Freelance Blend Podcast

When I was given the book “Shoe Dog,” an autobiography written by Nike’s founder Phil Knight, as a Christmas gift, I knew I had to read it. Nike is one of my favorite brands and I love sports, especially basketball. So, I read the book in two months and it is the only book that made me cry—if you want to know why, read on and watch the video.

In this episode, I will be sharing with you

my key takeaways from this great book. Phil Knight’s success story is a

must-read, especially for freelancers and entrepreneurs like us who navigate

uncertainty and creative ideas every single day of our lives.

KEY

TAKEAWAYS

Here are my favorite stories and key points

from “Shoe Dog”:

* What “shoe dog” means* How Phil Knight, a runner

himself, came up with the crazy idea that was Nike* Japanese society in the 1960s,

just a decade after the Second World War* Phil Knight’s adventures in

pursuit of his idea of importing shoes from Japan to the United States* Why Phil Knight had to return

to Manila Hotel * Where the name “Nike” came from

(and why your favorite shoe brand was almost named “Dimension 6”)* How Nike pioneered “influencer

marketing” by working with athletes* How Nike became one of the

first American companies to open factories in China* How Nike responded to criticism

and bad publicity concerning the working conditions of one of its factories* The $35-logo misconception* The tragedy that Phil Knight,

already a billionaire at that time, had to go through

QUOTE

“I’d tell men and women in their midtwenties not to settle for a job or a profession or even a career. Seek a calling. Even if you don’t know what that means, seek it. If you’re following your calling, the fatigue will be easier to bear, the disappointments will be fuel, the highs will be like nothing you’ve ever felt.” – Phil Knight

“So that morning in 1962 I told myself: Let everyone else call your idea crazy . . . just keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t even think about stopping until you get there, and don’t give much thought to where “there” is. Whatever comes, just don’t stop.” – Phil Knight

SPECIAL

ANNOUNCEMENT

Our community will be having a Freelancers

& Entrepreneurs Meetup on March 2, 2019. The meetup will run from 4:00 PM

to 6:00 PM at the Ground Up Business Solutions space located at Werco Arcade,

Lot 18, Dr. A. Santos Ave. (or Sucat Ave.), Paranaque City. While we

freelancers work for ourselves, we don’t have to do it all alone. If you are

looking for support and new friends, we would love to have you join us. For more

info about the meetup, please visit: www.freelanceblend.com/meetupmar2019

LINKS

* Grab a copy of the awesome book “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight using this link: http://amzn.to/2EbAvqX* In case you missed it, here’s that link again on our upcoming Freelancers & Entrepreneurs Meetup: www.freelanceblend.com/meetupmar2019* To watch other useful Facebook Live replays please visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/freelanceblend. To be notified when I do another Facebook Live call,

While working as the Head of B2B Sales and Growth at STORM, a Philippine tech startup, Cindy Burdette noticed a huge pain point experienced by the contractors and freelancers hired by these large multinational companies that she worked with at STORM.

The problem: They didn’t have health insurance.

“We would see people who were basically doing similar tasks, but one would have benefits and one would not.”

Thus, began a new chapter in Cindy Burdette’s already accomplished career. To gain a better understanding of this problem, she and her team ran an even more extensive research on the subject — which they then considered a “side project”.

Eventually, they realized that the concept of freelancing is not small anymore. And that this problem being experienced by a growing number of freelancers will soon become bigger…until they do something about it.

And so, that so-called side project eventually turned into what is now a new startup called ALLCARE.

ABOUT

ALLCARE

AllCare serves and promotes the interests of freelancers, contract workers, and self-employed individuals by providing the same benefits that traditional employees in the corporate world enjoy. Benefits like healthcare (HMO), life and accident insurance, plus other perks like Grab credits and free Coffee Bean Swirl card.

AllCare is a benefits platform that you can access online and is not only affordable but the process to become a member is so simple and easy (watch the video demo).

KEY

TAKEAWAYS

In this Freelance Blend Podcast episode, we bring in Cindy to talk about the importance of health insurance particularly for freelancers who tend to forget about it.

Cindy discusses the process of becoming a member of AllCare and the benefits that freelancers will get from the membership. Tune in until the end of this episode to learn more about a special promo for Freelance Blend followers we’re running with AllCare so that you can get yourself insured as soon as possible.

In this episode, we talk about:

* The important (and interesting) findings about freelancers and healthcare, which Cindy’s team discovered while researching for AllCare* Why healthcare tends to be neglected by Pinoy freelancers and what they can do about it* How an AllCare membership works and what benefits it offers* What the HMO health insurance model is and what its advantages are over other health insurance models* What health conditions are covered and are not covered by AllCare* Cindy’s advice for people who want to use AllCare for dialysis, chemotherapy, or other major diseases* AllCare’s future plans (like family packages)* Activating your AllCare insurance benefits* The exciting perks of an AllCare membership* The requirements to prepare when applying for an AllCare membership and the application process itself* A walkthrough of AllCare’s very user-friendly online dashboard* Why AllCare works well with PhilHealth

As a gift for all our listeners, AllCare is providing a special code valid until February 28, 2019. Visit www.allcare.io/register and register now t get an extra P500 discount using the code BLENDERSJAN2019.

QUOTE

“Even if the products are not expensive (they’re affordable), people actually don’t buy insurance because it’s not a priority. So,

Delayed na naman ba ang pag-transfer ng freelance payments mo?

Hanap ka ulit ng encasher?‍ 

You may not know this, but there IS a FASTER way for you to withdraw your funds!

‍‍Did you know that with EON, you can get your payments in real time?

‍‍No need to wait for DAYS just to get your shopping money.

PLUS, if you sign up starting today until January 31, 2019, you get FREE P100 EON credits.

Simply download the EON PH app in the App Store or Google Play to get started.

Learn more about getting your free P100 credit by checking the promo mechanics below:

How to join the promo:

1.  To be able to open an EON Virtual Account, accountholders should download the EON App.

2.  Accountholders who are able to successfully open an EON Virtual Account from January 25 – 31, 2019 will get FREE P100 EON CREDITS.

3.  Upon successful registration to the EON App, the accountholder must:

a.  Email [email protected] with the following details:

     i.      Name

    ii.      Email Address

   iii.      EON Virtual Account Number

4.  All accountholders must meet be first time registrants to qualify for the FREE P100 EON CREDITS.

5.  The P100 incentive will be credited to the EON account of the accountholder upon successful verification by EON.

6.  Deadline for emailing EON is on January 31, 2019 at 11:59pm.

7.  Crediting of the FREE P100 EON CREDITS will be done on February 11, 2019 and all verified accountholders will be notified via SMS from EON.

8.  The free P100 EON Credits are not convertible to cash and may not be exchanged with any other product.

‍‍‍‍(EON is a brand partner of Freelance Blend)

Sometime ago, I asked this question from our freelancer community:

“What’s your biggest challenge in starting a freelance side gig?

And here are the common answers that I got:

“How to juggle my 9-hour work shift + 2 hrs travel and raising my 2yr old daughter and 1yr old son. I barely have time left to start a freelancing career.”

“Since I have zero skills, how can I get clients?”

“It might work for others, but I’m not sure if freelancing will work for me.”

Now to help answer all these challenges, I decided to hold a FREE online masterclass training called:

The 3 Biggest Secrets to Getting Your First Freelance Side Gig (Even If You Have a Full-Time Job)

Date and Time: January 17, 2019 (THU) at 8:30 pm

Venue: Online (watch from your computer or smartphone)

Link to join: www.freelanceblend.com/freewebinar

In this free training, you’ll learn…..

* The 10-minute test to check if there’s a market for your skills in the gig economy* The under-the-radar but high-paying freelance side gig that you can start now (you may not even realize you are doing it!)* The simple 10-3-1 Formula to get freelance side gigs from scratch (even if you have no time)* The $15 ebook that I tell all my friends and clients about and how it helped me earn 6-figure contracts* Plus a cool gift for live attendees, including bonuses and a special offer* Live Q&A session with Marv – ask me anything about the topic* And a lot more!

I will be giving away amazing bonuses to live viewers only, so make sure to be there!

Click the button below to register…

P.S. Since we already have more than 100 people register, to participate, it will no be on a first come, first served basis. (Sorry in advance if you can’t get in.)

P.P.S. I also recently went on Facebook Live to talk about Why You Should Think About Consulting as a Side Gig. Watch the video below.

When I was starting, I was aware that I knew very little about online marketing. On top of that, I felt like what I did in my previous job didn’t relate that much with what I wanted to do online. But what I did have was courage and a lot of drive for learning. And that was enough to propel me to move forward.

Today, aside from what I do here in Freelance Blend, I am also consulting with several clients to improve their digital presence online. I help them design their sales funnels and rebrand the websites. I have learned a lot of skills and knowledge about digital marketing and the journey has been truly rewarding. In this episode, I want to share with you how I got from zero to being a digital marketer. I want to show you specific actions you can take right now to put you in the right direction for success in digital marketing. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Starting was never easy for me, but after a few years of doing my thing online, I have gone through a lot of very instructive experiences. In this episode, I share what I learned in all those years including the following:

* How I transferred the skills and experiences I had from my corporate job at sales to online entrepreneurship and digital marketing

* How reading Rich Dad Poor Dad drove me to buy a rental property and inspired me to read more business books

* How discovering podcasts accelerated my learning of business and marketing ideas

* How treating myself as my own client encouraged me to experiment courageously without being afraid to commit mistakes

* How I discovered the power of community from the first meetup I organized, which I thought would fail but didn’t!

* How I became a consultant and how you can become one too

Learn these and more in the Facebook Live recording below where I also answer audience questions about the best mic recommendations, for those thinking about starting a podcast, the best social media platforms for different businesses, and some tips and tricks on doing Facebook advertising.

LINKS

* Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

* Tribes by Seth Godin

* Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss

* To watch other useful Facebook Live replays please visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/freelanceblend. To be notified when I do another Facebook Live call, don’t forget to like the page.

* Watch more freelancing tips and tricks at Freelance Blend TV

* Connect with hundreds of Filipino freelancers and learn more insights at freelanceblenders.com

Elbert Guintivano was a Field Service Engineer managing his employer’s operations at the Southern California region when he came into close contact with remote work. Aside from experiencing it firsthand, transitioning from an office-based to a home-based/on-the-road arrangement, he was also serving people in the startup industry who were working remotely. When he was sent to the Southeast Asian region to expand his company’s operations, he was excited of the potential for personal growth.

In Singapore, he worked closely with freelancers who were building careers outside normal offices and office hours. Going back to the Philippines and scratching a relentless entrepreneurial itch, Elbert decided to open a co-working space to serve the freelancing community in his home country. Ground Up was born.

ABOUT GROUND UP

Ground Up Coworking Spaces is part of the many services that Elbert Guintivano and his team at Ground Up Business Solutions offer to freelancers, startups, and anyone working outside offices. Located at the Sucat Area in Paranaque, Ground Up Coworking Spaces is open from Monday to Friday at 9:00 in the morning until 7:00 in the evening. But because freelancers work in different schedules, Elbert and his team are flexible in their operating hours.Their rates range from a hundred pesos an hour to P450 a day with options to buy monthly subscriptions that save their customers a lot of money.

Working at Ground Up comes with unlimited coffee, strong wifi, options to work in private spaces, and lots of business-related services—like accounting, HR, marketing, legal, and secretarial services—all in one space.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this Freelance Blend Podcast episode, I chat with Elbert Guintivano on a Facebook Live video to talk about his journey from traditional employment to entrepreneurship. Of course, Elbert talks about Ground Up and all the awesome services they bring to the Pinoy freelance community. Watch or listen to this episode to learn about:

* Elbert’s reflection on the freelancing industry in Singapore and the differences and similarities he noticed compared with the Philippines

* Elbert’s take on the edge that Filipinos have in the international freelance industry

* Why Elbert got back to the Philippines

* How self-reflection led Elbert to dip his foot into entrepreneurship and why doing so was a courageous move

* Why Elbert chose to start a co-working space and the process he took to set it up

* Elbert’s thoughts on taking calculated risks as an entrepreneur and making sure that family members are involved in the decision-making process

* The benefits of working in a co-working space for a freelancer versus working at home

* Things you can do in a co-working space which you can’t do in a coffee shop

* Ground Up’s rates and services

* Elbert’s plans for the future—like establishing partnerships with restaurants to bring the Ground Up experience nearer to you

QUOTE

“As we were conceptualizing in building the space, there were always opportunities that came over to me to go back to corporate. However, when I weighed the heart—actually the mind makes decisions but the heart helps you make that emotional connection—the heart was telling me that entrepreneurship is where I want to go.”

LINKS

* To learn more about Ground Up Coworking Spaces and other services that Elbert Guintivano and his team are offering, visit their website at groundup.ph

* Like Ground Up Business Solutions’ Facebook page at facebook.com/GroundUpBusinessSolutions

* Having something to ask Elbert himself?

The Unionbank EON card is like a swiss army knife for freelancers. There’s just a lot of financial tasks you as a freelancer can accomplish by using it. You can get paid through the card then withdraw your cash from any ATM using EON.

But did you know that you can also use the card itself to make transactions in physical stores?

In this episode, I will walk you through the steps you need to take to begin using your card when you buy your groceries or eat out in your favorite restaurant with your family. If you don’t want to bring a lot of cash, for security reasons or just for convenience, then watch the video below where I teach you how to use your Unionbank EON card to shop at stores.

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO USING YOUR EON CARD TO SHOT AT YOUR FAVORITE STORES

* Before using it to pay for your transactions at physical stores, be sure to load your card with enough money. Remember, it isn’t a credit card.

* Go to stores that accept Visa cards. Usually, these stores will put up a Visa logo somewhere in their store to let customers know they are accepting payments through Visa. If you’re not sure, you can always ask.

* Upon giving your card to the cashier, she or he would ask you whether your card is a credit or savings account. Tell the cashier that it is a savings account.

* Key in your pin code and that’s it. You have just transacted in a physical store using your Unionbank EON card.

Before using your Unionbank EON card at physical stores, you might want to explore all its features first. Good thing we have an entire series here in Freelanceblend dedicated to helping you get familiar with your EON card:

* To learn why you need to get a Unionbank EON card if you are a freelancer, watch FBP 159.

* To learn about the security features of the Unionbank EON card, especially how to set your pin code, watch FBP 163.

* To learn how to set up and activate your Unionbank EON card, watch FBP 164.

* To learn how to link your EON card to PayPal, watch FBP 166.

* To learn how to upgrade your EON Starter card to EON Lite and withdraw money from an ATM, watch FBP 169.

LINKS

* Get your EON Bank Starter Kit now! Learn more at eonbankph.com

* To watch other useful Facebook Live replays please visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/freelanceblend. To be notified when I do another Facebook Live call, don’t forget to like the page.

* Watch more freelancing tips and tricks at Freelance Blend TV

* Connect with hundreds of Filipino freelancers and learn more insights at freelanceblenders.com

Full disclosure: this episode is being supported by EON.

“Nung high school pa lang nagtitinda na’ko ng mga snacks. So ako si, ano tawag dito, si ‘bayong girl’,” Melissa laughed as she started talking about the beginnings of her entrepreneurial journey. “Alam mo yung parang ano, printed na bayong na malaki na tinitinda sa palengke? Yun, dalawang ganon lagi ang dala ko,” she continued her story smiling.

Her guidance counselor, later on, found out about what she was doing and ordered her to stop. This happened, she said while still smiling, before she could ever expand her tiny business and start selling lunch.

No one would have thought that Melissa Profeta, now the co-founder of a unique startup that offers social media training to over 700 students and counting, not to mention a thriving PR firm that brings brands into the spotlight of popular publications like Forbes and Entrepreneur, was humble ‘bayong girl’ when she was a teenager.

Since those days when she carried bayongs full of snacks to school, Melissa has grown into an entrepreneur with nine years of experience in sales and marketing both as a traditional employee and a freelancer. Today, she is also a columnist and active contributor to websites like Influencive, Thrive Global, Good Men Project, and Buzzfeed.

ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA ACADEMY

Social Media Academy, a startup which Melissa co-founded with Nix Eniego, is one of the leading social media marketing schools on the internet today. The online training platform boasts over 2,000 students and 700 alumni, all of which have made millions of collective revenue as social media managers for top brands in the Philippines and abroad. Inside the school, Nix, Melissa, and their team teach students how to dominate Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn and leverage these platforms to create an engaged following of buyers.

If you are a solopreneur who is thinking about using social media effectively or are a freelancer who wants to up his game by offering social media managing services, you might want to watch this interview and see how you might benefit. Plus, at the end of this episode, we’re sharing with you a special bonus when you enroll today.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Melissa Profeta’s young life is a roller coaster ride with so much wisdom for you to learn from. And she isn’t holding back. Throughout our conversation, Melissa remained open about her past struggles and because she isn’t afraid to be vulnerable, this interview has a lot of gems in it. Listen now to hear Melissa share:

* Her “fast and slow” principle. In her own words: “For me, it doesn’t matter kung gaano ka katagal na magpa-practice sa kung anong industry na ‘yon. What matters to me is ‘ano yung gagawin ko during the practicing period’.”

* The power of giving yourself deadlines

* How childhood struggles motivated her to become who she is today

* How she transformed from being a shy girl to being a confident entrepreneur

* How she juggled school with working—one time, as a graveyard shift clerk for 25 pesos per hour!

* How discovering multilevel marketing propelled her to hit her first million at age 19!

* Why she decided to drop out of school and how she directed her own business education

* How having her first child at age 21 changed her young entrepreneurial life and drove her to work in a BPO company for three years

* How her child’s communication difficulties pushed her to quit her BPO job and start a small business with her partner

* Her second lowest point in her life and how this led her to freelance

* How leveraging your skills could land you your first high-paying client outside usual freelance marketplaces and build a thriving client base

* Her journey back to entrepreneurship

Learn all of these and more when you watch my entire interview with Melissa P...

Here in the Freelance Blend Podcast, we’ve talked a lot about the Union Bank EON card. In past episodes, we learned about the different security features of the card, how to set up and activate it, and how to link it with PayPal for withdrawal. There’s just so much good that this card offers so I really believe every Pinoy freelancer needs to have one.

If you still don’t have a Union Bank EON card, do yourself a favor and get one. Visit www.eonbankph.com to get started today.

While the Union Bank EON Starter card is a gem by itself, there are tons of reasons why you might want to upgrade to Lite. For one, the EON Starter card can only be used to purchase in establishments that accept a Visa card. What if you want to withdraw your money as cash? Is there a way for EON to do that? Yes, there is! But you have to upgrade your card to Lite. Once your card is upgraded to Lite, you may start using your card to withdraw cash from ATMs in the Philippines and around the world.

To upgrade your EON Starter card to EON Lite follow along with my video. Then check a step-by-step guide of the process I prepared below.

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO UPGRADING YOUR UNION BANK EON CARD FROM STARTER TO LITE

* Open your EON mobile app. If you haven’t installed it yet, download the app through these links: Android / iOS.

* In the app, log in your EON account.

* On the homepage, you will see a red icon with a text on its right which says “EON Starter.” This simply means that your account is yet to be upgraded. Click on this text.

* This will lead you to a dashboard which shows you the details of your EON Starter account. From here, click on the red icon beside your “Account Level.”

* A pop-up message will appear asking you if you are sure you want to upgrade from EON Starter to EON Lite. Just click “OK.”

* After doing this, a confirmation message will appear informing you that your request will be approved before a certain date. The waiting period is around 3 to 5 days.

* You will receive an email once your account has been approved. You may also check your app from time to time to see if your Account Level has changed to EON Lite.

And that’s it! Upgrading your EON Card from Starter to Lite is really this easy. You can now use your card to withdraw cash from ATMs worldwide. Enjoy!

LINKS

* Learn more about the benefits of owning a Union Bank EON card and the different plans you can choose from at eonbankph.com/experience

* Get your EON Bank Starter Kit now! Learn more at eonbankph.com

* To watch other useful Facebook Live replays please visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/freelanceblend. To be notified when I do another Facebook Live call, don’t forget to like the page.

* Watch more freelancing tips and tricks at

Working in the digital space can be as challenging as working in any traditional jobs. That is why the right tools can really help make our everyday life as freelancers a lot easier.

Recently, I talked with my tribe on a Facebook Live call where I shared the top 12 desktop tools that I use every day as a freelancer. Many fellow Pinoy freelancers found this 30-minute call really helpful and I want you to benefit from it as well.

So today, I’m sharing with you the video replay of the Facebook Live call. After watching, you may want to check the list below this post where I give more details about the apps. I also included download links so you can start using these great apps in the operating system you are using.

If you find the replay helpful, please share it with your freelancer friends or anyone who might find it useful.

Watch the video below and start learning about my top 12 desktop tools.



 

My 12 Favorite Desktop Tools

* Google Chrome – Chrome is the primary app I use every day. What makes it the best internet browser, in my opinion, is that it integrates with a large number of extensions. Many of the apps in this list are actually extensions that are housed within my Chrome browser.

* Franz – Franz is a chat aggregator app. It is an app which allows you to open all your favorite messaging apps in one place. I personally use it to open Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram.

* Nimbus Screenshot & Screen Video Recorder – Nimbus is a Chrome extension which allows you to capture screenshots and videos playing on your screen. This is particularly useful when clients need to see the progress of your work. I find that Nimbus’ features really help a lot in saving time in this process.

* Clipboard History 2 – Clipboard History 2 is another chrome extension that has proven valuable for me in my work. It saves all the things I have copied in a drop-down archive which I can always access in Chrome. Because working online means doing a lot of copying and pasting, this is a tool you will be using all the time.

* Asana – There is a lot of software out there to help you manage your tasks but Asana is the project management software of my choice. I use it every day when working with my clients and my team.

* LastPass – LastPass is another Chrome extension that I love to use. It saves and protects all my passwords in one place. It also makes it very easy to access passwords making it very helpful for freelancers who use a lot of apps, and therefore, a lot of passwords.

* Evernote / Evernote Web Clipper – Evernote is a virtual notebook where I put all my ideas. It is free, with an option to pay for more space. Evernote also comes with a web clipper which you can install as an extension in Chrome. The clipper allows you to copy anything from websites which you can the save in Evernote.

* Slack – Slack is the messaging app I use to communicate with my team and my clients.