. The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Ready to find work freedom and become a freelancer? That’s the spirit! Take a deep breath ’cause here we go.

What Skill Will You Sell?

So, we know how awesome life can be when you become a freelancer but we haven’t really talked about what it really means to be a freelancer.

In a nutshell, you’ll be selling your services. That’s it. To do this, you’ll need to find a skill that you can market and sell to others.

Now, I’m gonna stop you right there. I already know what you’re thinking…

“But Ashlee, I don’t have any valuable skills! And I’m certainly no expert. No one will want to buy services from me.”

You’re wrong. You do have valuable skills! And people will buy from you.

You see, people hire freelancers for one of two reasons:

1. They know how to do something but don’t have the time
2. They don’t know how to do something

You will either find a skill that you know how to do that a lot of other people don’t OR market yourself as a time-saving superhuman who’ll help people free up time to do more important things.

What Do You Know?

We know a lot. I can still remember the pythagorean theorem from high school. Why? I don’t know. But it’s still there tucked away in the depths of my brain with the theme song to The Flintstones and all the state capitals.

You probably know a lot too and can do some amazing things — like pull a pen out of your purse without looking and recall your home phone number from when you were a kid.

And while super cool and pretty impressive respectively, these aren’t exactly the skills you’ll want to advertise when you become a freelancer.

Instead, you’ll want to promote those things you know which are in demand and highlight your abilities to help people save a ton of time in life. But before you start selling these skills,  you’ve got to figure out what you know that’ll sell.

Identify Your Profitable Skills

Generally speaking, skills can be divided into one of two categories:

1. Hard skills
2. Soft skills

Become a Freelancer with Your Hard Skills

Hard skills are those that can be measured. If you can take a test to demonstrate your knowledge or otherwise ‘prove’ your competency, it’s likely a hard skill.

These include things like:

• Math
• Photoshop
• Reading
• Coding
• Excel
• Typing
• Writing

Increase Your Likability with Soft Skills

Soft skills, on the other hand, cannot be measured so easily. Instead, they’re more inherent to who we are and include things like:

• Organization
• Interpersonal communication
• Dependability
• Time management

While these are valuable skills in their own right, soft skills just can’t be as easily proven. I mean, when’s the last time you saw an interpersonal communication contest or took a test to measure your dependability?

Identify What Sells

That’s why your hard skills are likely going to be the ones that you sell. These are the obvious skills that people need in order to solve a problem.

When a blogger needs website help, they hire a freelancer who knows how to code (hard skill).

When a small business owner needs help balancing their books, they hire a freelancer with Excel experience (hard skill).

When a company decides to increase their online presence, they hire a freelancer with social media marketing know how (hard skill).

But just because you won’t be outright selling your soft skills, doesn’t mean they’re not important!

Set Yourself Apart

Let’s pretend you know how to code. That’s great! It is an in-demand hard skill. But if you know how to code and happen to be detail oriented, even better. You’ll draw people in with your hard skills and sell them on you, as a freelancer, with your soft skills.

Let’s say there are two graphic designers who can create awesome logos. Both have equally impressive portfolios showcasing their work. But one is deadline driven and a great communicator. The other doesn’t mention anything other than their ability to create logos.

Who do you choose?

Probably the one you know will get your work done on time and will communicate with you throughout the process! Remember, your hard skills bring clients to your door, the soft skills sell them on you as a freelancer!

Become a Freelancer — The First Step

Your turn! Grab your free copy of my e-booklet, Find Your Profitable Freelance Skill to Sell (over there to the right).

I want you to really think about what you know in terms of hard skills (your bread and butter) and soft skills (likability factor). Then cross-reference it with the included in-demand freelance skills list in the booklet.

Keep in mind, this booklet does not contain an exhaustive list of hard skills that sell.

But it does include some of the most in demand, often-sought skills that clients are constantly asking for from freelancers, like you! Use it as your guide as you take the first step to become a freelancer.

More than anything, I want to show you that you do have what it takes to freelance! And, more importantly, help you see that you have at least one marketable skill that you can package into a service for sale.  

Selling Your Skills

How’d you do? I’ll bet you came up with a pretty impressive list of hard skills and soft skills AND were able to match them with at least one in-demand service offering.

Now that you know you have the hard skills to attract clients and the soft skills to shine as a freelancer, what do you say you start selling?

First things first, check out my guide to setting up your freelance website. Your own website is the perfect platform to advertise your freelance status and gets you one step closer to realizing your own work from home happiness!

Need Extra Help?

That’s okay. Sometimes we all need an extra helping hand now and again. For a quick question, leave it in the comments below. Or you can tweet it out to me @AshleeWrites.

P.S. This post contains affiliate links. What are they and how do I use them? Read my disclosure statement to learn more. 

The post Become a Freelancer: How to Find Your Skill that Sells appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

As of Fall 2016, there were more than 150 million active monthly users pinning and sharing images. And this powerful platform shows no signs of slowing.

The growing popularity of Pinterest has not gone unnoticed by businesses — everyone from bloggers to large brands turn to Pinterest to engage audiences and increase sales.

Although Pinterest is great for growth, it’s also a time suck. Wanting to reap the rewards of Pinterest traffic, but not wanting to spend hours on end pinning, many small businesses and bloggers opt to outsource their work to virtual assistants.

That’s where you come in.

But before we get into the nitty gritty of becoming a freelance Pinterest virtual assistant, let’s look at the business of Pinterest, shall we?

What is Pinterest?

Pinterest is often mislabeled a social networking site. In actuality, it’s a visual search engine — a catalog of ideas meant to inspire us when it comes to everything from fashion and food to parenting and party hacks.

Think about it. When you go to Pinterest, what are you looking for?

• Recipes?
• DIY projects?
• Home decor ideas?
• Life hacks?

You get the picture. Pinterest users head to the site for two reasons:

1. To Get Inspired
2. To Learn Something

So anyone — brands, small businesses, bloggers — who have something to teach or tidbits of info to spur others into action can find HUGE success on Pinterest.

How Huge?

Let’s look at some examples.

Create & Go

Over at Create & Go, Lauren gives you a peek into her Pinterest success and how she’s been able to use the platform to drive tons of traffic and sales to her health and fitness blog:

And she’s sharing the love by offering best practices that can lead to 300K+ pageviews a month just from Pinterest. Impressive, right?

Morgan Timm

Morgan has been using Pinterest since she started blogging. But it wasn’t until she figured out the ‘science’ behind pinning did she start seeing huge results:

Morgan’s not stingy about doling out her fav Pinterest best practices — you can read all about them in her Blogger’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest.

Twelve Skip

Pauline Cabrera, over at Twelve Skip, had no idea Pinterest would turn into her Number 1 source of social traffic — until it did:

How’d she do it? It wasn’t by accident. She used 9 Pinterest-friendly tools to up her Pinterest marketing game. You can too.

These are just three of my favorite examples. But, really, I could go on and on about the many bloggers who are finding plenty of success on Pinterest, every day.

But how does this translate to success for you as a freelance Pinterest virtual assistant?

Popularity of Pinterest = Profitable Freelance Niche

It’s simple, because Pinterest is so popular and (when done right) has the potential to make people money, it translates into a profitable freelance niche.

As more and more small businesses and bloggers turn to Pinterest to help them gain traction online, they’ll need help from pros, like you, to whip their profiles into tip-top shape for sharing, selling, and growing.

Become a Freelance Pinterest Virtual Assistant

Now that you know how popular Pinterest is and understand there’s a demand for Pinterest VAs, it’s time to talk shop — becoming a freelance Pinterest virtual assistant.

If you’re worried you’re not quite ready to take the first step, remember, you don’t need to be a pro pinner right out the gate. You also don’t need thousands of followers. You can learn all the insider’s tips and tricks to become a power pinner as you go.

For now, let’s start with the basics.

Setting Up (or Converting) Your Pinterest Profile

You probably already have a personal Pinterest profile in place (say that five times real fast!).

If so, you will want to convert it to a business profile. (If you don’t have one, you’ll want to set up a business profile from the start).

Having a business Pinterest profile is free. And it comes with some pretty important perks like in-depth analytics and rich pins. It also allows you to confirm your freelance website which will give potential clients more confidence in your abilities as a freelance Pinterest virtual assistant.

If at this point you’re thinking, “Website?!?!? I don’t have a website.”

That’s okay.

Before jumping in, lay the groundwork and create your own freelance service website.

It’s much easier (and affordable) than you might think.

I go over the ins and outs of setting up your own freelance service site in my no-fail beginner’s guide. Go check it out. It’s filled with step-by-step instructions and plenty of practical advice for any budding freelancer (there’s even a list of freebie themes you can snag for your new site!)

The Benefits of Having Your Own Freelance Pinterest Assistant Website

Quickly, I wanted to talk about the pros of having your own freelance website. It really can make all the difference in how you’re perceived by clients and can help boost your overall credibility.

Think about it — If you wanted to purchase something from somebody online, how would you feel if they didn’t have a website?

Kind of unsure, right?

That’s how clients will feel too.

Your own website offers clients a sense of security and makes them feel like you’re sticking around and not just a fly-by-night freelancer.

If that wasn’t reason enough, having your own slice of Internet real estate will:

• Serve as a point of contact for potential clients
• Drive traffic to your site (and sales)
• Give you first-hand experience pinning from a business standpoint
• Demonstrate your Pinterest prowess since you’re actively blogging and pinning like a champ

If you don’t have one already, I cannot say it enough: Go. Get. A. Website. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Or clever. Or particularly pretty.

Don’t overthink it. A site that has a little about you, a list of your services, and a way to get in touch will do just fine.

Pinterest Services

Now that you’re the proud owner of your very own freelance website, you’ll want to think about which services you’ll sell.

Typically, this will fall into one of two camps:

1. Pinterest Management
2. Pinterest Assistant

“What’s the difference,” you ask?

Good question.

Pinterest Management Services

In a nutshell, Pinterest management services are results-driven. You may audit an existing Pinterest account to identify strengths and weaknesses. From there, you could tailor a strategy to help that Pinterest account grow based on its target audience and the account holder’s objective (do they want to make more sales? reach new audiences? drive traffic to their blog?)

Some other things Pinterest Managers do may include:

• Suggesting profile improvements
• Setting goals
• Reviewing analytics
• Creating objectives to achieve growth

Think of a Pinterest manager as more of a consultant than an assistant. They focus on big picture stuff. Pinterest managers can help propel an account from stale and stagnant to viral, traffic-driving machine.

Pinterest Assistant Services

A Pinterest assistant will help carry out a lot of the strategies a Pinterest manager creates. They focus on small picture things. This can include services like:

• Creating pin-worthy images in Canva
• Setting up Pinterest automation via Tailwind or BoardBooster
• Monitoring accounts for comments
• Reaching out to group boards for invites
• Cleaning up boards
• Writing keyword-rich descriptions

An assistant will focus on the day-to-day operations of a Pinterest account to make sure everything is running smoothly.

As a freelance Pinterest virtual assistant, you can offer one or both services. It’s entirely up to you.

Note: If you’re not quite comfortable auditing a Pinterest account or get the spins when looking at analytics, start with assistant services. Once you get in there and get your hands dirty, you’ll quickly become well-versed in all things Pinterest and can start offering management services to your lineup.

You’re Open for Business

You’ve put in the work to set up your freelance service site, you’ve nailed down which services you’ll start with, and now you’re ready to get to the  selling part. Woohoo!

As a freelance Pinterest assistant (or manager), I suggest two things to start booking clients.

1. Blogging
2. Cold emailing

In the beginning both of these can seem a little, well, scary. But, really, they’re not bad. Promise. As long as you have a plan in place, you’ll be able to sail right through your self doubt and start booking clients quickly.

First up, let’s look at blogging.

Blogging as a Service Business

You’ve got your service site set up. Now let’s put it to good use.

One of the best ways to draw attention to your new career as a freelance Pinterest virtual assistant is to — you guessed it — start pinning!

We already saw three examples of how small online businesses and bloggers are finding huge success by pinning. You can find that same success as a freelancer.

But to create your own pins that will push potential clients right in front of your face, you’ll need to be blogging as a business.

Some topics you may want to cover on your blog include:

• Why Bloggers Need Pinterest
• How Ecommerce Sales are Driven by Pinterest
• The Benefits of Pinterest for Small Businesses
• Increasing Sales with Buyable Pins

You want to bring potential clients to your blog. When they’re there, they’ll also see your services for sale. The best way to get your ideal clients to visit you freelance service site is to blog about topics that they can relate to.

Once you’ve written your post, use a program (like Canva) to create a vertical Pinterest-friendly image and start pinning and re-pinning. This will help your blog gain traction on Pinterest and send potential clients your way.

When clients see your eye-catching pins and click through to your blog, they’ll think to themselves, “I need this for my business, too!” Remember, nothing sells your services better than putting your talents on full display.

Plus, blogging helps establish you as a Pinterest authority. And when you reach expert status, it becomes even easier to make your next booking. Before you know it, you’ll have clients beating down your virtual doors for a chance to benefit from your Pinterest mastery.

Cold Emailing like a Pro

Most of us shy away from being sales-y. I know I used to. When I was freelance writing full time, the idea of cold emailing someone sounded about as appealing as a papercut.

But then I reckoned, if I’m not going to sell my services, who will?

No one.

So, I put on a brave front, adopted a fake-it-’til-you-make-it attitude, and fired up my laptop.

And, honestly, my first attempts at cold emailing were disastrous. But with a little practice and some painful yet right-on-point advice from a prospective client, I got comfortable cold emailing. Learn from my mistakes by reading my guide that will show you how to cold email like a pro, even when you’re just starting out.

Quick & Dirty Pro Pinner Tips

In the beginning, you’ll be learning a lot of things as you go. As long as you can roll with the punches and keep on keepin’ on, you’ll be fine. But to get you going, I’m going to quickly lay out some quick and dirty tips, tools, and tricks that will get you looking like a pro pinner even if you’re a clueless newbie

Canva

Every image I make for this blog is done via Canva. I love it because they have templates you can use to make very clean and polished pin-worthy images in a matter of minutes. If you consider yourself challenged in the graphic design department, Canva is for you. Oh, and did I mention, it’s FREE? This simple to use image creator can be used for your freelance service site and to make images for clients. Visit it. Bookmark it. Use it. I know you’ll love it.

Tailwind

As much as you love Pinterest, you probably don’t want to be pinning 24/7. And even if you do, there will be times that you’ll have to step away from the computer. During those times, you can pin without missing a beat. How so?

Tailwind.

This is the trusty automation tool I’ve been using since I signed up for Pinterest. It’s user friendly and comes with some amazing analytics that will show you what’s working (and what’s not). It’s how I went from 0 to 20,000+ followers in a year.

You will love it for your own site as you work to bring in clients. And your clients will love the set-it-and-forget it method of pinning around the clock. Go ahead and give it a try. You can pin 100 images for free. Once you fall in love, you can sign up for a paid account, which is reasonably priced even for the tiniest budgets. If you use this link, you’ll get a $15 credit to your account (and I’ll get $15 too). Win-win.

Group Boards

When you’re just starting out, you may have three followers, two of whom are your best friend and mom. That’s okay. As you work to gain traction and followers, you can give yourself an initial super boost by joining group boards!

Group Boards are ‘owned’ by one pinner who invites other pinners to collaborate with them. For example, let’s say you join a group board of freelancers that has 10,000 followers — when you pin to that board, you have the potential of getting seen by 10,000 people even though you have three followers. Neat, huh?

Group boards really can help you grow like a weed when you’re starting out. There are two super-easy ways to find them:

• Pin Groupie
• Pin Junkie

Word of advice: When you approach a board owner for an invite, do it with a little personalization. Don’t just say, “Hey. I want an invite to your group board. Thanks.”

I guarantee you won’t get too many responses. Instead, take the time to figure out the group owner’s name, address them personally, and politely ask for an invite by referring the group board by name.

Free Stock Photo Sites

Fact: Purchasing stock photos is expensive. You can spend $20 for one large image. Definitely not budget friendly.

But you’re going to need a lot of images to create amazing pins for you and your future clients. To do this without breaking the bank, start familizaring yourself with free stock photo sites.

There are a lot of free stock photo sites, but my favorites are:

• Raw Pixel
• Resplashed
• Pexels

Canva even has a free photos section you can search while you’re creating your next pin-tastic image. Try to source as many of your images as you can for free so you’re not cutting into your profits by dropping big bucks on paid-for pics.

Extra Help (& Happiness)

Just starting out as a freelancer is tough. I know (been there, done that). And if you’re anything like me, you probably appreciate a little hand holding when you’re feeling unsteady.

Fortunately, there’s the perfect online course for aspiring freelance Pinterest virtual assistants called Become a Pinterest VA Today.

The course is a bargain for all the great resources you get. But it’s not always open for enrollment. If it’s not, be sure to sign up on their waitlist so you can be alerted the next time open enrollment has begun. Once it is, go for it! The course will give you everything (and I do mean everything) you’ll need to go from personal Pinterest user to powerhouse freelance pinner.

Thoughts? Concerns? Questions? Hit me with them in the comments below! I’m curious to know what you think about freelancing as a Pinterest assistant and what, if any, hangups you may have about getting started.

The post Freelance as a Pinterest Assistant, Even if You’re Not a Pro Pinner (Yet) appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

We’ve all been there.

But getting a second job outside the home isn’t always practical. If you have little ones at home, working day and night doesn’t make sense. If your day job is demanding enough as is, adding another structured job to the workweek wouldn’t, well, work.

So, if you need more money, like yesterday, what do you do?

Turn your attention online.

Benefits of an Online Job

Sure, an online job means you get to work in your PJs, but there’s a lot of other perks too. And if you’re goal is to supplement your current 9 to 5, you’ll especially appreciate these added benefits.

Flexibility

Granted, not all online jobs come with extreme flexibility. But if you opt to freelance or set up your own side hustle, you get to set your own schedule and work as much (or little) as you’d like.

Even a more traditional contract or employee-based online job can come with great flexibility. These companies often hire workers as moonlighters. This means you can keep a hold of that day job of yours while working flexibly on nights and weekends to make ends meet.

Autonomy

If you’ve ever been micromanaged, you’ll definitely enjoy the autonomy that comes with working remotely. When you’re in your home office, the only one lurking over your shoulder is your cat (or kid).

Of course this doesn’t mean you can sit idly and still collect a paycheck. But it does mean you don’t have to worry about contending with a manager or boss who always seems to be breathing down your neck.

Money & Time Saved

There are few things I like more than making money. But saving time and money come pretty darn close. When you take on a second job from inside the house, you immediately eliminate a long and costly commute. So instead of spending money on gas and wasting time driving to work, you can simply take the 10-second commute to your home office and start earning.

Where to Look for Second Jobs from Home

Where you look for a second job depends on what kind of second job you’re after. There are several ways you can go about this:

• Employee
• Freelance
• Independent Contractor
• Solopreneurship

Each of these options comes with pros and cons. And what may work for me, might not work for you. So before jumping in, carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Employee Positions

Though difficult to find, there are companies that have flexible online jobs that come with employee benefits. Some of the pros of working an online job as an employee include:

• Set schedules
• Stability
• Potential perks (like benefits, discounts, PTO)

But the reliable pay and stable schedules come at a cost: Flexibility. Often, these online second jobs will require you to commit to a certain schedule well in advance. And it may even mean working mandatory hours — an impossible feat for those with kids or demanding day jobs.

Where to Find Work

Your best bet to find employee jobs is through Indeed. In just a few clicks, you can find dozens of real remote jobs, many of which will offer enough flexibility to work around your already jampacked schedule. Try it for yourself, simply type “remote” in the “where” box below:

what	where
job title, keywords or company	city, state or zip jobs by

Freelance

Freelancing is a surefire way to fit money making into just about any schedule. And the good news is, anyone can freelance. From writing to marketing and social media management, there are certainly no shortages of in-demand freelance services you can sell to top off your income every single month.

Some added pros of freelancing include:

• Setting your own schedule
• Picking the projects you work on
• Working as much or little as you’d like
• Choosing your own hourly (or per project) pay rate

But, like anything, freelancing also comes with its own set of cons. For starters, there’s no guarantee you’ll find any work. And, as a freelancer, you’ll have to track down your own leads and pitch to clients to secure gigs — something that can be time consuming!

Where to Find Work as a Freelancer

There are so many ways to secure work as a freelancer. You can use popular freelance marketplaces to track down leads. Or you could use email outreach to pitch your services. Heck, you can even start your own freelance website and start marketing yourself on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Really, there is no right or wrong way to freelance — do what makes sense for you!

Contract Jobs

There’s often a lot of confusion about contract jobs. A question I frequently get is, “Isn’t a contract job the same as freelancing?”

Nope.

Freelancing and contract gigs have some things in common (like being responsible for your own taxes). But where they greatly differ is how you get work.

As a contractor, you’re assigned work. As a freelancer, you source it on your own.

For example, let’s say you decide to get a second job online as a transcriptionist. You end up contracting with The World’s Great Transcription Company (TWGTC). As a contractor, TWGTC will assign you work and give you a due date, i.e., you’re assigned work every Monday that is due back Thursday morning. How you get the work done is up to you — as long as you turn it in on time, you’re good to go.

Where to Find Work as an Independent Contractor

Indeed and Craigslist can be really good sources of independent contractor gigs. But there are also a lot of companies that routinely hire contractors to work on a per project basis:

• Metaverse
• Wonder
• Fancy Hands
• Babbletype

Plus, a lot of online professions tend to be IC-friendly like:

• Proofreading and Editing
• Transcription
• Virtual Assisting
• Search Engine Evaluation

Keep in mind, some IC positions may only last for a certain time period — say a few months to a year. That means, once the contract is up, you’ve got to find another side job from home!

Solopreneurship

Of all the ways to hold down a second job from home, solopreneurship offers the greatest flexibility. Why? Because you’re in charge! Some undeniable benefits of starting your own second job from home include:

• Being your own boss
• Ability to scale your business (if you want)
• Opportunity for passive income
• Work when you want, where you want, as much as you want!

Of course, your success will be greatly determined by how much you put into your online side business. And, if you’re pressed for time, you may not be able to put as much into it at first. But you can grow your online second job on your own terms and at the right pace for you — it’s entirely up to you.

Guides to Help You Create Your Own Second Job from Home

• Start a Blog
• Launch a Niche Job Board
• Create Designs Online
• Write an Ebook
• Sell Your Knowledge as an Infopreneur
• Become a Jewelry Merchandiser

Seriously, there are a lot of ways to go solo and start your own second job from home — from scratch. I may be slightly biased, but this is hands-down my favorite way to earn.

Picking the Right Online Second Job for You

Before jumping in, take a minute to consider which of these jobs is right for you. For some, the stability of an employee job makes sense. For others, extreme flexibility that comes with freelancing may be key. And still some may thrive as an online entrepreneur.

Make sure to carefully consider the pros and cons of each and, when ready, start your search. As always, if you have any questions, let me know in the comments below. I’m here to help.

The post Online Second Job Ideas (and How to Pick the Right One for You) appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

If you spend your workdays plotting your cubicle escape, you’re not alone. Some studies show as many as 70% of U.S. workers are unhappy with their current job. And some 8% would willingly take a pay cut if it meant they could work remotely!

If these studies are any indication, workers are craving greater flexibility in their careers. And many of them are turning their attention online to find the work-life balance they’re after. When you combine the work-from-anywhere flexibility of online work with the autonomy of solopreneurship what do you get? Digital nomad — A designation more and more people are after as they seek ways to take their careers into their own hands.

What is a Digital Nomad?

A digital nomad makes a living independent of their location. That is, you can work and earn regardless of where you’re at on a map. This means you can make money while traveling the world, as long as you have access to a laptop and WiFi. But you certainly don’t have to be a globetrotter to be a digital nomad. You can just as easily work from home, your local coffeehouse, a coworking space — anywhere you want, really. The point is, in theory, you could get up and go whenever, wherever and still make ends meet because your job goes with you wherever you are. Convenient, right?

It is. That’s why more and more people are drawn to this sort of lifestyle where they can take control of their careers and not have to join the rat race to get by. Chances are, you’ve thought about this before too and are wondering if you really could take the leap from day job to digital nomad. The good news is you can — but it might be harder than you think.

Digital Nomad Struggles

If you spend any time on Pinterest, you’ve probably seen tons of income reports from digital nomads across a variety of industries. These income reports come with clickbait titles like:

• How I Earn $100,000 a Month Online and How You Can Too
• From $0 to $50,000 in Just One Month and How I Did It
• The Exact Blueprint I Use to Make $20,000 a Month Online While Working 5 Hours a Week

You get the picture. Now, don’t get me wrong, my hat is off to these men and women who have cracked the code to digital nomad success! But it can be sort of misleading to beginners, like you, who are looking to escape the cubicle life in favor of a location-independent one.

“How so?” you ask. Well, in these income reports a lot of numbers are thrown out. Sometimes, accounting methods may not be the most sound. And even when they are, they fail to mention how darn long and difficult the road was to get there. A more accurate picture may be to place an asterisk on final monthly totals like:

November Income Report: How I made $75,000* Online This Month

*After three years of hard work, many months of lost profits, two failed blogs, a dozen or more good cries, and countless weeks of 80+ hours’ worth of work.

I say this because, while it’s totally possible to earn an income with a laptop and WiFi, it’s also a lot of hard work. And for most people, success doesn’t come overnight. Instead, it can take months and even years before enough money is coming in to become a full-time digital nomad.

Again, I say this not to discourage you. Rather, I want you to go into this with the right mindset so you keep moving forward and don’t give up when you find out you won’t hit six figures your first month in.

I’m Ready to Quit My Job! Not So Fast…

You know how hard it can be to join the ranks of digital nomads, and you’re still totally game. Great! Before you hand in your two weeks’ notice, you should think about side hustling first. I know it’s probably not what you want to hear, especially coming from someone who quit their job out of the blue to start a freelance writing career. But before you make the same decision, hear me out! There are two really good reasons to hang onto your day job in the beginning.

Your 9 to 5 Can Fund Your Digital Nomad Endeavors

No matter what avenue you’d like to explore as you work towards digital nomad success, it’s going to cost money to get there. Now, I’m not talking the same startup costs you’d expect with a brick-and-mortar business, but there are some common expenses you’ll most likely encounter.

For starters, you’ll probably need a website. Most digital nomads have one (or two or even ten). You can totally go the DIY route and set up your own WordPress website or blog. Your total cost will be somewhere around $100 for the year — yes, the entire year. Affordable, right? Yes. But then there are other things that pop up like marketing expenses, social media scheduling tools, plugins, themes, and miscellaneous expenditures and — well, these can all add up quickly.

I’ll give you an example of some expenses I pay each month to maintain Work from Home Happiness:

• Hosting: $11.95
• Coschedule: $40
• ConvertKit: $80
• Board Booster: $20

These are recurring expenses every month. Honestly, not too bad all things considered. But then there are one-time and yearly expenses that come up too like:

• Genesis Framework & Child Theme: $150
• Premium Plugins: $275 (to date)
• Customization: $300
• Domain registration & Whois Privacy Protection: $35

This comes out to about $2,500 or so of website expenses each year. And if you have no income coming in because you quit your job too soon, that can be a terrifying amount to shell out! In the beginning, your goal should be earning enough money through your digital nomad endeavors to cover their costs each month.

Day Jobs Become Bearable When You’ve Got a Greater Purpose

We’ve already established that you’re trying to escape your 9 to 5 for a more flexible working arrangement. But when you take the first steps to realize your goals, a funny thing can happen — your day job might not seem so bad. Granted, you still want to quit and realize your own financial and work freedom. But as you work towards those goals, you have a new sense of purpose in life and that day job of yours becomes, at the very least, bearable because, hey, at the end of the day, you get to work on something you’re truly passionate about!

Plus, it’s nice to have the security of steady income as you side hustle your way to digital nomad freedom. If you haven’t already, I suggest holding off on quitting your office job — even though it may be soul sucking at times, it can help you stay afloat as you transition to digital nomad. And, as a reminder, realizing full work freedom takes time. You’re going to need to pay your bills and fund your digital nomad escape plan!

Realistic Ways to Earn with Nothing More than a Laptop and WiFi

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably pretty eager to learn some possible ways to take your work with you wherever you go. Really, there are TONS of ways to work entirely online — some requiring more specialized skills than the next. That’s why I opted to put together a more broad, beginner-friendly list. This will hopefully get your own wheels churning and help you realize that, hey, I do have some existing skills that will translate well to working anywhere I can find WiFi.

1. Proofreader

One of my favorite digital nomad stories can be read over at ProofreadAnywhere, How Jacki Quit Her Job, Started a Proofreading Business, and Moved to Thailand to Ride Elephants. Sounds crazy, right? But it’s true! While you’re ultimate end goal may differ, it’s inspiring to read how other digital nomads became successful and why they chose their unconventional way of earning.

And, really, proofreading is one of those super remote-friendly ways to make ends meet. Between all the web content out there, self-published authors, and agencies, there’s plenty of work to go around that doesn’t require you to be in a certain location.

There’s a freebie court reporter proofreading course over at Proofread Anywhere you should check out. I’ve also written a beginner’s guide to help you navigate proofreading as a newbie. Both are great places to start if you think you’ve got the proofreading prowess needed to make it your full-time digital nomad job.

2. Developer

If you’re a web developer, you’ve got a ton of options ahead of you when it comes to digital nomad job ideas. For starters, there is a seemingly endless stream of gigs posted on sites like Remotive and AngelList, most of which allow you to work wherever you’re happiest. Of course, you could go solo as a freelancer too and tackle gigs while traveling.

If you’ve always wanted to get into web development but currently don’t have all the right skills, head over to Codecademy where you can learn to code for free!

Not only can you take free interactive courses covering 12 different programming languages, but there’s also a chance to get inspired by other people just like you — there are so many amazing stories of people who changed their lives by learning to code. And you can too. You just have to get started.

3. Translator

If you’re fluent in multiple languages, the world is your veritable work-anywhere oyster! I’m not talking in person translations when there is a language barrier from one person to the next. Instead, I’m talking about translation projects that can be done entirely online — and there are quite a few of them. For starters, you can translate written documents, pre-recorded audio, or even videos that need subtitling.

FlexJobs has a super-impressive list of the Best 100 Companies for Flexible Translation Jobs — a must-read if you’re thinking of using your multilingual knowledge to become a digital nomad.

Don’t be discouraged if you’re not bilingual. You can always learn a second language. Duolingo can help. With Duolingo, you can learn a language of your choosing — and did I mention it’s free? Forever! Spanish, French, and German are their three most popular courses for English speakers — but they have more than 25 for you to choose from.

4. Infopreneur

If you sell your knowledge, you get to call yourself an infopreneur. That’s a bit of an oversimplification but, really, information marketing is simply the process of packaging up your thoughts/ideas/information into a product that you can sell.

For example, eBooks, courses, webinars, and workshops are all ways infopreneurs sell their knowledge to others. And this can be a pretty lucrative business. One of my favorite digital nomad/infopreneur stories is about Steve Scott, a guy who took his career in his own hands back in 2006. He had a long journey before he became a super successful ebook author but he never gave up! And eventually (some eight years later), he would find himself earning well over $100,000 every three months thanks to his ebook endeavors. Impressive, right?

That’s the great thing about being an infopreneur — you really can start and nurture a business based entirely off of your own life experiences and existing knowledge. But it does take a lot of work, and is certainly not for the faint of heart. But if you’re willing to give it your all, you’re often rewarded with a scalable digital nomad career you can take with you anywhere.

The Many Directions of a Digital Nomad Infopreneur

Since there are so many directions you can go as an infopreneur, you should really take the time to explore different avenues before diving in. If you’re thinking of packaging your ideas into a course, I highly recommend heading over to the Teachable blog for tons of practical advice and infopreneur inspiration. If you’re leaning towards ebooks, you’ll find a lot of information and ideas to get started on the Kindle Direct Publishing page for non-fiction writers (plus motivating stories of success!).

But if you’re not entirely sure which direction to take or how to get there — that’s okay, too! That’s the beauty of information marketing, there are a lot of ways to find your own success as an independent infopreneur. The best way to get inspired and find out what might work for you is to check out your fellow infopreneur. Some of my faves include Femtrepreneur, By Regina, Melyssa Griffin (formerly The Nectar Collective). These women are oh-so inspiring and have all been there, done that, and are helping you get there too.

5. Blogger

Like information marketing, blogging is more of a marathon than a sprint. Again, there are the occasional stories of seemingly overnight success but those instances are the exception, not the rule. Most bloggers find themselves working a lot for very little (or even zero) pay in the beginning. And that’s okay, if you’re willing to lay the groundwork knowing that, when done right, blogging can be an amazing way to lead a location-independent life.

The good news is, starting a blog is easy. You don’t need any technical experience or training. But once your blog is set up — what comes next? Good question. The answer: Great content!

You won’t get very far as a blogger if your content is lacking. Period. If you want to make money blogging you need to share amazing content with readers, each and every time you post. For me, that means creating longform content. But for you, it could mean amazing recipes accompanied with mouthwatering pictures or snarky commentary on pop culture. Really, it all depends on your blog, your personality, and your chosen niche.

Blogging Resources — But Buyer Beware!

Fortunately, there are a ton of resources for new bloggers.  Just be careful which of those resources you spend your hard-earned money on. I’ve seen some pretty, shall we say, low-grade blogging courses priced well over $1,000 that aren’t worth anything. Sure, their sales page sound great and lure you in with the promise of six figures for next to no work but this is misleading! Blogging is a lot of work — any digital nomad endeavor is. So don’t get swept away in catchy copywriting, make sure you carefully vet any paid-for product before you buy!

Ebooks for Blogging Success

I turned to ebooks early on in my blogging career. In fact, I often refer to the Kindle Store as where I got my unofficial blogger’s education. But seriously — I did read a ton of ebooks (my personal fave is How to Blog for Profit Without Selling Your Soul). And since I downloaded the Kindle Reading App for free and signed up for Kindle Unlimited (you can try it for free here), I was able to devour tons of ebooks each month for less than $10.

Not only did I get a crash course in blogging but I also learned a lot about subjects that went along with blogging — social media marketing, list building, SEO, web design, etc. I seriously credit my ebook reading as helping me gain the knowledge needed to grow, maintain, and monetize my blog in its first year.

6. Writer

If I had to guess, I’d say writing is probably the most popular way to make a living as a digital nomad. And it may be one of the quickest ways to digital nomad success too. It’s not uncommon to read story after story of freelance writers earning a comfortable living with their trusty internet connection and laptop, like Jorden who used LinkedIn to quickly climb to $5,000/month in freelance writing income!

If writing sounds promising to you, you’re in luck. There is no shortage of information out there to help you get going. For starters, there’s a freebie course over at Horkey Handbook to help you achieve online writing success quickly. Reddit also has a ton of information from your fellow writers in a forum-like setting. And popular websites like The Write Life are always doling out helpful information to help new writers create, connect, and earn.

7. Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistant is another very broad digital nomad job idea. Generally speaking, a virtual assistant helps others complete tasks from a remote location. This can include everything from content writing to social media marketing and even calendar management and travel arrangements. Really, it just depends on the types of clients you work with.

To get your wheels turning as a potential digital nomad VA, stop by Horkey Handbook for a complimentary course. You’ll learn what a VA does and how you can quickly build an income as one.

Remember, like all the other digital nomad job ideas listed, you don’t have to jump in full-time right away. There are several companies that contract with VAs, giving you a chance to try out the work and hone your skills before you opt to go solo with your career.

Start Small and Grow — But You Have to Get Started

While it’s a good idea to start small as a digital nomad side hustler with the end goal of going full time, you still need to actually start to get there. So, what are you waiting for? Remember, you don’t have to have all the answers in the beginning. Often, you’ll learn a lot as you go — but that’s the beauty of being a digital nomad, you can adapt and change your career every step of the way.

For a head start, sign up for my Free Resource Library below. It’s chock full of guides and goodies for out-of-the-cube thinkers, like you. And, as always, if you have any questions, I hope you ask: ashlee@workfromhomehappiness.com

This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products, brands, and services that I trust. You can learn more by reading my disclosure statement. 

The post What it Really Means to Be a Digital Nomad (and 7 Ways You Can Escape Your Cubicle to Become One) appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Fortunately, you can ‘try’ out a freelance service and get a feel for what it’s like to freelance before jumping in. These free courses are great introductions to a particular service — and will give you a good idea if it’s the right fit for you.

Proofreader

For the eagle-eyed grammar buffs out there, proofreading is a great freelance option to consider. And as with any service-based business, you’ll want to pick a niche. A proofreading niche can be anything from academic essays to web content and even court reporter transcripts. If the latter sounds promising to you, Proofread Anywhere has got you covered.

The free 7-day introductory course will answer all your questions about transcript proofreading including:

• What’s transcript proofreading all about?
• How much money can I actually make?
• What if I’m a newbie?

There’s even a super-tricky grammar quiz to test your proofreading prowess and tons of bonuses included. This intro course is really designed for those who want to get focused and start earning money with their proofreading skills. If that sounds like you, sign up today and discover what it takes to be a freelance transcript proofreader before jumping into the profession.

Bookkeeper

If numbers are more your thing, consider freelancing as a bookkeeper. And before you even ask — no, you don’t need special training to get started. That’s where the Bookkeeper Business Academy comes in.

This three-part free training series shows you how to start and grow your own virtual bookkeeping business, even if you have absolutely zero experience. Your guide through each of the three series is Ben Robinson. As a former CPA firm owner, Ben knows a thing or two about what it takes to be successful in the business. And he’s sharing his know-how and practical experience with aspiring bookkeepers like you.

Some of the valuable takeaways in the series:

• What it takes to be a great bookkeeper
• How much you can actually earn (Hint: The average bookkeeper earns $40,000/year)
• Important considerations before starting your bookkeeper business

You’ll benefit from the tried and true tips and techniques presented in an easy-to-understand fashion — no fancy terminology or head-spinning lingo here. If you’re ready to launch your own bookkeeping business the right way, head over to the Bookkeeper Business Academy to find out what it’s all about first.

Virtual Assistant

The virtual assistant industry has seen huge growth in recent years. And it’s easy to see why — you can do just about anything from a home office as you could a traditional one. This is good news for aspiring freelancers who are great at getting things done. You can use your to-do list tackling skills as a virtual assistant. Gina Horkey will show you how.

In the freebie course, Jumpstart Your Virtual Assistant Career, you’ll learn the tried and true techniques to becoming a successful VA, quickly. Some things you’ll learn in the five-days crash course include:

• How to become a VA in less than a week — yes, one week!
• Traits of successful VAs
• What skills you already have that can transfer to steady VA work

Of course that’s just a small sampling of subjects you can expect to tackle in the five-email course. But you’ll be in good hands with Gina as your tour guide. And by the end of the series, you’ll have a better understanding of what it’s like to be a VA and whether or not it’s something you could see yourself doing as a freelancer.

Writer

The old saying that content is king is kind of cliche, but totally true. And this means the potential for tons of steady work as a freelance writer but only if you know where to look. That’s where Elna Cain comes in. Even as a busy mother of twins, she’s figured out this whole freelance writing thing and is sharing some of her secrets with you.

In her free six-day email course, you’ll  be clued in on how to:

• Tackle freelance writing — from scratch
• Land your first client
• Create a blueprint for freelance success

If you’ve always wanted to try your hand at freelance writing, this is a good place to start. You’ll quickly get a feel for the freelance writing biz and whether or not it’s something you can see yourself doing long term.

Transcriptionist

You can find a lot of work as a home-based typist. In fact, there are a number of companies who’ll pay you to type out everything from market research interviews to police interrogations. But when you contract with companies, the amount of work available is often seasonal and the pay rate might not be as great as it could be. The solution? Freelance!

When you become a freelance transcriptionist, you get to control who you work for and how much you charge. If this sounds for foreign to you — that’s okay. Over at Transcribe Anywhere, there’s a free mini-course that will give you a glimpse into the world of general transcription like:

• What transcription really entails
• How much you might expect to make
• What you need to get started

Before diving into the transcription waters, give this course a go first. Transcribing for a living certainly isn’t for everyone. This free course will help you determine if it’s a good fit for you.

Scopist

“What’s a scopist,” you ask? Good question! It’s not as common as the other freelance services listed, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re a self-proclaimed word nerd. In a nutshell, a scopist edits court reporter transcripts before it’s handed off to a proofreader who goes over the final product with a fine-tooth comb.

But the pros over at the Internet Scoping School can explain it a lot better. In fact, they have a free intro course that will explain:

• What exactly a scopist is
• What skills a scopist needs (and a test to prove your knowledge!)
• Potential earning power of a scopist

Don’t worry — it may sound highly specialized but really this can be a beginner-friendly freelance service offering for word lovers and grammar gurus. But first things first, give the mini-course a try so you can gain a better understanding of the profession before you give it a go yourself.

Other Places to Scout Freebies for Aspiring Freelancers

These freebie courses are worth a look if you’re thinking of taking control of your career, but they’re not the only ways to get a feel for freelancing before going all in.

Udemy

Yes, there are a lot of paid-for courses on Udemy. But did you know there’s a lot of free ones too? I’ve turned to Udemy a time or time to freshen up my WordPress skills and delve into online marketing with great result (and free too!).

You can search for courses by skill and, voila, dozens of courses directly at your fingertips. To find the freebies, simply check the Paid>Free box and start learning.

Amazon

I love ebooks. If you ever have a freelancing question, chances are you can find the answer in an ebook. And one of the largest sources of them can be found in the Amazon Kindle Store. If you don’t have it already, download the free Kindle Reading App and start hunting down books. Prime Members can “borrow” one participating title per month absolutely free.

For non-Prime members, consider joining Amazon Kindle Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial During your free 30-day trial, you can read enough ebooks to answer all your freelance questions — and then some. There’s always tons of Kindle Unlimited titles to browse through, no matter what you’re searching for.

Microsoft Virtual Academy

Unless you’re already a Microsoft expert, you’ll probably benefit from the free training offered at the Microsoft Virtual Academy. As a freelancer, you can learn everything from the basics for beginners to super-advanced game development and databases.

Codecademy

Everyone, freelancer or not, should have at least a little bit of coding knowledge to their name. And the Codecademy is the place to go when you want to learn code. It’s a great place to brush up on basic skills but also offers enough classes that you can teach yourself the knowledge to launch a lucrative freelance career.

Start Freelancing

No matter what you decide to do as a freelancer, once you make the decision to go for it, you’ll want to set up a freelance website. Not only does this give you a super-professional online presence but it gives you a chance to demonstrate your knowledge and toot your own horn. Don’t worry — you can set up your own freelance website in very little time (no developer knowledge required) and for just a few bucks a month.

Have questions? Feeling overwhelmed? I can help! Please feel free to leave any questions in the comments below.

The post Free Courses to Check Out if You’re Thinking of Freelancing appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

If you’re a fellow bibliophile, you might be interested to know that you too can make some money on the side. How? Why, a booklover’s side hustle, of course.

Some of the best ways to make money are doing things you love. That’s why, if you can, turning a hobby or interest into a revenue stream is a favorable way to earn. Because, really, when you’re doing something you love, it never feels like you’re actually working.

Book Seller

Every time I’m in my local Goodwill, Salvation Army or other second-hand store, I always take a stroll down the book aisles. Sure, I like to browse  the titles looking for something for myself, but I’m also scouting for books to resell.

And it’s really easy to find valuable books for cheap that you know will sell for a profit. How? A free and simple app called BookScouter.

All you do is scan a book’s ISBN barcode and, voila, the BookScouter app will let you know how much it’s worth if you sell it on popular sites like Chegg, Abe’s Books, or Barnes & Noble.

When I lived by a university, I would alway go to a nearby Goodwill scouting for used textbooks — and it paid off. It wasn’t uncommon to find a textbook or two that ended up selling for $100 or more.

But you don’t have to live near a college to make money selling used books. Many titles from self-help to sci-fi can be worth something. That’s why it’s so important to use BookScouter. It will let you know what sites are willing to pay you for a particular title. Then you just have to go to the site, fill in the product details, and ship the book in — and, nine times out of ten, they’ll cover the cost of shipping. Within two weeks, you’ll usually receive payment through Paypal or check. That’s it. If you’re gonna be at the second-hand stores anyway, you might as well do a little scouting on the side!

Book Reviewer

After you read a book, you know you have an opinion — something that ranges from can’t put it down page turner to ho-hum predictable. But what you think to be the next bestseller may not be so great  to me, and vice versa. That’s why book reviews are so important — they give potential readers an insider’s glimpse of the goings on from chapter to chapter.

If you have previous experience critiquing books, Kirkus has freelance book reviewer positions available. These are project-based gigs. After you’re assigned a book, you have two weeks to submit your 350-word review. You can also find copywriter positions here that would be a perfect side hustle for the booklover. Most tasks involve writing promotional content for new books. However, some assignments may include writing book descriptions and back cover content.

Other places to look for gigs as a book reviewer:

Online Book Club – As “an internet community for book lovers,” you’ll get a chance to connect with new authors while also earning a few bucks and free books! Some reviews pay ($5-$60) but most assignments are only paid via free books. But if you’re a booklover, this may be payment enough

BookLook – Do you have a blog? Are there 30+ people following it? If so, you can apply to become a book reviewer at BookLook. As a reviewer, you’ll receive each book you review for free. This is a great way to build experience as a reviewer!

Any Subject Books – There are a variety of books available for review here. Payments vary depending on the length of the book. You don’t have to review a minimum number of books which makes this a great side hustle for the busy booklover.

eBook Author

If you read a lot of books, I bet you have the skills to write a book, too. It’s true. In fact, avid readers are some of the best writers. And with the soaring popularity of ebooks, it’s never been easier to pen your own fiction or nonfiction work and make some pretty good money while doing it.

In fact, you can easily write your very first ebook in just 30 days. Of course, if you’re particularly strapped for time, you can always take 45, 60, 90 days or more. But it’s not a stretch to think you could set aside some spare time every day to devote to writing an ebook.

What’s great about writing an eBook is you can use platforms like Kindle Direct Publishing to get your book up for sale quickly. And with a reach of million of worldwide readers, this can be an easy way to passive income success — after all, you write the book once and collect sales over and over again!

Other Side Hustles to Consider

Those who love to read are generally pretty fond of language and words. And this is great news for the would-be side hustler — after all, there are plenty of word-related ways to earn extra money from home.

Scoping

I bet this is a side hustle you’ve never heard of before. But really, it can be a great income generator for word nerds out there. But what is scoping, you ask? In a nutshell, scoping is editing transcripts for court reporters. You see, court reporters use steno writers to take down what is being said. Software is then used to turn their work into readable transcripts. But computers aren’t perfect (at least not yet). They miss subtle nuances, punctuation, wording, etc. — and that’s where a scopist comes into play.

If you’re a lover of language, you’ll equally love this side hustle. And the best part? The pay is great and the training is affordable. This side hustle can easily go from extra income generator to full-time wages. To explore scoping a little more, check out this free course over at Internet Scoping School.

Scoring

From helping elementary-aged children learn to read to critiquing high school students’ essays, there are quite a few ways to side hustle as a scorer. Again, as a lover of the written word, you’ll likely find it enjoyable to spend your spare time helping students improve their reading and writing skills. Some companies to check out include:

ACT – Remember the ACT? You can get paid to read and score student-written ACT essays. To be considered, you will need to have at least a bachelor’s degree and previous teaching experience. U.S. residency is also a must!

Brainfuse – As a Brainfuse Paper Reviewer, you’ll help students writing college-level papers. This can include reviewing essays and providing feedback to live one-on-one tutoring sessions done over a virtual whiteboard (no webcam or mic needed). To be considered, you’ll need to supply proof of a bachelor’s degree in any field.

ETS – ETS has both location-based and subject-specific scoring positions available. It’s best to check their job opportunities page to see current open positions.

Gradiate – You’ll earn $25/hour as a Gradiate Genius. This is mostly grading work and providing feedback that students can use to improve.

Literably – This is part transcription, part evaluating. You’ll listen to elementary students read out loud and note whenever they’ve made a mistake like omitting words or mispronunciations.

Measurement Inc. – You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in any field to work from home as a reader/evaluator at Measurement Inc. There are a number of different projects available, each with different pay rates.

Pearson – Pearson is one of the largest education companies around, and they often have a number of online evaluator positions available. Check out their scoring at home program to see what kind of projects they’re hiring for throughout the year!

WriteScore – WriteScore offers hand-scored essay services in the education industry. They will train essay scorers, but you’ll need at least a two-year degree to be considered.

Blogging

Review-based blogs can be a fun way to monetize your personal thoughts. And if you have a particular niche you absolutely love, you could solely focus on that. For example, if you love romance novels, set up a blog devoted to discussing and sharing some of your favorite reads. Or if science-fiction is more your thing, give readers your thoughts on the latest and greatest to familiar favs.

A book review blog could be monetized with affiliate marketing. For example, you could recommend titles for purchase via Amazon and earn a percentage of each sale through the Amazon Associates program. Remember, blogging as a side business is a lot of work but, when done right, can lead to full-time income for part-time work.

Proofreading and Editing

Do you spot spelling mistakes while reading everything from cereal boxes to billboards? Do you know what it takes to make good writing great? Well, then, you’d make a great editor or proofreader. And, honestly, that’s not surprising. Most diehard readers are often inherently great editors — it just goes with the territory.

Fortunately for you, there are plenty of ways to make money as a proofreader or editor. You could start your own proofreading side hustle, take a free introduction course to proofreading, or contract with one of 16+ companies as a virtual proofreader.

Booklovers’ Side Hustles

Reading is a great way to pass the time but it can also lead to extra money in the bank each month. With these booklovers’ side hustles, you can take your love of the written word one step further by turning it into a side hustle.

If you have a great idea for a side hustle but have no idea how to get it off the ground, head on over to The Side Hustle Starter Kit. Brette will show you how she launched her own side hustle in 30 days, quit her 9 to 5, and was profitable from the very beginning. If you’re ready to follow your passion and get serious about side hustlin’ this is the course for you!

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This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure statement to learn more!

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But which freelance services should you offer? You can sell just about any service as a freelancer. Just check out Fiverr’s “Fun & Bizarre” category to see what I mean.

If you’re looking for a more mainstream approach to freelancing, it’s a good idea to think about offering in-demand services for a better chance of securing steady work.

5 In-Demand Freelance Jobs

There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to freelancing. Many people find success offering unexpected services while others choose to focus on some of the most popular freelance categories. Whatever you choose to do, do it well and you’ll find freelance success will follow.

Curious what freelance services are in demand or are looking for a little inspiration to kick off your own solo story? Check out these In-Demand Freelance Jobs for the Full-Time Freelancer.

1. Virtual Assistant

Although virtual assistant apps like iPhone’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa make it easy for people to have access to a little extra help right at their fingertips, it can’t quite compare to the real (human) thing. A virtual assistant frees up valuable time for busy professionals and business owners by handling various administrative tasks like:

• answering calls
• returning emails
• scheduling appointments
• travel arrangements
• calendar management

There really is no end to what a virtual assistant might expect to do. It largely depends on the client and their needs. If you’d like to become a freelance virtual assistant, there are many companies that hire VAs as independent contractors. You can also become a VA with absolutely no experience — check out this virtual assistant get-started guide to learn how.

2. Nurse

The medical field isn’t what you typically associate with freelancing. But in recent years, there’s been a growing demand for nurses who work from home. I’m not talking about home health care, but actual home-based nurses helping others remotely.

Telephonic Nurse and Case Manager are two popular freelance nursing jobs. Calling patients, discussing their healthcare needs, reminding them to take medication,  and answering any health-related questions they may have are common aspects of freelance nursing. 83 Bar and CareNet are two companies that employ nurses as freelancers.

Nurses can also find freelance success as case reviewers — law offices and insurance agencies use a nurse’s expert eye to review medical records and check for any errors or inconsistencies. Be sure to keep an eye on Indeed, too. There are a variety of freelance nursing jobs frequently posted here.

3. Writing

You don’t need an English degree or even be a published writer to earn a living as a freelance writer. In fact, I quit my job to become a freelance writer, even though I never had a paid writing assignment in my life. And I’m not alone. Many people take the leap of faith into freelance writing and find tons of success — you can too.

The key to earning a living as a freelance writer is to pick a niche. The more narrow your niche, the better off you’ll be. I know it seems counterintuitive to ‘limit’ yourself to a select audience. However, a well-defined niche makes it easier to find clients and establish yourself as an expert. And once you’ve reached this expert status, you’ll have more clients and referral work than you’ll know what to do with.

Really, getting started as a freelance writer is the hardest part. For a nudge in the right direction, read this get-started freelance writing guide.

4. Transcription

Some people may argue that transcription is a fading industry thanks to advances in speech-to-text technology. But think about insurance and legal transcription jobs that must use strict verbatim (word for word) or video captioning which requires picking up on atmospherics, emotions, and other cues to help an audience understand what’s going on.

Humans can definitely understand subtleties in speech more than any computer ever could. Plus, just look at all the transcription companies out there hiring independent contractors to transcribe audio in a variety of industries. Many of them have so much work available they can’t keep up with demand and are in desperate need of typists to help them out.

It’s pretty easy to get started as a transcriptionist. You only need a few things:

• Express Scribe Transcription Software
• Foot pedal
• Quality headset

The best part is, you don’t need experience to get started. You should, however, have a strong grasp of grammar, type quickly and accurately, and be able to simultaneously listen to what’s being said while typing it out — a skill that takes time to master. To give yourself a better understanding of what it’s really like to work as a freelance transcriptionist, I recommend taking this free general transcription mini course.

5. Bookkeeper

Love numbers? You’re in luck. Bookkeeping is big business — and it can be done remotely, making it perfect for the work-from-home freelancer. Small business owners need to keep track of their expenses while also running the day-to-day happenings of their operation. That’s why many often turn to a freelance bookkeeping pro to keep an eye on their finances for them.

Keep in mind, a bookkeeper and an accountant are two different things. Accountants typically advise clients about finances and analyze including things like taxes and payroll. Bookkeepers typically record everyday transactions and monitor the coming and going of money. If something looks suspicious or doesn’t quite ‘add up,’ bookkeepers can alert the business owner.

You don’t need a degree or previous experience to start offering freelance services as a bookkeeper. In fact, the Bookkeeper Business Academy has a free training series that will show you exactly what you need to do to prosper as a freelance bookkeeper — even if you have zero experience.

Start Freelancing

While these 5 freelance offerings are in demand, they’re not the only ones. The truth, is there are seemingly endless freelance services out there with more work available than you’ll know what to do with — proofreading, web design, photography, and social media moderation (to name a few more) all come to mind.

Really, whatever it is you enjoy doing can realistically translate into a freelance career. I always say, “If you can think it, you can freelance it.” It’s true! Want to learn more? For a little additional freelance inspiration, read my beginner’s freelance guide.

And don’t forget to sign up for the free resource library below. After you do, you’ll get access to an exclusive library created specifically for out-of-the-cube thinkers, like you!

Questions? Hit me with them: ashlee@workfromhomehappiness.com

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