Posts in Business
Here's what my typical day looks like as a web designer/developer
Here's what my typical day looks like as a web designer/developer

One of my favourite things to read online is "behind the scenes" looks at how my peers (and other creatives) run their businesses and schedule their time. I love playing the comparison game to my own schedule, and usually find myself picking up pointers or suggestions along the way. I always get a kick out of seeing how different or similar our calendars are because just when I feel like a chicken with my head cut off, I'm reminded that we're all out here doing our best with what we have. 

Those of us who freelance or run our own businesses don't always have to follow the traditional 9-5 schedule. THANK THE LORD!

Take a look at how I manage client work, business administration, and ongoing tasks while also balancing out my personal life. I break down a typical day for you so that you can peek behind the curtains to see how I work. I've also created a free printable that will help you design your day, focus on the most important tasks and get sh*t done.

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BusinessCharlotte O'Haralife, my business, it's personal, scheduleComment
A look at the gear I use everyday in my business and life
A look at the gear I use everyday in my business and life

To quote my beloved Sound of Music, “these are a few of my favourite things”!

Lolllllz, I crack myself up.

But jokes aside, I fully admit that I am NOT a minimalist. Yes, I like to keep things simple and focus on quality over quantity. But I still have stuff that I'm not ready to get rid of and I'm okay with that. I know the movement has been sweeping the world by storm, but I don’t think I’ll ever fully get behind it. That’s not to say that I’m a packrat or anything - quite the opposite - but I do know what I like and I’m not afraid to purchase it.

On my website, I share a list of all the Tools & Resources I use to run my business. I do this because I want to show everyone exactly how I’m able to run a lean and profitable business without a bunch of crazy things. If you haven’t checked it out already, I definitely encourage you to visit that page and take a look for yourself.

While that guide is awesome if you really want to see a “behind the scenes” look at what I use to run my business, I also wanted to share my favourite gear and items I use in other areas of my business/life.

The list below covers stuff that I use pretty much every day, both in my business AND in my personal life. I bet if it’s helpful for me, it’ll help you out too.

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BusinessCharlotte O'Haragear, products, things i love, tools, resourcesComment
How I budget with irregular freelance income
How I budget with irregular freelance income

I had big plans to start this article off with a witty song lyric about making money but then so many songs came to mind that I couldn’t pick just one! So, if you want some lyrical inspiration to help you bring those dollar bills in, here’s a list of songs about making money to kick things off.

As a web designer/developer, I’m part of the freelance and contractor economy. I quit my salaried job a few years ago to go travelling, worked for a few startups, then finally branched out on my own. At this point in my career, I’ve pretty much done it all! As such, I have experienced many types of payment in exchange for my work so I know how important it is to create and follow a budget.

Freelancing can be the best job in the world, but it can also be stressful with all the ups and downs. One of the biggest learning curves that all freelancers face (no matter the industry) is how to handle irregular income. Some months you could be rolling in cash where as other months will be much leaner.

I know that money isn’t always the most popular topic to discuss with friends and co-workers so let’s get a little weird and discuss it with strangers on the internet instead!

I am a huge believer in creating and following a budget, especially as a freelancer, so I wanted to share my methods with you. Without further ado, here are four strategies I use to budget with irregular freelance income.

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BusinessCharlotte O'Harafreelancing, money, incomeComment
Tools, Technologies and Tips for Ecommerce in 2017
Tools, Technologies and Tips for Ecommerce in 2017

As someone who lives and works in Vancouver, I spend a lot of time popping around the city attending tech industry meet-ups, networking events, and panel discussions. I love that our city is buzzing and that new opportunities present themselves at every turn. Our local tech industry is growing by leaps and bounds and I'm thrilled to be a part of it!

But does that mean that you're doomed if you DON'T live in a tech hub? Are you automatically at a disadvantage if you want to make it in our field outside of these areas? Are your chances of becoming a quality web designer/developer lower from the start?

NOPE, nope nope!

Thanks to the internet, information is instantly accessible to anyone, anywhere in a way that has never been seen before. This means that even if you don't live in a major area where tech events are happening every night of the week, you can still get the Coles Notes of these events with a little research!

I'm trying something new in today's article and am sharing my notes from a recent tech event I attended called "Tools, Technologies and Tips for Ecommerce in 2017".  This way, even if you weren't able to attend in person, you can still see what experts in the field have to say on the topic!

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Business, Tech TipsCharlotte O'Haratech events, event summary, ecom, ecommerceComment