How to choose an accountant as a freelancer

 

Doing your accounts is a pain in the ass, lets be honest. And choosing an accountant is the obvious choice when it comes to doing your accounts.

So how do you choose an accountant?

Aren't they expensive shysters who don't do anything to earn their extortionate fees?

Actually, if you find a good one, they can be invaluable.

They don't just help do your end of year tax returns, or provide answers to your silly financial questions.

A good accountant can also help to reconcile your messy bank accounts and invoices, process payroll, complete end of year reports and all that malarkey, offer advice about investments and even help you to claim the correct expenses and get your best value from the tax man.

In short, a really good accountant is invaluable.

So how do you choose a good accountant?

1. Choose a small firm

Stick with either a local company or a one man band/smaller operation. In general, if an accountant has more than one office and a load of employees, you're not going to get a very personal service.

Smaller accountant firms are more likely to be able to respond quickly to your questions and will care more about the ins and outs of your business.

2. Recommendations

If you're running a small business you probably know other people running a small business too, right? Ask them who their accountant is and if they recommend them.

Personal recommendations can be a great way to find a good accountant.

I personally use an accountant in York to manage my business accounts. And I would highly recommend him.

3. Don't click on sponsored ads

When searching for your 'cheap accountant near me', don't click the first sponsored link at the top of the search results. Most of these are the big spending, multi-branch accountants that will also cost more money.

Dig down a few layers of search results and find the work from home accountant.

4. Don't get a big city accountant

If your accountant lives in an expensive area, such as London or the south east UK, they're gonna have higher overheads. As mentioned, my accountant is based in York and he charges very affordable provincial prices. But provides a top quality service.

My previous accountants were based in Watford, near London, charged nearly double and provided a fraction of the service.

Go local!

And those are my tips for finding a good accountant as a freelancer.

Why I Quit The Gym (And You Probably Should Too)

 

Around new year 2017 I made a pledge: To quit the gym and get fit.

I know this sounds like a slightly odd inverted new years resolution, but for around 5 years I had been a committed gymphile (not sure that's a word but there you go). My physique hadn't changed radically except for slightly better arm definition and on occasion slightly better pecs. But for the effort I was putting in, not to mention the money, it wasn't really worth the return on investment.

And what's happened since I've quit the gym? Well, I've drunk a lot of beer, eaten a lot of cheese and done some very half assed exercise regimes.

The result. I'm about the same as I was when I was going to the gym.

The response from many gym go-ers will undoubtedly be, well you weren't putting enough effort in at the gym or else you've been quite good with your self motivation.

Neither of those statements are true.

I used to go to the gym three times a week and put in an hour at a time - working hard on each set and making sure every minute in there was put to good use. I walked out of the gym dripping with sweat every time I went. Literally. Every. Time.

So my self motivation post gym has been good? Well. I used to run home from work on a weekly basis (about a 5 mile run). Aside from that and some runs around the park. That's it.

So why do I think you should quit the gym?

First of all, if you're one of those people who does about 2 hours, 4 times a week in the gym and posts selfies on Instagram of you in gym gear - this does not apply.

If you're one of those people who goes for the social and seems to know everyone in the place and is full of tips and stuff... Probably doesn't apply to you either.

I'm talking to the other 90% of the population - the people who go because they feel like they should. The people who when they get to the gym just go through the motions and do a few sets of this or that, or worse still just SIT on an exercise bike.

You've probably been sat at a desk all day eating cake and you're watching the calories tick up on the digital display, waiting til it gets to the same number as that Krispy Kreme so you can go home.

Or, you've got to lose a stone so you can go on that beach holiday/get in that wedding dress/eat more cake on your birthday.

Or you saw a photo of Kate Middleton in a bikini on holiday somewhere glamorous again and decided you hate your flabby body and you really should do something about it.

Don't get me wrong these are all noble reasons to get exercising - and exercise you definitely should. But in the gym? Not necessarily.

The gym is made for those body sculptors - the people who have actual fitness regimes and programs and have an end goal. And they will get to that end goal because, well, that's what they really really want. When they're not in the gym they're planning their next visit to the gym and ACTUALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

Is that you? If it isn't do yourself a favour and cancel your gym membership now.

What do I do now then?

Cancelled it? Saving yourself £60 a month already? Go you! Have a doughnut.

I'm joking don't have a doughnut, that's a terrible idea.

Food

First things first - it's your diet. Hate to break it to you but that's probably why you're a bit flabby around the edges. If it comes in a packet and has ingredients that you don't really understand - avoid it. If it claims boldly on the cover to be packed full of minerals and vitamins and to make you at least 6 times more attractive to the opposite sex - avoid it. Those 'healthy' breakfast bars and cereals or those low fat thingumyjigs. Swerve it.

So what to eat? Eat natural food. And not loads of it either.

Also drink water. Don't go crazy, 2 litres is the recommended amount - about 4 pints of water.

But, you know when you're thirsty? Have some water.

Exercise

When you're taking in decent fuel for your body and not pumping it full of additives, you won't have to work so hard to process it. This makes the exercise bit relatively easy.

My routine was this.

Every day I'd walk to the nearest tube station, which is about a fifteen minute walk away. I'd then get to my very sedentary work, get to lunch and then on my 45 minute lunch break I would walk as much as possible. Some days that was 5 or 10 minutes. Other days it was my whole lunch break. And then when I got home I'd either walk back home or I'd go for a run.

Total active time daily was around 1 hour 30 or more.

To amp up any exercise regime it is often a good idea to have fun while you're doing it.

I've recently discovered parkour. Yes, parkour is famous for the people doing backflips and jumping across roofs but at it's foundations it is simply a way to get from a to b in a slightly more interesting way. I'll be honest, I'm not backflipping or rolling yet, but what I am doing is jumping onto things, pulling myself up walls or trees or doing press ups and sit ups in the park.

Basically, I'm doing resistance exercise. Trying to use my body for the things it was meant to be used for - climbing, jumping, lifting. But... Without paying a hefty monthly fee to do so.

Ways to get free exercise

There are plenty of ways you can exercise and not pay a penny. Parkour, for me, is a good one as it literally involves running outside and when I get to a bench I jump on and off it for a bit. Or if I see a tree or a fence I climb or vault it.

If you live in the country - or a smaller city nearer the country - good for you. You can probably run up hills, climb trees, swim in the sea or a river and so all kinds of free things.

In the big city it can be harder.

Running is a good start but some people find this can impact on their joints, especially without proper warm ups.

The simplest one is walking. Just walk as much as possible, as fast as possible and do it every day. Supplement it with some exercise outdoors and if you can do maybe ten or twenty sit ups and press ups too, you'll find some good results.

Taking up a sport is probably the best way to stay in shape. Football, volleyball, dodgeball, cycling, tennis, yoga, pilates, swimming, gymnastics, hide the sausage... OK maybe not hide the sausage, but basically anything that keeps you moving and having fun.

Actually yeah maybe hide the sausage.

However you do it, get some exercise and crucially, don't do it at the gym. Unless you NEED a weights rack to sculpt those tight buns of yours, you're only wasting your money.

Am I talking total rubbish? Well, put me right in the comments section below...

You can also check out more of my words of wisdom over at my website: https://olilynch.com/

Is Travel Blogging A Good Way To Make Money?

 I run a travel magazine and a lifestyle blog. You can check them out here and here...

Do they make me money? Well, heres the thing.

Yes. But that's not the point. 

In fact, the money I make from the two sites I run is pretty meagre and wouldn't cover my rent. But, I never intended blogging to be my full time job.

No, what my blogs do is something else.

1. They showcase my writing...

2. They are a way to learn and improve my writing for professional purposes (I am a profesional writer elsewhere), and....

3. They get me lots of cool free stuff.

I have only ever made small money off ads on my sites, so I can't say that travel blogging is a good way to make an income.

But, what I have got, is free trips abroad, products to review and a few free meals. 

Over the years I have kept up the quality of content and the consistency of posting to generate more and more traffic. I'm not a big fan of social media, in fact I kinda hate it. So I was never gonna be an Instagram influencer or a YouTuber.

However by leveraging the quality and traffic of the sites I run I have been on trips to music festivals, ski resorts, boutique hotels, whisky bars, quaint cities and fun excursions.

In fact, the most important thing that these sites have done is improved my understanding of search engine optimisation and engaging writing. 

Many people do make good money from travel blogging, it's true. But don't be under any impression that this is an easy thing to do. In fact, quite the opposite. You need to blog regularly, you need to update your website, post on social media, create multiple types of content. 

It really is a very intense full time job.

So if you have the chops for it, yes, you can make a site that pays you well from ads and sponsorships.

But I think the best way to get paid as a travek blogger is......

Write for someone else.

Yup. Reach out to travel magazines and blogs (such as mine) and pitch your content. You might not get paid (you won't anyways even on your own site), but you will get the experience and exposure and kudos that will pay dividends in the long run.

And the more publications you write for, the better your kudos. And, eventually, you might even get paid real money!

How To Find Freelance Work & Clients On Linkedin

 If you've been looking to develop your skills as a freelancer, or to find remote work, you might have heard that Linkedin is a good place to start looking. 

Many freelancers start working on sites like Upwork and Fiverr, and quickly outgrow them. The problem is that you're not in control of your work, or your clients, in quite the same way as if you find a client yourself. 

I mean, Fiverr and Upwork are fine, to a point. I myself started out there... But soon enough you'll get frustrated with the fees, the arbitrary banning and the annoying rules. And thats where Linkedin comes in.

But, how can you actually find work on Linkedin? Or, if you're a self employed freelancer, how can you find clients?

Well my friend, this is how.

1. Optimise your profile

Your Linkedin profile needs to represent you in a professional manner. So, you will need a good image of yourself, ideally recent and clear.

Make sure to create a good subheading that tells people what you do, don't worry about making it 'stand out'. At least to start. Just make sure it clearly says what you do professionally...

"Expert content writer"

"Video and photography professional"

"Remote Personal Assistant"

You can also add an optional 'Looking For Work' to the end of your subheading.

Oh, and then make sure that you complete the bio with at least a short bit of blurb about what you do. Again, it doesn't have to be lengthy, but it does help to have at least a couple of hundred words talking about what you do, why you're awesome and what you've done lately.

2. Build your network

After you've optimised your profile on Linkedin, you can start to build your network. Remember that Linkedin is a professional networking site, not some place to spam people, flirt with girls or air your views about something controversial. 

What you want to do is reach out to people you know at first, and include a little note in the connection about the fact that you're building your network. And thats it. Don't pitch for work, don't ask them for anything - just let people know you're building your connections. 

You should then start to make connections with second or third level connections, sometimes based on recommendations, sometimes on your own search. 

Make sure to always include a friendly note explaining why you're connecting, "We have some connections in common", "I'm hoping to grow my network in industry/area etc". 

Again. Do. NOT. Pitch. For. Work. 

Connection requests are to build bridges, not to ask for work. 

3. Post and share

The most successful people on Linkedin tend to share relevant content regularly. You don't need to post six times a day, but once or twice a week should be sufficient. 

What to share? 

Your own take or advice on your industry.

Articles, videos, memes, whatever you like - so long as it rings with your potential client base.

As an example, if you're a web developer, you might want to share an article about the pain of finding a good web developer.

If you're a writer, maybe share some of your content from an external website. 

Share other peoples content too on your timeline. Be consistent, but not spammy and then engage with people who engage with your posts.

4. Search hashtags and 'hiring'

When looking for work or clients on Linkedin, the trick is to be active and to keep on looking. You are unlikely to find your ten thousand dollar client on day one. But, by building connections and being consistent, you might just find your next big client without even knowing.

Myself, I have netted about four or five consistent, long term and high paying clients on Linkedin, just be keeping an eye on posts in the feed.

How?

Search for your keyword and hiring - so for example 'writer' + 'hiring'. Or 'video editor'+ hiring.

Also try and keep an eye out for hashtags in your niche. #contentwriter #marketing #videographer etc etc.

If people are hiring, send them a message or a connection request and let them know you saw they were hiring. Be friendly, be professional. Don't be afraid to follow up a few days later, but if you hear nothing after one or two messages, leave it be.

It's also a good idea to keep an eye on jobs in your industry on Linkedin and apply for them as often as you can.

5. Be friendly, don't be spammy

Although Linkedin is a social network, make sure not to treat it like Facebook or Instagram. Conduct yourself on Linkedin as if you were at a business conference or jobs fair. 

It's probably the best social media platform to use to find a job (read more about using social media for jobs hunting here).

Engage with people, be friendly and be useful. Don't approach and start asking for work in your first breath. Would you do this in the real world?

Also. For the love of all that is good. DO NOT FLIRT WITH PEOPLE. This isn't Tinder and your approaches will not be appreciated. In fact, you could get blocked and have your account frozen. 

And that is how you find freelance work and clients on Linkedin. 

Drop me a comment and let me know if you thought this was useful, or ask me anything.

Good luck!