Freelancing

Even before I got into architecture, I have always wanted to own my own company. When I was a wee lass I would refer to my bedroom as my office and have my sister "call" me with a phone-shaped walkie talkie. I would pretend to bill her for products or services and issue her an invoice, of sorts.

Now that I have passed through the bulk of the design education that prefaces earning the title "architect," I am finding that my old dream is slowly but surely resurfacing.

To temporarily satiate my returning entrepreneurial desire, I have decided to submerge myself in some freelancing and business-related reading. One book I highly recommend is:

Creative, Inc.

The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business

by Meg Mateo Ilasco & Joy Deangdeelert Cho

It is a concise breakdown of the simple concepts involved in starting your own business. I will offer that much of the beginning of the book I feel I had already learned, either through my college education or just from being involved in the design industry. The later chapters, particularly when it gets into billing, invoicing, networking, hiring, etc. becomes quite informative.

It's a pretty quick read and offers some case studies to illustrate the important points. I'm keeping it on my shelf as a reference.

I have begun to dabble in some "freelancing," this year. I suppose technically it falls under the category "consulting." Either way, it's fun!