Disclaimer: I’m not a security expert. The advice in this post is based on recommendations from security researchers and consultants. I use two methods for creating passwords: Use software to create and store passwords. My favorite is LastPass. Use a scheme to create and remember passwords myself (without software). The rest of this article tells [...]
I had the privilege of speaking to students of Covenant Christian High School for their Career Day 2013. First, Drew Looyenga spoke about IT support and software development. Next, I gave the presentation below. How could I improve this presentation for next time? Tell me in the comments.
I’ve been using an adjustable height standing desk (AKA stand-up desk) since October 2012, and I love it. I feel more energetic, and it helps me maintain better posture. I’ve been sitting only 0-5 working hours per week, and standing the remaining time. I started hearing about standing desks a couple years ago. I remember [...]
I’ve recently been writing about my favorite podcasts about the business of web design. Here are my favorite business podcasts that aren’t about web design, but do have great business content. I’ve listed these from most to least favorite. If you like these, you should read my other posts about podcasts. I’m always looking for [...]
The Wealthy Freelancer: 12 Secrets to a Great Income and an Enviable Lifestyle by Steve Slaunwhite My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is definitely the best book on freelancing I’ve read so far! Many freelancers assume that they must choose between a high income and the freedom of freelancing, so they settle for an [...]
A fellow web designer recently asked me, “How do you prepare for a meeting with a prospective client?” Here’s my answer: It depends on the conversation that led up to the meeting. When I schedule a meeting, I usually ask the person (or people), “How can I best prepare for our meeting? Are there any [...]
On January 1, 2013, I’ll have completed my transition from my day job to being a full-time freelance web designer. How did I do it? To find out, listen to Episode 104: Become a Full-Time Freelance Developer of the Your Website Engineer podcast (one of my favorite podcasts). In this episode, I had the pleasure [...]
The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself by John Jantsch My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is one of the best marketing books I’ve read! Jantsch, clearly a master marketer, shows how to guide prospects to you. How? Educate, and you won’t need to sell. He tells how to build a referral [...]
I’ve used Wave Accounting for over a year, and I highly recommend it for freelancers and small businesses. It’s like Mint, except for business accounting rather than personal finance. You connect your bank accounts, and Wave automatically imports income and expenses. You can also manually enter transactions. Like Mint, Wave Accounting is free to use [...]
The question of how to price services is age-old. Web designers and developers generally charge by the project or by the hour, or use some combination of the two. I believe that whenever possible, you should charge based on the value you deliver to your clients. That value is based more on your skills, experience, [...]