Freelancing Makarand Pandit mp@vsnl.com ??#@&@. 4 December 19992 Session 2 :-) 35 minutes -...

Freelancing

Makarand Pandit

mp@vsnl.com

??#@&@

4 December 1999 2

Session 2 :-)

• 35 minutes - Presentation

• 10 minutes - Question Answers

4 December 1999 3

What This Session Covers

• About Technowrites

• Opportunities

• Assignment Life Cycle

• Rules & Issues

• Traps

• What’s wrong in being your own boss?

• Limits to growth

• Estimates

• Comparisons

4 December 1999 4

The Beginning

• Started November 1994

• Strength 1

• Goal - Specialize in Technical Communication

• Business in first year 8k

• Got first telephone in 1995

• Bought first computer in 1997

4 December 1999 5

Today

• Strength 7 + 3

• Offices 2

• Business this year 2000k

• Telephone lines 3 + 2

• Connectivity ISDN

• Computers 7

• Goal - still the same!

4 December 1999 6

Opportunities

• Technical Writers

• Graphic Designers

• Animators

• Content Developers

• Translators

• Courseware Developers

• Programmers

• Instruction Designers

• Trainers

• Marketing agents

4 December 1999 7

Assignment Life Cycle

Inquiry Study

TOC & Quote

Negotiations & Approval

Drafts & CorrectionsDelivery

Payments

Rs / $

4 December 1999 8

Thumb Rules

• Rule 1: Develop thumb rules

• Rule 2: Minimum 10 Pages a day

• Rule 3: Maximum 100 Pages a day

• Rule 4: One order is no good

• Rule 5: Judgement after 1000 days

• Rule 6: Be in a network

• Rule 7: Be on the move

• Rule 8: Learn from Marwaris, Sindhis, British & Americans

4 December 1999 9

Finance Issues

Standardize your monthly earnings and keep them aside

Get a credit card, now! Ask your banker for a cashcredit

account Ask your banker for a loan, straight

or against investments / deposits Ask for at least double the salary Save for gaps and downtime

4 December 1999 10

HR Issues

Don’t compare your earnings to others doing job Study your output Vs Efficiency curves Short term disability insurance Public Provident Fund Long term & accidental insurance Mediclaim Policy for you and your family Train yourself on new tools and techniques Train yourself on marketing and business skills Plan at least 15 days leave every year Plan at least 30 days training every year

4 December 1999 11

Traps

• Late Payments

• Home Office

• Time Flexibility

• Shelf Space

• Administrative Work (non-productive work?)

• Risks & Personal Protection

• Decrease in efficiency with load

• Ahead of time?

4 December 1999 12

What’s wrong in being your own boss?

• No excuses

• You can take a leave when you want!

• You have to work when you don’t want!

• Growth is limited by your vision & luck

• You can not argue “The boss is not going to agree”

4 December 1999 13

Limits to growth!

• Limits personal growth

• Builds monotony

• Increases Frustration

• No peers - No envy - No growth

4 December 1999 14

Estimates - The Technowrites Way!

• 365 days - 52 weeks - 104 Non-working days- 20 National & Other Holidays

• 45 Days - Leaves & Training

• 196 Days to earn

• Rate * No. of Days + Overheads + Expenses = A = Base

• B = Multiplication Factor

• A * B = C = Quote

4 December 1999 15

Estimates - The Pvt. Ltd. Way!

• Identify Resources

• Rates for every resource

• Summation of (Resources x Rates) = A = Base

• B = Multiplication Factor

• A * B = C = Quote

• For Opportunity Assignments quote ad hoc

4 December 1999 16

Comparison

• In-house Writers

• Consultant Writers

• Writing Agencies

4 December 1999 17

Time to Setup

• In-house Writers: More

• Consultant Writers: Less or none

• Writing Agencies: More

4 December 1999 18

Time to Establish

• In-house Writers: Less

• Consultant Writers: More

• Writing Agencies: More

4 December 1999 19

Time to Wind-up

• In-house Writers: More

• Consultant Writers: Less or none

• Writing Agencies: Most

4 December 1999 20

Driving Force

• In-house Writers: Need

• Consultant Writers: Opportunity

• Writing Agencies: Market

4 December 1999 21

Client’s Resources

• In-house Writers: Uses

• Consultant Writers: Uses or pools in

• Writing Agencies: Pool in

4 December 1999 22

Investments

• In-house Writers: High

• Consultant Writers: Low

• Writing Agencies: High

4 December 1999 23

Team Formation

• In-house Writers: Must

• Consultant Writers: Difficult

• Writing Agencies: Must

4 December 1999 24

Personal Development

• In-house Writers: High

• Consultant Writers: Low

• Writing Agencies: High

4 December 1999 25

Entrepreneurial Development

• In-house Writers: Low

• Consultant Writers: Very High

• Writing Agencies: High

4 December 1999 26

Stability

• In-house Writers: High

• Consultant Writers: Extremely Low

• Writing Agencies: High

4 December 1999 27

Business Generation

• In-house Writers: Not applicable

• Consultant Writers: INR 8k to 1000k

• Writing Agencies: INR 1000k upwards

4 December 1999 28

Comparison

• Indian Freelance Writers

• Writers in Developed Countries

4 December 1999 29

Formal Education in TW

• Indian Freelance Writers: None

• Writers in Developed Countries: Yes

4 December 1999 30

Opportunities

• Indian Freelance Writers: Yes

• Writers in Developed Countries: Yes

4 December 1999 31

Market

• Indian Freelance Writers: Developing

• Writers in Developed Countries: Matured

?

4 December 1999 32

Competition

• Indian Freelance Writers: Low

• Writers in Developed Countries: High

4 December 1999 33

Quality in TW

• Indian Freelance Writers: High

• Writers in Developed Countries: High

4 December 1999 34

Language Advantage

• Indian Freelance Writers: Yes

• Writers in Developed Countries: Depends

4 December 1999 35

Business Generation

• Indian Freelance Writers: INR 1-1000k

• Writers in Developed Countries: US$ 50k Plus

• (Book writers earn millions!)

4 December 1999 36

Trans-Opportunities

• Indian Freelance Writers: Yes, but limited by visas and work permits

• Writers in Developed Countries: Yes, but limited by economical growth

4 December 1999 37

To Summarize...

• About Technowrites

• Opportunities

• Assignment Life Cycle

• Rules & Issues

• Traps

• What’s wrong in being your own boss?

• Limits to growth

• Estimates

• Comparisons

4 December 1999 38

The Prayer

I asked for Strength, God gave me Difficulties to make me strong

I asked for Wisdom, God gave me Problems to solve

I asked for Prosperity, God gave me Brain and Brawn to work

I asked for Courage, God gave me Dangers to overcome

I asked for Love, God gave me Troubled People to help

I asked for Favors, God gave me opportunities

I received nothing I wanted…

…but everything I needed

My Prayers have been answered!