And so we continue with the Book Yourself Modest process; in which I’m honing my business so it’s more focused on gaining the right kind of clients, who’ll benefit most from what I do best. To recap on the principles: if you only do what you love for your job, that makes for a happy freelancer and happy clients.
In today’s exercise I’m looking at life situations – experiences and interests that my target market and I share in common. The theory goes that we’ll find common ground here; situations I can identify with (having been through them), that’ll help me serve my clients better, by drawing upon that experience.
- Living responsibly: sustainable and frugal living that’s in harmony with the environment, and taking responsibility for your actions.
- Shirking the 9-5 rat-race: true self-employment is all about finding yourself; seizing control of your own destiny in pursuit of contentment
- Heading for middle-age: I’ve got one eye on legacy now – what can I leave behind to make my mark on humanity.
- Honesty: this is a big deal – all about doing the right thing for the right reasons.
- Masculinity: what it means to be a modern male
- Being a leftie: I’ll draw the line at tree-hugging but I’m something of a contemporary hippy with a penchant for the green.
- Voting with your wallet: shunning avarice, greed and unsustainable wealth – money is a means to an end and I believe there’s no other way to live your life.
- Vegetarian: more like ‘flexitarian’ in truth – why wouldn’t you care about what you put in your body, with healthy eating and cooking
- Fitness: health and well-being are a top priority – like cycling, walking, running and swimming.
- Allotmenteering: grow your own I say, then compost the rest – get connected to the earth.
- DIY, construction: who doesn’t love taking on a big construction challenge?
- Yorkshire heritage: I’ve lived in Leeds longer than where I was born. Yorkshire values are hewn into everything I do.
- France: I like Europe, I’ve even bothered to learn French and German.
- Bureaucracy and large organisations: this is the fire in my belly; four years at the NHS drove me to plain-speaking and better communication.
- Public-speaking: I’ve done my fair share (and dipped my toe at stand-up) and want to help others deliver better presentations.
- Education: teaching is in my blood
- Restoration: I love breathing new life into the old, whether that’s old bikes, technology or copy.
- Software development: technically what I’m professionally qualified to do, having designed and built systems since I was 17.
- Renewable energy: innovative tech solutions to climate change thrill me, this is where I want to be; telling the story of humans reconnecting and living in harmony with our natural resources.
