E D M O N T O N J O U R NA L e d m o n t o n j o u r n a l . c o m W E D N E s DAy, N Ov E M b E R 2 6 , 2 0 1 4 b7

“I’m very flexible and really listen to what [employees] want, be that time off or babysitting services … I don’t expect them to be at a desk all day … and I don’t question their time as long as they’ve put in the work”— Catherine Vu, owner and chief uptime officer at Pro-Active IT — proactiveit.ca

RSVP AT CAPITALIDEAS34.EVENTBRITE.COMWHEN: DEC. 17, NOON TO 1 P.M. WHERE: THE EDMONTON JOURNAL (10006 101ST ST.)

COMMUNITY QUESTION:

What resources do you recommend for freelancers?Capital Ideas members share tips for successfully working for yourself

Keltie Brisson, owner of Rehab and Retreat Adult Day Support (rehabandretreat.com), recommends to all freelancers the use of Facebook. “Social media is a great way to spread the word of your business. It’s economical to advertise on these platforms, and it’s amazing how many of the right people you can reach!”

“I would recommend social media as a big resource. You can connect with the world, and when you meet more people and learn how you can all help each other in business, it grows as a collaborative effort.”— Kimberly Allison, CEO and director of Marketing Rx Inc. — marketingrx.ca

“A great space is key. In addition to a functional office environment, when I’m up against a deadline and the hours collide with my family being home, I’ve been known to head out to the public library to plug in and write. It’s quiet, and there are no interruptions. A great networking space is also key; I love the variety of quiet, locally owned coffee shops with plenty of free parking.”— Charlene Morrison, principal at CM Communications Ltd. — cmcommunications.ca

“I believe three things help: Network, network and network. Human nature is such that people would rather hire someone they know rather than a stranger. Getting to know new people increases word-of-mouth and getting great referrals. The most successful freelancers I know are outgoing and not only attend their own industry events, but also look at other events beyond their scope.”— Illarion Shulakewych, founder of High Stick Vodka — highstickvodka.com

“Freelancing is a risky business at the best of times, and different industries use freelancers at different times. Get a good network of associates from different industries to keep abreast of where your skills can be used best.”— Deirdre StLuke, owner and corporate storyteller at Deirdre StLuke

“A great information resource is the Business Link … They offer seminars on a variety of business subjects and have different professionals who volunteer their time for an afternoon to answer questions by phone, email or walk-ins.”— Lorn Stanners, chief informing officer at Financially Speaking — financiallyspeaking.ca

“Behance.net, LinkedIn.com and plus.Google.com. With those three you have everything you need for your online presence.”— Howard Suissa, director of design at Suissa Design — suissa.ca

“For technology, use Evernote, WorkFlowy, Trello and WordPress, to name a few. Get outside to blow off steam — even a short walk can feed your creativity and get your juices flowing. Finally, social media (GooglePlus and LinkedIn primarily) are necessary because it’s good to connect, interact and get inspired by what others are doing.”— Peter Watkins, independent media producer at Radiant Cabin Media Productions Ltd.

“Talk with other freelancers and learn from their experiences. Not only is it excellent networking — which is the foundation of many a freelancer’s business — but it’s also a great way to learn from the trenches without having to dig the trench yourself. I started freelancing more than 10 years ago, and am grateful to everyone who offered their advice. They helped me shape my business, and I couldn’t be happier with the way it has developed. Now, I’m always happy to return the favour for people just starting out.”— Marliss Weber, owner of Parodos — parodos.ca

“I have worked with, and among, many successful and not-so-successful freelancers. The factor that I think is most correlated with success is working every day. Treat your freelance work like a real job. Get an office that isn’t in your house and go there every day, whether you have work to do or not. If you don’t have client work to do, you can work on your website, read, stay current and just generally be a part of the community.”— Justin Archer, managing director of Berlin Ad/PR — BRLN.ca

“Apps like FreshBooks, Evernote and Hootsuite… and real world references like The Business Link or Capital Ideas. Go to every networking event you can get to. The best resource is to offer assistance to people; then when you need it, you can cash in on reciprocity.”— Randy Brososky, chief rogue and bottle washer at Group of Rogues — groupofrogues.com

“Aside from a space, computer, cellphone, etc., a freelancer needs flexibility and the ability to say yes to every offer. They should also have a working knowledge of how business is run (invoicing, banking, line of credit etc.), and be able to lay out at the onset things like approval dates, payment schedules, and resources available from the client. Knowing what they are charging either hourly or by contract is very important.”— Michael Hamm, producer and director at Frame 30 Productions Ltd. — frame30.com

“I recommend that you keep a list of things you need to get done (digital or paper-based), have a strong organizational system, people around who support you, and coffee shops with great Internet access!”— Kevin MacDonald, owner and sounding board at PU Technologies Inc. — putechnologies.tk

“Freelancers may want to join their local chamber of commerce, rotary clubs and industry groups. There are numerous conferences that allow for booth displays as well. However, first and foremost you may want to get a professional to design your website and create marketing collateral, including setting up your social media channels and ensuring you are active there. This will help your search engine positioning.”— Ashif Mawji, CEO of NPO Zero — npozero.com

You and your business can be featured here, too. Join the community at capitalideasedmonton.com

UPCOMING:

Have an event that Capital Ideas should know about? Contact us at hello@capitalideasedmonton.com

PHOTO BY JILL KEECH PHOTOGRAPHY ( JILLKEECHPHOTO.WORDPRESS.COM)

B U S I N E S S OW N E R S H E L P I N G B U S I N E S S OW N E R S

SIGN UP atcapitalideasedmonton.com

JOIN US!

Social Media Breakfast: You & MEdiaAn informal, fireside chat with some of Edmonton’s brightest media mindsWhere: Startup Edmonton (10359 104th St.)When: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Admission: Free. Details at smbyeg.ca/events/smbyeg-38

Impact 2015Edmonton Economic Development Corporation’s annual economic outlook luncheonWhere: Shaw Conference Centre Hall D (9797 Jasper Ave.)When: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.Admission: $120. Tickets at eedc.ca/impact

NOV

JAN

28

13

CAPITAL IDEAScapi ta l id easedmonton .com P R O J E C T L E A D E R : K A R E N U N L A N D, 7 8 0 - 4 2 9 - 5 2 6 0; k a r e n @ c a p i t a l i d e a s e d m o n t o n . c o m

CAPITAL IDEAS

This question was posed by Nicola Doherty, city director for Entrepreneur Mom Now Edmonton (entrepreneurmomnow.com/edmonton), as part of

our Community Question series. To submit a business question of your own, visit

capitalideasedmonton.com/ask.

Knowing how to keep your staff inspired can go a long way towards keeping your company productive, which is why Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of ATB Business, is curious to hear from you.

What motivates people in your company?

You can answer the question in two ways:• Open today’s Capital Ideas email if you’re a member, or• Visit capitalideasedmonton.comWe’ll publish the best answers, along with your busi-

ness name and website address, on Dec. 3. For great information on businesses in Alberta, visit atb.com/businessbeat.

CAPITAL QUESTION: What motivates people in your company?

Here’s your chance to get Mayor Don Iveson and Brad Ferguson, president and CEO of the Edmon-ton Economic Development Corporation, to answer a question about succeeding in business in Edmonton.

Visit capitalideasedmonton.com/impact to submit your question by noon on Dec. 1. Capital Ideas will video record three members’ questions, which will be played and answered in front of about 1,000 business leaders at the event on Jan. 13.

Questions? Contact us at hello@capitalideased-monton.com.

Ask a question, make an Impact