Akron Today Magazine

Akron Lifestyle and Entertainment

Business Feature

Side Hustle: Could It Be a Bridge from Job to Freelance Gig?

The world of work is changing and traditional jobs are no longer the sole income source for many.

A recent Bankrate study revealed that more than 44 million Americans are engaged in some kind of side hustle endeavor. While younger people (age 18-26) are more likely to pursue this moonlighting option, those nearing retirement age (53 and older) tend to earn nearly twice as much for their side-hustle efforts.

Some see this side hustle path as a bridge from traditional job to freelance gig – or something bigger, like a full-blown entrepreneurial pursuit.

With careful nurturing, a side hustle could transform a life-long passion or hobby into a thriving, money-making business. But you’ll need a bit more staying power, savvy, and capital to complete this cycle.

Mapping Out Your Best Journey from Idea to Income

In today’s turbulent economy, staying at one firm for most of your career is quickly becoming a thing of the past. New York Times bestselling author Chris Guillebeau describes the side hustle as the new job security.

“It affords you the ability to decide,” says Guillebeau. “When you receive multiple paychecks from different sources, you’re no longer dependent on the whims of a single employer.”

In his latest book, Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days, Guillebeau shares a detailed roadmap to select, launch, refine and make money from a side hustle in less than a month. What impressed me most about this book is the precision and care he applies to help readers navigate every step of the side hustle journey.

  • In Week 1, the focus is on building an arsenal of ideas.
  • In Week 2, the focus shifts to selecting your best idea.
  • In Week 3, it’s all about preparation for liftoff.
  • In Week 4, it’s time to launch your idea to the right people.

If this side hustle concept is intriguing, this book would be a good place to start exploring the steps you’ll need to take to successfully launch your first side hustle gig.

But there’s one more trend that bodes well for the side hustle nation…

Corporate America Is Warming Up to the Idea of Contractors

With disruption impacting nearly every industry, business needs are constantly evolving. In turn, the talent a firm might hire today may not be what they need to compete tomorrow. This change-charged business environment is now feeding a new trend – an expanding contractor workforce.

According to a new NPR/Marist poll, at least one in five jobs in America today is being performed by a contract worker. What’s even more surprising, while business needs are a significant trigger, surveys show that most are opting to go freelance by choice.

While unemployment may be declining, economists say the percentage of people in “alternative work arrangements,” which includes freelancers, contractors, and temp agency workers, is rising at a faster pace than traditional work arrangements (full-time employment with benefits).

Within the next decade, many experts believe contractors will outnumber employees.

For decades and decades, traditional 9-to-5 jobs were thought to be safer way to go for most people. Now with digital channels expanding, coupled with a more global workforce, this risk picture could be tipping in favor of the freelancers.

A side hustle gig, where you’re engaged in work you enjoy, could provide a bit more peace of mind, as we watch future workforce changes unfold.

Donna Kastner Bio:

With Retirepreneur, Donna’s championing a movement to help pre-retirees (ages 55+) make a smooth segue from full-time job to part-time gig, doing work they enjoy. Through workshops, articles, podcasts, and more, she’s helping this segment to design a more graceful and gradual career downshift, as they strive for a more perfect blend of work and leisure. For more information, visit Retirepreneur.com.

 

 

 

 

A CEO’s Survival Guide to Information Technology by Bob Coppedge

Bob Coppedge is a long time business owner in the greater Akron area and his IT company has helped many businesses with their tech needs. He just wrote a book and we wanted to find out more about it and who should be buying it.

Bob, please tell our readers why you wrote this book.

I wrote A CEO’s Survival Guide to Information Technology out of the frustration I’d experienced when we talk about the challenges and the problems that business owners have with their IT. We IT folks have a reputation of being condescendingly arrogant, overbearing, and aloof with understanding the full atmosphere of the business, and an aspect of that it is absolutely deserved. If you disagree, you must be stupid. We’re much more concerned with being accurate than being understood. Part of it is also because CEO’s don’t feel they need (or in many cases want) to take the time to understand. These are conversations I’ve had over and over again (sometimes with the same CEO, oddly enough). I’ve never known of anybody who actually wrote from the perspective of the CEO trying to manage their IT problems, except to teach the CEO about IT.

What kinds of issues does this book help a small to mid-sized business deal with?

I tried to focus on the issues most frequently ignored by CEO’s, and explain first why the issues are important, and then some (hopefully) straightforward strategies to deal with them.  I do this without going deep into the technobabble.

How was the experience of writing a book?

Hoo-boy.  I’ve spoken on these very topics so many times through the many webinars and seminars that Simplex-IT gives.  And I’ve had so many conversations with our customers and others.  Soooo…writing the book should be easy, right?  But it took a lot longer than I thought it would (about 9 months).  My hats off to people who churn out one book after another.

What are some problems you see that are common with business IT?

One of the biggest is the issue of abdication.  You’ve got IT support (whether employees or 3rd party), and leave some critical business-facing decisions to them.  I’m not talking about the technical decision…what tools and/or strategies to use to implement a certain need (like backups or security).  I’m talking about the business side of the decisions.  Backup Frequencies.  Bring Your Own Devices.  Defining the balance between Cyber Security, Costs and Productivity.  The second biggest problem we frequently see are companies that have backups and other security processes in place, but not monitored or tested.  We’ve estimated that about 30% of our new customers have had either failing backups or critical data that wasn’t being backed up.

Would an IT person enjoy this book?  How about a manager who is not up on IT?

If an IT person is looking for specific technical strategies for small to medium businesses, I can’t think of a worse book<g>.  But if they’re looking to improve their understanding of IT from a CEO’s perspective, then I think this would be worthwhile.  For a manager who wants to bridge the gap between IT and their business without becoming a geek, then that’s specifically who the book is aimed at.

Please tell readers where they can get the book and where they can find out more about you.

The book is available in both paperback and kindle through Amazon (what a shock, right).  Here’s a link: http://a.co/bLd9GTI.  You can follow me through Simplex-IT’s twitter Simplex_IT, our blog at http://Simplex-IT.com/blog.  And our YouTube channel has over 180 videos at: https://youtube.com/user/SimplexITBob

How to Stand Out Online with Phil Gerbyshak

I have known Phil Gerbyshak for a long time.  We met via social media and an introduction years ago when we were both ramping up our careers as authors and speakers.  You no longer need to live in NYC to be a big celebrity – and Phil gives us some advice in this interview on how Akron area residents can make a splash and be well know nationally and internationally.  Here is our Q&A

1) Phil, you are a very busy national speaker and author and you have seen a lot of changes over the years with how people present themselves online. What are the biggest changes you have seen?

One of the biggest changes I’ve seen is people are starting to use the social networks they prefer first to search – instead of just a search engine like Google. They go to Facebook, or LinkedIn, or Twitter or Instagram, and they look for you there. And then, if you don’t show up, you aren’t real – to them.

The other big change is real social proof mattering more than ever – which LinkedIn has been a pioneer in, and Podium Buzz is starting to get there, for speakers at least. LinkedIn offers this through their skills rating, with people who you worked with and who are skilled in that skill being highlighted for endorsing that skill, and recommendations, which must come from another LinkedIn user. Podium Buzz offers this for speakers in that they are completely unfiltered, and you don’t even need an account there to get rated, and if you don’t, you likely won’t even see the reviews you’ve received unless you look there.

2) If someone is just starting and they want to be a leader on a topic, what would they do in the 1st month?

In the first month, I would recommend creating a LinkedIn profile that highlights your experiences and positions you as a helpful person, write 1 LinkedIn Publisher post a week, make 5 new meaningful connections a day, comment on 10 thought leaders posts with actual insights, and if you have LinkedIn video, doing 1 video a week as well. Your goal is to start to create a magazine of you, just on LinkedIn, and then move on to a website filled with content and other things that can build from your foundation on LinkedIn. It will take time until you find your rhythm, but if you’re looking to accelerate your success, this is the best way.

3) There are a lot of apps and things that can help you keep your social accounts active. Which are your favorites and why?

First, the native apps from the networks are the best. They offer the most full functionality, and they require you to be there to post, to engage, and to connect. It’s more “live” networking and sharing, which I prefer, whenever possible.

Next, I like to read and share a lot of quality content, so Anders Pink and Feedly are tops on my list to curate content. If you use the free versions, they’ll connect to the native apps, but if you pay for them, you’ll get to connect to some of the scheduling apps.

Lastly, because I block time each day to read, I need to schedule out my content sharing or you’d get 5 posts from me in an hour and then nothing for a day or sometimes two. To schedule my posts, I recommend Buffer. I use the free version, but the paid version is even more powerful with analytics and connecting more social channels.

Oh – and one other thing – I also recommend using either Buffer’s Pablo or Canva.com to create images to accompany your content sharing or to create pull quotes of interesting things, as you must be graphically interesting on most platforms or people won’t pay attention to you.

4) What are some common mistakes people make when trying to be known for something online?

The first mistake I see is oversharing, especially in oversharing their own opinions. If you keep shouting “I’m great!” and don’t do anything to prove it, people won’t pay attention to you. Instead, highlight someone else who is great, and share your additional opinion on that, making sure to mention the person you’re highlighting, in hopes of them engaging back with your content.

Another mistake I see is not sharing enough information, for fear someone is going to steal it. I’m not saying you should give away all your secrets – but I am saying you should give away 80% of your recipe, and charge for the rest.

One more mistake I see is typos and grammatical errors, which drive some people crazy, even if they don’t say it. It’s like parsley in your teeth – easy to spot, distracting from your message, and ugly as heck to most people. The good news is it can be fairly easily remedied with a tool like Grammarly. And ask your friends before you publish if you can to proof read things.

5) How important is a book and speaking? Can someone just be an expert in social?

Let’s break those apart. A book, especially a well done, hard copy book, can establish you as an expert that is a cut above your peers. It’s why I’m working on another book for early 2018 about sales, tech and social. It shows you can write in greater depth than just shorter form blog posts, tweets, or LinkedIn updates.

Speaking – or really, communicating your ideas to an audience in a face to face way – is important. Whether it’s in just video, in an online training forum using Facebook Live, Zoom, WebinarNinja, GoToMeeting, or something else, or in person in front of a live audience, it is very important. It gives you credibility, and it allows a knowledge transfer that often does not happen when people are multi-tasking and taking training online.

Combine the two, and mix in some social media, and you have the recipe for something amazing.

6) Video has become very popular. If you do not have the money to do professional level videos, should people wait before diving in?

Don’t wait – but do invest in a quality microphone. I use an Audio Technica ATR2100 USB microphone that was only $45. I have other microphones too, but this is my favorite. For the iPhone and Android, I am excited about the coming soon HeyMic, that is a wireless, bluetooth lapel microphone for under $100.

You can start out with the built in web cam on your desktop or laptop, or even your iPhone or Android device that you already have and migrate to a nice camera like the Logitech cameras for about $100.

Practice now – and get good – then upgrade!

7) You have helped a lot of speakers and experts over the years. Please tell us a bit more about what you do and how people can find out more.

Most often, information experts who want to take their business to the next level work with me to create a new product, to get a marketing strategy and tactics they can use, and to get technology to better power their business. I’ve done everything from social media strategies to creating websites to membership sites to DVD programs. I provide the accountability and creative insights for you to get good work done and to stay focused on what you do best. I’m a bit of a secret weapon, because I don’t advertise these services for hire because they are often so custom to the client I work with. If you want to invest in your business and take it to the next level, reach out to me on LinkedIn at http://linkedin.com/in/philgerb or call or text me at 414-640-7445.

Akron Assisted Living – How to Spot the Best Service – Bob Pacanovsky

Recently I met Bob Pacanovsky and talked about his training business.  Initially I thought we would do an article about planning events, which is a nice topic.  But after talking to him I uncovered an expertise he has that is interesting and very valuable for people dealing with aging issues, specifically helping their parents find an assisted living location in Akron or the surrounding area.  Bob specializes in helping these places have superior customer service and making people’s lives better.  He agreed to answer the questions below so that if you are looking for an assisted living location you are armed with information on what to look for.

  1. Bob, tell me about what you do and what you have seen change in Assisted Living locations.

I speak and train companies on creating a consistent Customer Experience, or in this case the consistent Patient Experience.  The experience differs from your typical customer service mentality because it focuses on doing those things that will help create a customer who can become a loyal and raving fan of your business.  It is creating a long term customer and relationship versus a short term or one and done transaction.

When it comes to Assisted Living Facilities, you are not only wanting to make sure that the residents are taken care of from just a medical standpoint, (although this is very important), but that they are made to feel like where they are living is truly their home.  One of the ideas we talk about in my seminars is that “We work in their homes, they don’t live in ours”.   What that means is that the staffs that work in these facilities need to understand that they are not just working in an assisted living facility, but they are truly working now in someone’s home.

I think one of the biggest changes that I have seen in Assisted Living locations is the push for better quality in everything they do.  From the food service, to activities, to the grounds and the rooms or apartments.  People are living longer and they would like the comforts of home, without all the challenges and upkeep of it.

  1. Does improving service improve the happiness of the residents?  Examples?

I believe that it does.  Who wouldn’t want to be treated in a special way, where we not only know who you are, but a lot of things about you.  In a training seminar recently, I was telling one of the staffs that they maybe didn’t realize how lucky they were to be working there.  As they looked at me somewhat quizzically, I mentioned to them that they had the opportunity to get to know their “customers” (residents) more than most businesses because they were with them each day (or numerous times throughout the week). I told them that they had the opportunity to get to know so much more about their clients than most other companies and to use this information to make these residents happy.

  1. How can improving service in an assisted living location improve occupancy and retention?

This would probably be a better question for a director, but here is my short answer…

Just like any other business or industry, word of mouth is still “king”.  If I am having a wonderful experience at the facility that I am now living in, I will also tell my friends and/or family about it.  Referrals are still the best form of marketing in any business and I have to believe that this industry is no exception.    If I am happy, why not tell others about this place?

  1. Do visiting families see a difference when they come into a facility with better service?

Sure!  I think you can tell by a number of things- how the place looks, how friendly the staff is to you, how good the food tastes and most importantly- what you are hearing from the person that is living there!  I call all of these items “Impact Points”, because they make a subconscious impact on you and your experience.  Think about it, if you are greeted not only with a friendly smile and welcome, but that staff person knows who you are, or even better knows a lot about the family member you are coming to see and talks lovingly about them, doesn’t that make an impact on you and your experience?

  1. Does it cost a lot more for a facility to offer superior service?

Absolutely not!  In fact, I tell the staffs that I work with that to give superior service (we call it “Black Tie” service) doesn’t cost any extra.  You don’t need any fancy videos or expensive gifts to deliver it, you need to treat everyone with class, prestige and importance- every day.  You never know who that next resident will be and the impression that you leave with that person or their family could be a deciding factor. It is also about doing the “little things” when it comes to delivering that Black Tie service.  It is about exceeding the expectations of your customers and looking for ways to “wow” them.

  1. How can I spot superior service if I visit an assisted living location I am considering for a parent?

Start by doing your research.  Look online and don’t necessarily just look at the company’s website.  The pictures and quotes on their site should be outstanding.  Also look at the reviews they have online to get a feel for what others are saying.

Check with your friends.  If you have a parent that is in need of an assisted living facility, chances are pretty good that one or two of your friends are in a similar situation (or have been).  Again, word of mouth is king.

There are also state licensing agencies that you can contact to see if the facility is meeting all the codes and regulations.  You should also be able to check with the local Better Business Bureau to make sure there are not major issues to contend with.

I highly recommend scheduling a tour. This is the easiest way to see a lot about the facility.  While you are on the tour, see how the staff is treating the current residents too.  If you see a lot of happy faces, from both the staff and the residents, it may a facility to take a closer look at.

And make sure to try the food.  The food needs to be good since your parent will be eating 2 or 3 meals a day, every day.

  1. How can people find out more about you if they need to improve service in their organization?

They can contact me via email- Bob@BobPacanovsky.com or phone (330) 352-6084.  All of my seminars and trainings are customized to fit the needs of my clients.  There are no “canned” presentations here.

Blake Babcock on How To Land an IT Healthcare Job

We had the opportunity to ask Blake Babcock some questions on IT jobs in Healthcare.  This is a topic our readers should care about because the jobs pay very well and there is a shortage of talented IT people who have specialized skills related to healthcare.  With Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Akron Children’s Hospital and Summa there are plenty of big healthcare job opportunities.  But what do you need to do to increase your chance of getting one of these jobs?

Question: Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you have been in the business of helping people find jobs.

Appropriately Disruptive | Mindset over Everything | Speaker | Essentialist | Anti Dad Bod | Husband | Father to Triplets

I’ve been in the staffing industry since I graduated college in 2008.

Question:  How has getting a job changed over the years?

There was a time when your resume was essentially your first impression.  Now with social media and google, people can find out much more about you than before.  I research everyone I meet with and speak to.

Question: You work specifically in IT and Healthcare – what are the hot skills in that area that everyone wants?

If you’re Epic certified you’re going to be in high demand.  There’s also a number of business applications such as: qlik, tablo, and cognos that are highly sought after.

Question: What is the benefit of working with someone like yourself to find a job?

Hospital systems hire us specifically to staff a projects so often times we are your only way in if you’re interested in contract work.  In regards to the permanent placements that we do, we work with hospital systems across the country so we have our hand on the pulse of the market.  It’s incredibly difficult as an individual to apply online and make it through the black hole of applying that way.  We are in direct contact with the hiring manager.  We also help people craft their resume or provide guidance on changes that would benefit them as they search or suggest possible roles based on their background that they hadn’t considered previously.

Question: If your triplets were in high school right now, what skills would you be making them focus on to be more employable?

The ability to effectively communicate, work harder than everyone else, and be kind.  Simple but effective list.

Question: What kinds of people do you hope read this article and contact you?

Individuals that need our assistance hiring for their team and or people looking for the next move in there career.

Question: What are some mistakes people make when interviewing for these kinds of jobs?

Not asking questions.  If you’ve done your homework on the position and organization you should have at least a few questions.  It shows your interested and provide another opportunity to keep the conversation going.

Question: How do people find out more about you?

Reach out to me on LinkedIn and or check out my website www.blakebabcock.com – or www.babcocksupplyco.com if you’re a bad ass with class.

 

Should You Buy A Franchise To Be Your Own Boss?

If you’re looking to be your own boss, there are several ways to do it. You can:

  1. Come up with an idea for a product or service
  2. Buy an existing business
  3. Become a business consultant
  4. Buy a franchise

I this article, I’m going to show you some of the advantages of becoming your own boss via the franchise model.

Are You Right For Franchising?

Before you start hitting the franchise opportunity websites, you must determine if franchise ownership is right for you. But, don’t worry; it’s not difficult. Just give an honest answer to the following question:

Are you a rule-follower?

If you answered yes, franchising could be right for you.

That’s because franchise businesses are highly structured.

As a franchisee, you’re required to follow the system. You’re also required to use the franchise logo, signage, software, and only their products/services.

The bottom line: In franchising, rules is rules. There’s not much wiggle-room. Make sure you’re someone who will follow them.

Franchise Advantages

There are lots of advantages to franchise ownership. Like:

  1. The franchise business system

In a nutshell, part of what you’re paying for when you buy a franchise is their system. Their proven system.

  1. Training

When you buy a franchise, you’ll receive formal training at headquarters.

This training will teach you exactly how to use their business system for maximum benefit, along with several other crucial things like sales, marketing, customer service and more.

  1. Technology

Today’s franchisors have terrific technology at their disposal. As a franchisee, you’ll have total access to it.

Whether it’s a state-of-the-art POS (Point of Sale) system, or a proven email marketing system, you’ll be able to leverage their technology to help your business grow.

  1. Purchasing power

As a rule, franchisees have immense purchasing power.

As an example, let’s say you own an ice cream franchise.

All ice cream shops, whether they’re franchises or independent stores, buy their milk in bulk. Except that franchisees-because they’re part of a group (of other franchisees) have the ability to negotiate a great deal with their milk supplier.

So instead of paying $45 for a case of milk like an independent ice cream store does, you, as franchisee, might pay $30. That’s a big deal. A profitable one, too!

  1. Branding

When you own a franchise, you own a brand. And consumers like brands.

For example, if you’re taking a family vacation by car, aren’t you more apt to stop to eat in a roadside restaurant with a familiar name like McDonald’s® then say, “Randy’s Freeway Diner?”

Owning A Franchise Is Worth A Look

If you’ve decided that it’s time for you to be your own boss, franchise ownership is worth a look.

However, you should only look at franchises if you have a history of following rules and you’re committed to doing so in a business.

Best of luck on becoming your own boss!

(The Franchise King®, Joel Libava, is a resident of Northeast Ohio, and the author of Become A Franchise Owner! The Startup Guide to Lowering Risk, Making Money, And Owning What You Do.”  Joel works 1-on-1 with would-be franchise owners, teaching them how to choose, research, and buy a franchise they can be successful owning. Check out his award-winning website, https://www.thefranchiseking.com.)

 

 

 

Marvin Montgomery – Big Benefits of being a Proactive Employee

I had the chance recently to get to know Marvin Montgomery, a local author, sales trainer and motivational speaker.  I asked him some questions about how people can be more proactive where they work, trying to learn how people can get a leg up on other employees by being more positive and more valuable.

You have been helping businesses for a lot of years, tell me about your background.

 Marv:  I grew up in New Castle, PA and I delivered newspapers, member of Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts, Junior Achievement and President of our 12th Grade Class. I also worked on Saturdays and during the Summer on my Grandfathers Rubbish business. While going to school and college at Robert Morris in Pittsburg my first real sales exposure was at Jack Gerson’s Jewelry Store in New Castle. That’s where I learned the proper way to sell. After getting drafted and spending two years in the Army our family moved to Cleveland. I interviewed for an entry level position at JB Robinson Jewelers and was hired on the spot because of my previous experience in the industry. Because of the culture of training and developing their people I was able to quickly move up through the ranks of the company. Sales, Assist manger, Manager, Training Specialist and final position was training Director for our 95 locations around the country. When the company was purchased by Kay Jewelers in 1987 Larry Robinson started a consulting firm and I was asked to join him as VP. That’s where my training & consulting began outside of the Jewelry industry. In 1990 Larry went back into the Jewelry business and I started my own company in 1990.  My focus has always been to change the negative perception that everyone has of sales people by training them to become Trusted Advisors. People buy from people who they know, like and trust. Celebrating 27 years on my own this year but well over 30 plus years of sales experience.

 Why should employees care about the success of the place they work?

 Marv: I believe that caring starts with truly enjoying what you do. If you enjoy it will show and the company will be successful. Secondly they need to feel that they are providing value to the end user of the product or service they are providing. It’s really a circle. If they are successful the company is and if the company is then they are.

What are some common mistakes employees make that might hurt where they work?

 Marv: Here are the most common I see.

  • Having a negative attitude
  • Being self-centered
  • Not being a Team Player
  • Not being on time

What are some pro-active things people can do to help their workplace be more successful?

 Marv: These are big.

  • Always look for opportunities for improvement
  • Not being afraid to speak up
  • Get along with everyone on your team
  • Come to work every day with a positive attitude

What can managers do to create a better environment where people care and go the extra mile?

 Marv: Here are some proven things that get results.

  • Make work fun
  • Keep communication open
  • Be approachable
  • Incentives and contests
  • Show your staff that you care
  • Be flexible

How can people find out more about you?

They can find out more about me at my website  www.MarvinMontgomery.com or click on this link: http://gybcle.com/how-to-become-a-trusted-advisor-not-just-a-sales-person/