The Orlando Freelancers Union SPARK kicked off the month by raising a glass to “Freedom for Independents.” We met at Downtown Orlando’s Foxtail Coffee Bar for some good eats and great conversation.
Orlando Freelancers Union SPARK
The Orlando SPARK is a Florida chapter of the Freelancers Union. Tiffany of Tiffany Taylor Marketing and I jumpstarted the group to bring local freelancers together with conversation. We are just three months old right now! Our first Orlando event was in May 2018.
The Freelancers Union, a nonprofit organization, provides resources for more than 375,000 members! These resources include tips on being our own boss, health insurance guidance, and advocating “freelance isn’t free.”
The Freelancers Union introduced us to AND CO – a FREE resource to create contracts, proposals, invoices, and to track expenses. How cool is that?
We can customize the contracts to fit our rates and our project terms. When we send invoices, AND CO notifies us when the invoice is viewed, and if we need to send a friendly reminder to a client. This resource really streamlines the process from acquiring a new client, all the way down to sending a receipt.
Building communities
Sometimes working for ourselves gets lonely – we feel isolated. Managing our own projects and organizing our work days is very rewarding, but a lot of our work is very independent.
We build our own communities so when we’re ready to step outside that freelance bubble, we’ve got our own support group to turn to.
As a writer and editor, I spend 90% of my work time alone. 10% of my time involves interacting with clients to clarify instructions or interviewing people for feature articles.
As a photographer, I spend a lot more time working with clients face to face. But I still spend those editing hours alone.
Collaboration, not competition.
Meeting with Orlando SPARK gives us the opportunity to interact with new people. We find other freelancers to work on projects with and even to recommend their services.
Expanding our freelance network, It’s less competitive and more collaborative than we might think.
According to the Freelancers Union, 81% of freelancers refer work to other freelancers. 52% of freelancers team up, work together, or hire other freelancers to work on projects. 37% of freelancers trade or barter services with each other. That’s a lot of teamwork!
Orlando sparks conversations.
Orlando SPARK meets once a month to lead discussions on topics that matter most to freelancers. All SPARKs across the country follow a similar curriculum and share their experiences with each other.
May’s SPARK focused on legal issues freelancers experience, and how contracts protect us. June’s SPARK guided us in diversifying our income.
Finding small jobs outside of our main freelance work helps us discover new skills and to complement our business. These small jobs may also boost our income.
These SPARK events are both networking opportunities and educational sessions, so it’s a win-win!
I love what I do, no matter how late I stay up, or how early I wake up to finish a project. We all want to meet and exceed client expectations.
Join the Freelancers Union to learn more, and stay updated on Orlando Freelancers Union SPARK events!
Enjoyed the first meeting, hope to be able to attend future meets. Nice job Kelly.
Thanks, Melissa! 🙂 It was great to see you at our inaugural meet. You bring a great perspective and such unique services that we can all benefit from! I’d love to see you again at a future Orlando SPARK meet.
This is so good! Thanks for all the information Kelly. I am definitely attending the next meeting.
Thanks for checking out the post, Kathy! That’s great to hear. 🙂 We wanted more resources in Orlando, so, just like our freelance projects, we had to make it happen! Can’t wait to see you at the next Orlando SPARK.
This sounds awesome!! When you are working for yourself, you def need a community to help motivate you!! Such a great way to meet new people and learn!
Thank you, Nikki! Community is key. You hit the nail on the head with the “why” – we need a community to motivate us! It’s easy to get stuck behind a computer and feel like we’re the only ones out there. Stepping outside of that environment and meeting other people helps inspire us and our work! We learn by listening and by exchanging our experiences. Thanks for checking out the post. 🙂