The 4 Pillars of Successful Digital Transformations

Digital Transformation

January 28, 2022Andrew Brookes/Getty ImagesSummary. Digital transformation can mean a lot of different things. For leaders, it can be hard to know where you should be focusing investment — and what kind of digital transformation you’re really after. The authors outline four pillars of digital transformation: IT uplift,…more

Despite years of discussion, understanding what digital transformation means for established companies remains a daunting challenge. Leaders put in charge of a digital transformation feel pulled in many different directions, with competing demands from IT, marketing, sales, and operations. Without a clear understanding, the wrong people are often put in charge, with the wrong resources, and the wrong KPIs, setting the digital transformation project up for failure.

The key to cutting through the confusion is to see that digital transformation is not a single thing, but a multi-faceted journey with differing goals depending on your industry and digital maturity. Just as we had to evolve our view of computers after their introduction — from a device performing a narrow set of tasks at the edge of the organization to one that performs many tasks, in many different ways — so it is time to evolve our view of digital transformation, from a monolithic concept to understand that digital transformation means many different things for different parts of the organization. Doing so will help you articulate what kind of digital transformation you’re really talking about, and plan accordingly.

Based on our collective research on companies undergoing digital transformation, we offer a simplifying framework to cut through the confusion and conflicting demands. The framework outlines the four pillars of digital transformation we see today: IT uplift, digitizing operations, digital marketing, and digital businesses. All four are part of most companies’ digital transformation journey. But without understanding how they are different, it’s confusing to understand what to do next or how to invest — the resources, tools, goals, C-Suite sponsors, and KPIs required for success are totally different in each case. Being clear about their differing demands can help you make smart tradeoffs and clear progress.

Below we outline the four pillars and how to invest properly to set yourself up for success. Which pillar is the right starting point for your company depends on your context, needs, but also your digital maturity? Typically, companies tackle the first pillars we describe near the start of their digital transformation journey, although as they mature they may continually upgrade to add additional pillars.

The Four Pillars

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IT uplift

For many companies, digital transformation starts with upgrading the company’s IT infrastructure as well as mobile infrastructure, data lakes, and the cloud. Essentially, this is an opportunity to use the budget allocated to “digital initiatives” to modernize IT and communications platforms within your enterprise. When completed, an IT uplift provides your company access to up-to-date tools that offer increased employee efficiency, lower IT maintenance costs, and increased employee satisfaction.

Some companies are already deep into this journey, but many other companies struggle with questions about how to upgrade the digital infrastructure. Often this is the first step on the digital journey. It requires IT architects and time but promises up-to-date platforms with more effective tools to serve customers at a lower cost of maintenance. But for more mature digital companies, investment is still required to use advanced tools such as artificial intelligence.

Typically, the CIO or CTO should lead this pillar of digital transformation, and the KPIs to indicate success is access to new tools, reduced maintenance costs, improved employee satisfaction, and better business performance. In support of this, recent research from IDC indicates that organizations that had begun an ERP cloud migration as part of a digital transformation initiative prior to the COVID-19 pandemic fared far better than organizations that didn’t.

Digitizing operations

A second critical pillar of digital transformation, often tackled earlier in the digital transformation journey, is using digital for optimizing, simplifying, and rationalizing existing processes. The goal here is to use digital tools, including more advanced technologies such as AI, 5G, and IOT, to streamline business growth.

In its most basic form, this pillar can mean swapping out analog activities with digital ones. But other times it involves rearchitecting the system to meet the needs of today’s customers. For example, in the past when PayPal sent payments via email, they had significant time to ensure regulatory compliance. But to enable the instant payments demanded in today’s market required rearchitecting PayPal’s organization, merging once separate divisions for payments and compliance into one entity. This is more than just swapping analog processes for digital ones; it is about rearchitecting the organization and the digital operations to serve customers better.

Digitizing operations is a fundamental pillar of digital transformation in the sense that, without it, your company will be left behind by more efficient operators. A company may begin its digital transformation journey by digitizing processes and as it matures, rearchitect processes entirely. As a company rearchitects their processes, they also start to unlock more transformational possibilities. For example, when a European retailer changed its platform to serve customers better, it discovered it could also offer other retailers’ products with their improved ecommerce platform and digitized logistics, enabling the retailer to create an ecosystem of products and services from third-party sellers to offer to their customers.

Because of the need to understand how the business works, digitizing operations often fare better when led by the CFO or COO. It does require time and technology but the benefits, measured by the central KPIs, are savings in time, money, and people to solve business problems and serve customers.

Digital marketing

If you are looking for digital solutions to win clients, build brand awareness, profile clients or simply sell online, then you are pursuing the digital marketing pillar. This pillar is different from the others in its focus on digital tools to interact and sell to customers. Not surprisingly, it requires different resources, such as investing in capturing clean data, digital tools including artificial intelligence to understand customers, and omnichannel presence.

Several global retailers are using digital channels, AI, and predictive analytics to access prospects and customers, set up digital marketplaces, viral campaigns, and geo-targeting campaigns. Likewise, companies are using artificial intelligence to identify and act on critical customer behaviors, for example, identifying customers likely to leave your service and then intervening before they do so.

Typically, the CMO leads this initiative and should focus on KPIs such as return on marketing investments, reduction of customer acquisition costs, and generation of a large amount of valuable data that can be used to acquire new customers and better serve existing customers.

New ventures

Finally, digital opens up many new opportunities for established companies. Seizing these opportunities, some of which may be quite disruptive, requires both developing the innovation and digital capabilities to test and pivot to new sources of growth. Digital may provide the opportunity to create new business models, new products and services, or even collaborate with a large ecosystem to create new sources of growth.

Typically the CEO, or head of sales, leads such initiatives because of the requirement for investment, agility, but most importantly a team capable of running experiments to validate the new business opportunity. The payoff is new sources of revenue, but the KPIs are more nuanced, typically unit economic measures that you are creating solving a significant customer problem and growing profitably. Most businesses have these opportunities at hand but seizing them requires a greater digital maturity than for an IT uplift or digitizing processes.

For example, a large retail bank which we studied entered a range of different industries, such as transportation (ride-sharing), content distribution (music and TV), e-health, and retail marketplace just to name a few. The first deputy CEO was in charge of this transformation and be built a team that contained individuals with strong innovation capabilities, which tested and built each new business. As part of the digital function, executives were also tasked with digitizing the entire ecosystem as well as a separate department with a task to build and maintain the resulting ecosystem. To measure whether they are succeeding, the bank carefully analyzes their ability to increase customer retention in the core financial services business but more importantly, for the new businesses, measure the number of daily/monthly average users, engagement, and cross-selling opportunities.

The Digital Journey

Everyone who has been part of digital transformation describes it as a journey. Digital transformation takes time and is a series of evolutionary, and occasionally disruptive, steps. Like in any journey, you need to decide where to go first. Typically, companies begin with IT uplift and digitizing operations, followed by digital marketing and new business building. But all four pillars are important to digital transformation, so they may happen in another order. The key to success is simply getting clarity that digital transformation is not one thing, but rather many different things. Having the right leader, resources, and measures of success for the journey towards each different pillar can contribute greatly to success.

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Nathan Furr is a strategy professor at INSEAD and a coauthor of Innovation Capital (HBR Press, 2019), Leading Transformation (HBR Press, 2018), and The Innovator’s Method (HBR Press, 2014)
Andrew Shipilov is a John H. Loudon Chaired Professor of International Management at INSEAD. He is a coauthor of Network Advantage: How to Unlock Value From Your Alliances and Partnerships.
DRDidier Rouillard is the Corporate VP of Quadient, a customer experience software company operating globally.
AHAntoine Hemon-Laurens is Senior DigitalNOW! partner at Quadient.

January 29, 2022 0

The pros and cons of being a freelancer

Freelance

Freelance work is a brilliant way to use your skills and experience while balancing your responsibilities as a mum. As a freelancer, you can choose when you work and who for – allowing you to fit work around the hours you have free.

But freelance isn’t for everyone. To help you decide if it’s the right career direction for you, we take a look at some of the pros and cons of being a freelancer.

The pros of being a freelancer

You can choose when you work – as a freelancer you can choose to fit your work around the hours that you have free or work for you. So if you’re a morning person, you can get up at the crack of dawn when the house is nice and quiet and get a good three hours of work under your belt before your children are awake and needing your attention. Or you can plan to tackle your freelance projects when your children are at school or childcare – perfect for working mums.

You can choose where you work – as long as you don’t need heavy specialist equipment, you can work pretty much anywhere as a freelancer. So you don’t have to take time off when you go away if you don’t want to. You can even take your laptop down to the local café for a working break.

You don’t have to make the leap straight away – if you’re not sure whether freelance work is the right choice for you, or you can’t afford to ditch your job and wait for freelance jobs to come in, try it out before you make the leap. Try taking on some small freelance projects in your spare time while you’re working – especially if you work flexibly. Not only will it give you a taste of freelance work so you can see if you enjoy it, but you can also start building a freelance client base while you work to ease the transition if you do decide being a freelancer is for you.

You decide when you want time off – when you work for an employer, you need to get permission for holidays and time off. For many working mums this can make school holidays difficult, especially on lovely summer days when they’d much rather be enjoying an impromptu picnic with their children! As a freelancer, you decide when you want to take on freelance projects and work. So you can choose to block out school holidays for childcare and fun if you wish. Or, if the weather forecast for the week is good, you can choose to work around the sunny days and make the most of the sunshine with your children.

Your earning capacity is controlled by you – as a freelancer, your salary is governed by how often you choose to work, how many clients you have, and how much you charge for your freelance work. So if you’re saving up for a holiday or a new car, you can choose to work extra hours or take on more clients. Equally, if you’ve worked hard for a few months and don’t need extra cash right now, you can slow down and take it easy.

The cons of being a freelancer

Freelance work can be unreliable – however hard you work at cultivating your client base, there may be times when you don’t have much freelance work. Equally, there can be other times when all your clients want projects completed at the same time and you need to work seven days a week to keep them happy. Most freelancers accept that there will be times they need to work hard and rely on the extra money they earn to tide them through any quiet periods. If you’re someone who likes stability and reliability, you may find the peaks and troughs of freelance work just aren’t for you.

You need to work at finding freelance clients – many freelancers rely on a roster of regular clients, plus the odd one-off freelance job. And finding and maintaining enough regular clients to keep you going can take a bit of work. You need to make sure you have an updated social media presence, are listed on the right freelancer directories, and are front of mind for freelance recruitment agents. Over time you’ll find that regular clients can sometimes go quiet or just drop off the radar completely – your contact may leave the company, they could hire in-house talent, or they may have no need for your services anymore. So you always need to be on the lookout for new freelance clients to add to your client base. As a working mum, you need to make sure you can factor that time in with all your other responsibilities.

It can be hard to take time off – if you want to keep your regular freelance clients happy, you may find it hard to say no to them and end up working unsociable hours at the weekends and evenings – either sacrificing time with your family or sleep. You also need to make sure you book holidays in advance so you can let your freelance clients know you won’t be around at that time. If you’re prone to workaholicism then you’ll need to be very strict with yourself and ring-fence time for you and your family, so you can make sure you achieve a healthy work-life balance.

You have no one to talk to – when you work in a busy office you have plenty of colleagues to chat to and share problems with. But if you’re working from home as a solo freelancer you have no one who you can moan about a difficult client to, or bump into at the coffee machine for a quick gossip. So if you’re a very social person who really needs the input of other people, you need to consider whether being a freelancer would work for you.

January 29, 2022 0

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December 28, 2021 0

7 Things You Need To Start Freelancing & Other Considerations You Need To Know

By Lee Ann Hargrave

There are some very important material and computer needs that you will need to start freelancing effectively. Here are a few things that I dealt with initially and some later during the growth of my freelance career.

1. Your computer is important! Be sure that you have sufficient hard drive memory. I have a terabyte of space on my hard drive. You will be asked to download different video and chat apps just to get the job. If you don’t have adequate space, you will have a very hard time. The speed of your processor in your CPU is also majorly important. When I started freelancing, I bought a used computer from Amazon with 1 TB hard drive space and an Intel i7 Core processor at 3.4ghz processing speed for about $385.00. Laptops were not big enough for my eye sight problems so a desktop was the only answer for me.

2. RAM is also very important for speed of up and downloads from the internet. If you have a fast enough processor, at least 16 gigs of RAM to video chat online, Skype, etc., without getting pixelated (meaning you can see the individual pixels). You don’t want prospective employers thinking you are not tech savvy enough to work from home. A good even streaming picture is worth a thousand words to an employer. (Most employers hiring freelancers will want to video chat with you. Not all will but most.)

3. You will need a good camera for your computer (or you can do it from your phone). Get one with a lens cap so as to keep prying eyes from seeing you when you are off duty. I have difficulty with my vision so the phone is not big enough for me to be comfortable. Be sure that whatever equipment you use, it is comfortable for you including the chair and computer table. You can get a really cheap desk from Walmart that doesn’t take up much space but beware of where your mouse will be placed. If there is not enough room on the table with your keyboard, you will have to use a side table for ease of use.

4. I recommend a good printer. Laser is best especially for photos and color designs that you might want to print. They usually come equipped with a scanner too. Ink jets will work too but beware that you will go through the cartridges quickly especially black. Get an extra one immediately when you get the printer. The ones that come with the printer are just temporary and not as full as the ones you buy.

5. Make a clear space behind you in your bedroom or office with a white sheet or a projection screen if you don’t have a clear wall. I’m using limited space in my bedroom for my office and a sheet behind me helps video chats be less busy and cluttered than seeing your bed. This helps you keep things more “business-like” and “less informal” for your video chats.

6. Have either a cell phone, a landline or VOIP line. It is relatively cheap to add a VOIP phone to your internet service. I pay about $15 per month on top of my internet service. I understand that the phone companies have reduced the price of land-lines as well. It will be an advantage if you have a dedicated VOIP line just for your business to stay in contact with future employers. You will need one especially if you plan on doing customer service functions, help desk, or any other job that requires you to be online and on the phone at the same time.

7. Get a good head set that has a microphone and sound canceling capabilities. It will be a good investment right off the bat and you won’t have to replace earbuds that don’t give you the quality needed for a great conversation with someone.

In short, you will need to expend a little bit of money to get your office setup initially but, in the long run, it will be well worth the cost. Remember to look at your new freelance jobs just like a job at the employer’s site. They expect you to be on-time, easy to communicate with, very responsive to their inquiries and requests for work just like your old job. Even though you can make your own hours with most freelance jobs, be a reliable employee and you will get great reviews.

Don’t forget that you will be contract employees and as such, will be responsible for your own taxes, i.e., federal withholding, state withholding, SS payments, medicare and insurance for yourself. Your employer will send you a 1099 misc. for at the end of the year containing gross payment information. If you have not made estimated tax payments during the year, you will owe at the end of the year. Be prepared by doing your homework on your state’s laws concerning contract employees. It is taxed based on the state where the work was completed. If you have questions about this kind of stuff, it is good to consult a bookkeeper or CPA to keep you on track and out of debt.

Have fun with your new freelance lifestyle, take it with you or keep it in your home office. It is going to be a fast growing segment of the job market since most employers had to make the change during COVID and are keeping it that way because it costs them less if you are contract workers. Don’t let this stuff dissuade you, just know that this is a business just like any other and you’ll do just fine.

Questions? Email me at freelanceruidoso@gmail.com and I’ll steer you in the right direction.

June 22, 2021 0

Inspiration

Sometimes getting up everyday is a challenge but you have to look for your inspiration wherever you can find it. Today, mine came from a cereal box. It said:

7 Days, 7 Ways to make this your biggest week ever!

1. Be Kind
2. Be Confident
3. Be Adventurous
4. Be Creative
5. Be Independent
6. Be A Dreamer
7. Be Brave

This great message was brought to you by Post Honeycomb Cereal of all things! My message to you is to get your inspiration wherever you find it. This CAN be your biggest week ever!

Lee Ann Hargrave

June 2, 2021 0

Never Give Up!😃

Just when you think the storm just about has you, something great happens! I got 2 job offers in one day! Both are good paying positions and will be interviewing for both. I was beginning to think that my skills were not up to pare, but there you go. If you stay focused, are diligent, keep throwing pitches out there, someone will salute! Feeling great about being a freelancer today!

Lee Ann Hargrave

June 1, 2021 0

🤨Meh!

Looking for work again this morning, just like every morning. Finding a writing position that pays decently is very difficult. The trick is to not give up. Occasionally, I will find something that speaks to me but the pay is really bad. It hurts my professional feelings that people expect something for practically nothing. People, this is my professional life. My background and experience demand certainly nothing less than a professional pay rate. If you are one of those people who want me to work for 1 cent/word and do research on the topic, lend my particular flare, meet deadlines, and communicate with dedication then I’m not for you. For that price, you should write it yourself.

I’m finished now. Back to the grind!

Lee Ann Hargrave

May 31, 2021 0

Meeting the Challenges of Freelancing

By Lee Ann Hargrave

Since I started writing 5 years ago, I learned the hard way that there are just some people out there that want you to write for them practically for free. I don’t know about you but, I have a BBA (semi-retired), and I am a fierce researcher. My time is valuable to me. Why would I want to sit in front of my computer for hours and make $20 or pay 20% to a company just to help me find work?

Recently, I have been going about writing a different direction instead of freelancing website job finders. I have been using LinkedIn, my website promotions, and my Facebook page to get more traffic for my site!

The first thing you need to do is update your LinkedIn profile to reflect that you are freelancing (contracting) work. Show your experience, likes, and topics that interest you. Create a page just for your freelance business then follow people and groups that can help you get a foot in the door so to speak. Pick people that have the power to at minimum refer your name to their hiring people.

Link your Facebook page, website and LinkedIn pages so that your information is consistent. Then write, write, write because as we all know, “Content is King”!

Need curated content? Try Paper.li and create your own newsletter which enables you to pick the type of articles received within the newsletter. It is a great place to start and it can give you great writing ideas of your own.

If you would like to discuss some of my tactics, just message me a freelanceruidoso@gmail.com. I check my mail everyday (sometimes even more) and I would love to discuss your particular issues with you!

Thanks for listening and have a great day!

Lee Ann

PS: Follow my blog to keep up with the latest by signing up on the home page of this site. If you would like a copy of my newsletter, just email me.

May 16, 2021 0

28 of the Best Websites to Find Freelance Writing Jobs

By Heather Ritchie

https://writerslifeforyou.com/author/staunton48/

The Best Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners

Table of Contents:

The Best Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners.

WANT TO KNOW WHERE TO FIND FREELANCE WRITING JOBS FOR BEGINNERS?

How to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners , choose a profitable niche that brings in the money ,build Your first website , create a Freelance Writing Portfolio , Freelance Writing Job Boards and Websites

1. Freelance Writing Jobs

2. ProBlogger Job Board

9. All Freelance Writing Job Board

10. Writers Weekly

11. Be a Freelance Blogger (BAFB)

12. Freelancer

13. LinkedIn 14. Contently

15. Barefoot Writer

16. Indeed.com

17. Constant Content

18. Virtual Vocations

26. Freelance Writer’s Den

27. Glassdoor

28. Google Final Thoughts on Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginner s. Related Posts to Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners . Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners that Pay Well and Give You Experience

So, you’ve decided to be a freelance writer. That’s great! Freelance writing is a great side-hustle or full-time gig. What’s not great is your lack of knowledge about where to find freelance writing jobs for beginners.

Do you look at freelance writing job boards, content mills, or other websites?

You’re not alone. Like other industries, it can seem difficult to find jobs when you’re a newbie freelance writer, but all new freelance writers go through the same thing.

Sometimes the only places new writers can find work are content mills. But there are plenty of places to find well-paying jobs so you can make a living as a writer.

So, I decided to research and make a list of 28 places you can find freelance writing jobs for beginners to make the job search a little easier.

I don’t think that content mills are the best places to find writing jobs, but I included them in this list. They don’t pay well and certainly aren’t the way to make a good living writing online.

WANT TO KNOW WHERE TO FIND FREELANCE WRITING JOBS FOR BEGINNERS?

Sign up to my email list and get my FREE list of freelance writing jobs so you can just click and start searching for work! DOWNLOAD THE LIST NOW!.

How to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners

There are several things that you really need to do BEFORE you start looking for freelance writing jobs. But if you’re like most of us and want to start making money right away, you can work on these things while you look for jobs.

However, these tasks are critical to leveling up to better clients, so they are definitely necessary.

Choose a Profitable Niche that Brings in the Money

“What,” you say? Yes, you need to niche down to level up your profits, and no, that won’t lead to fewer clients.

When you niche down, you’re picking a topic that you can write about endlessly, make money from, and use it to position yourself as an expert. It’s one of the only ways to find better-paying writing clients, and if you’re blogging, it’s the way to find your true tribe of fans.

Because choosing a niche can be difficult, I created a FREE challenge that lays out the tips on how to find the best profitable niche for you.

This challenge teaches the three main components of a profitable niche. You can find the Niche Down to Level Up Your Profits Challenge here when you’re ready.

Build Your First Website

Once you decide on your niche, you’ll want to build a website to market your services and establish yourself as an authority on the topic. You can still make money without a website if you just create a portfolio site.

But most entrepreneurs will tell you that creating your own website is the best way to show prospective clients your samples, host a blog, and show the services that you offer.

You’ll need web hosting, and I recommend Bluehost. They have amazing prices (seriously they’re hard to beat), and their customer service is fabulous. Plus, they make it easy to set your website up if you’ve never set up one before,

Bluehost makes the process pretty easy and you can get hosting as low as $2.95 a month. That includes a free domain and free SSL certificate, which you need. (I didn’t know this when I started.)

A word of advice though. Bluehost is a great web hosting service for new bloggers looking for a deal, but if you’re in this for the long and thinking about monetizing your blog, then SiteGround is a better choice.

I want to optimize my website for speed for SEO and a better user experience, and my awesome technical support people won’t even optimize websites that use Bluehost.

I just wanted to make sure you knew that while Bluehost is good, you will likely need to switch later down the road. I switched to SiteGround recently and I love them. They have always been there for me with technical support.

This was a great article created by Heather Richie. One of the best I’ve seen on this topic. Follow Freelance Ruidoso and Heather Richie for more exciting content.

Lee Ann Hargrave
Owner – Freelance Ruidoso

May 15, 2021 0

Retirees can Freelance

You’ve retired-now what?

Most seniors are encouraged (and sometimes forced) to retire at age 65 depending on where they are in the world, whether they like it or not.

While in Australia there is no fixed retirement age, the average retirement age for workers in the country is 55.3 years and 62.9 years for individuals who have retired more recently.

Retirees have most of their income dependent on their pensions. Although there are retirees who are confident of their nest egg sufficiency for retirement, there is a considerable number of seniors who believe they will struggle financially post-retirement.

Despite the pensions, for some retirees, they still need more in order to live comfortably. There is a strong case for retirees freelancing.

You can Retire But the Bills Don’t Stop

Some of the main challenges that retirees face include the diminished income versus the steady stream of utility bills, outstanding debt and of course, medical expenses.

Seniors with health problems need to allocate more of their pensions or savings for medicines, Medicare and other medical bills.

The influx of medical/hospital and insurance expenses can take their toll on retirees and will make them think of returning to the workforce or venturing into other ways to earn money.

But is there really a way for retirees to earn more money, besides returning to the workforce? Fortunately, there is-FREELANCING.

What is Freelancing?

According to online definitions for freelancing, freelancing is choosing to work as an independent contractor (self-employed) as opposed to taking full-time, traditional or desk jobs.

This means that freelancers can get to work for various companies or individuals at once, with varying contracts/provisions for each client.

There are various ways to do freelancing. The gig economy or the freelance economy involves individuals who work as:

1. Seasonal workers. Seasonal workers are those individuals who have skills needed for a specific time of the year. To these workers, it is clear that after the specific season ends, their services will no longer be required.

Seasonal workers may be hired during the holidays or during tax season. Freelancing as a seasonal worker may be ideal for individuals who are looking for seasonal commitments.

2. Independent contractors. Independent contractors, on the other hand, are individuals who are hired by specific companies for a brief period, usually not more than 2 years.

These independent contractors are usually pooled by a contracting agency which supplies companies and businesses with temporary workers in case they need them.

Becoming an independent contractor is ideal for experts in their respective fields who are interested in working with a specific company under contract and for a certain period.

3. Self-employed freelancers. Freelancers who are self-employed do not enter contracts with companies and get paid for their services renered.

Unlike independent contractors, self-employed freelancer workers do not have a written agreement when it comes to their length of service for their clients.

Self-employed freelancers have no ties with any specific company or client so they have the freedom to work with as many companies they want, although without any existing contract for their services.

Can Retirees do Freelancing?

retirees do freelancing Image Credit: Bankrate.com

Absolutely! Freelancing and retirees go hand in hand, according to Sara Horowitz, the founder of Freelancers Union and the author of the Freelancers Bible. Since there is no age limit when it comes to working freelance jobs, seniors can resort to freelancing even after employment.

According to one 2018 survey from Payoneer involving 21,000 freelancers from 170 countries of the world, about 6% of the freelancer population involve individuals aged 50 above.

But while the freelancer population is young (over 50% of the freelancer population is below 30), according to the same survey, older freelancers are able to earn more than their younger counterparts.

This only means that as a senior/retiree, you will be able to make a lucrative career out of freelancing if you choose to.

Seniors who are looking for ways to productively manage their time or to earn more money for medical/utility bills can surely benefit from doing freelancing, whether as a seasonal worker, independent contractor or as a self-employed freelancer.

Reasons why Seniors and Retirees should do Freelancing

Why should you try freelancing after retirement-well, besides having extra income or having more productive things to do?

There are several good reasons why retirees should venture into freelance work and if you’re someone who’s considering freelancing beyond retirement, these reasons may help:

1. Your expertise and years of experience are valuable to budding companies and businesses in your field. If there’s one thing that’s in demand in the freelance industry today, it’s real expertise.

Seniors and retirees with decades of experience can bring so much to the table and can be of great assistance to growing companies.

Your input as a senior and an expert in your field isn’t something that young people have, that’s why the freelance industry needs more individuals with your calibre.

2. The gig economy is the future of work. Although you’re actually done with work now you’re retired, it is great to take your chances at online freelancing since it’s the future of work.

Online is where the companies are and it is where you should be too. According to Upwork’s survey, in the US alone, about 60% of the companies are using flexible workforce to some degree-in some cases, businesses have their entire workforce made up of freelancers.

3. A good way to socialize and expand your online/physical network. Doing freelance work is a great opportunity to expand your social/business network further.

You may find these additional connections helpful in your future ventures (for instance, if you decide to put up a product/service-oriented business of your own).

4. Freelancing is a good way to spend your time productively. Although in most cases, the goal of freelancers is really to find more ways to increase their income pool (well, retirees have this goal too), individuals post-retirement may also find freelancing an excellent way to keep their minds sharp.

Most retirees may get bored doing no work after deciding to retire, so freelancing would be a welcome challenge (instead of the usual gardening, shopping or golf).

Benefits Of Freelancing for Retirees

If you’re still wondering how freelancing is able to benefit you as a retiree, here are a few clear advantages of freelancing for retirees:

1. Added income. One of the main benefits of working as freelancers post-retirement is the added income.

Yes, you may have existing pensions, but we all know that unexpected bills can kick in, hence the need for other sources of income.

It’s not just the medical, utility and other bills though-sometimes, retirees would want to earn more to increase their savings for a specific goal (like a new property, a new car, travel or other needs/wants).

2. Opportunity to work full-time without leaving the comfort of your own home. Not all countries are like Australia where there isn’t a fixed retirement age and seniors who have initially retired can rejoin the workforce if they choose to.

If in case it is still possible for you (a retiree) to rejoin the workforce, then great, but if not, freelancing is the next best option.

Whether for increasing income or just finding ways to put more use to your time, working as an online freelancer is an excellent way to return to the workforce with less physical effort.

3. A chance to help young companies grow through your insight. Because your knowledge and experience are valuable, you can help startups and growing companies expand further, find solutions to their problems or train their company talent.

Businesses on online marketplaces are always on the lookout for experts who can assist them in accomplishing their mission and goals for the brand in the future and you may just be the one they’re looking for.

4. Better work-life balance. Perhaps you’re eager to rejoin the workforce but you’re also unwilling to give up the freedom retirement has to offer.

Freelancing enables you to return to working while maintaining your control over your life. Working as a freelancer allows you to have a better work-life balance-you can work whenever you want, wherever you want.

Your schedule as a freelancer largely depends on how many offers you accept or decline-you can choose to work as many or as little jobs as you’d like.

5. You can build your career even post-retirement. For countries like Australia where the people have the freedom to choose when to stop working, building careers is still possible even as you age.

However, in countries where retirement by 65-67 is mandatory, freelancing is a great way for seniors to still build their careers even after retiring.

In most cases, seniors miss working their previous jobs and still miss the interaction, the mental challenge and even the stress of working and doing freelance work is one way to transition easily into retirement.

6. Freelancing is a good way to practice a special interest, a hobby or try out something new. The need for a stable income may have prevented you from pursuing your passion as a source of income, now you’re retired, you can start building your career out of your special interests or something that you were passionate about outside of your professional work.

You may have worked as an accountant for decades but your first love is writing-through freelancing, you can work part-time (or full-time) as a creative/content writer for startups or other businesses that need financial blogs from experts like you.

7. Helps keep your mind occupied. Although having a permanent break from work is something that most people dream of-most retirees may admit to longing for retirement whilst working-but come retirement, seniors often find themselves having difficulty adjusting to the no-work life.

Working as a freelancer is a great opportunity to stay active and keep your mind occupied even after retirement.

Best Freelance Jobs for Retirees

freelance jobs for retirees Image Credit: flexjobs.com

Perhaps you’re now interested in working as a freelancer post-retirement, but you’re still wondering which jobs should you take as you re-enter the workforce as a freelance worker.

Here are a few job suggestions that may be a good fit for retired professionals like you who wish to try out freelancing:

1. Freelance writer. One of the most common freelance jobs on the web market for talent, freelancing as a content writer is one of the good ways to spend your post-retirement days if you’re someone who’s passionate about writing.

Since most businesses revolve around content creation regardless of industry, you’re most likely to land writing gigs in various online marketplaces-especially if you’re someone with extensive knowledge and experience with a certain industry.

Potential roles for you include copywriter, web content writer, technical writer, expert blog/guest blog writer, editor and a lot more.

2. Project manager. Retirees with experience in operations and project management in their previous companies may also take their expertise on online talent marketplaces. There are various companies (whether startups, small businesses or large companies) looking for seasoned project managers who can help them grow their brands.

3. Tutor. Whether native speakers or not, retirees who are fluent in English and with a passion for teaching can consider making a living out of tutoring. There are a lot of ESL (English as a second language) teaching platforms you can join and that are in need of English teachers for students from Asian or non-English speaking countries.

4. Sales/Marketing Manager. Digital and web marketing is a big industry and brands are constantly in search of sales and marketing managers to help them advertise their products or services. If you’re someone with marketing and sales experience, this is something you may want to try.

5. Consultant. If you’re a retiree, becoming a freelance consultant is also one of the most lucrative careers for you. Young companies are always in search of experts in the field who can provide them valuable insight and output for business.

6. Web developer. Technology and web development jobs are very much in demand today, so if you’re someone with an aptitude for web development and technology, this career might be something you’d like to consider.

7. Accountant. You can work as a freelance accountant that can help businesses to reconcile their books during tax season.

Apart from accountants, retirees with experience in the banking or finance industry can serve as advisors to individuals and businesses with investment or other financial concerns.

Where to find Freelance Work

Freelance jobs are available on various web marketplaces. There are several trustworthy online working platforms where you’ll be able to find the most suitable jobs for you.

Here are a few famous online marketplaces for freelance work:

Upwork
Freelancer
Guru
Fiverr
Hubstaff

Joining work marketplaces is easy-just visit the links, sign up and follow the instructions in completing your profile.

For more information on freelance marketplaces, check out this article about Three of the Best Legitimate Work from Home Jobs Websites.

These Tips Can Help You Become A Successful Retiree + Freelancer

successful retiree Image Credit: wealthfoundations.com.au

Now you’ve decided to work as a freelancer after retirement-what’s next?

The first thing to do is visit various online marketplaces, sign up and follow the steps needed to become a legitimate member of the website and become able to search for and apply to jobs.

Apart from completing the membership processes on various online working platforms, here are other tips for successful freelancing especially if you’re a retiree:

1. Decide what industry you wish to work in and build your career there. Your former work doesn’t have to be your basis for your future freelance work.

Pick any career you want-whether it’s related to what you’ve previously done or not-and stick to it until you’ve established yourself as an expert there.

2. It’s never too late to learn new skills. If you think that there’s nothing for you in the freelance industry, try to learn new skills through online courses.

The same also goes for retirees who think that their skills are already outdated.

There are various online learning platforms where you can study for free or for a minimal amount. Examples of websites like this are Udemy, HubSpot Academy and Lynda.

3. Be patient and relax. If things did not work out the first time, don’t give up. Continue applying to jobs you know you can handle and take it easy. You’ll find a good match for you eventually.

Bottom Line

If you’re a retiree and looking for ways to expand your income, especially for medical, hospital and ancillary insurance, freelancing is the way to go.

In fact, according to Payoneer’s survey, older freelancers like you are able to earn more than your younger counterparts, perhaps because you have more depth, more experience and more know-how than the younger freelancers.

Even if you’re not looking to make more money online, freelancing is a great way to keep your mind active, expand your connections and become more productive. Try freelancing today!

May 11, 2021 0

Author: Lee Ann's Businesses