Article: Dana Fonteneau on why freelancing is not a dirty word

August 22, 2018 by Andrew Hitz in Articles

Garrett Hope's Porfolio Composer blog featured a guest post by Dana Fonteneau about freelancing which is a really good read.

Dana first talks about what many "real jobs" actually entail above and beyond what we might expect and then eloquently makes the case for being a freelancer and entrepreneur.

"As an entrepreneur, you are your own boss. THERE ARE NO GATE KEEPERS BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DREAMS.
YES, freelancing can have a lot of instability and volatility at first until you learn how to create systems that create stability and take you out of that “feast or famine” cycle. These are not hard to do but require discipline, focus, and long-term planning. There is NO LIMIT to how much you can do and earn, IT’S UP TO YOU!!!!
It takes a lot of work, but then again, what doesn’t?! If you’re going to be busy and work really hard, you might as well be doing what you LOVE!"
—Dana Fonteneau

You should definitely read the entire article. It is well worth it!

Article: "I Used to Think That Freelancing Was a Dirty Word Until…" by Dana Fonteneau

If you haven't heard it, don't miss the conversation I had with Dana for Episode 85 of TEM.

TEM85: Dana Fonteneau on Figuring out Your "Why", Holding Yourself Accountable When You Work for Yourself and How She Got Her First Paid Clients Before She Had a Proven Track Record

TEM60: Where the world is headed (TEM Short)

August 31, 2016 by Andrew Hitz in TEM Podcast, Show Notes

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TEM60: Where the world is headed (TEM Short)

This TEM Short features thoughts about my conversation with Garrett Hope, composer and host of The Portfolio Composer, in Episode 59.

Links:

Want to help "keep the lights on" and make future episodes of TEM possible? Please visit our Patreon page to see how you can help:

https://www.patreon.com/tempodcast

Produced by Austin Boyer of FredBrass

TEM59: Garrett Hope of the Portfolio Composer Podcast on the skills needed in the freelance economy, thinking about art as a business and the power of outsourcing

August 24, 2016 by Andrew Hitz in TEM Podcast, Show Notes

Listen via:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
SoundCloud
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TEM59: Garrett Hope of the Portfolio Composer Podcast on the skills needed in the freelance economy, thinking about art as a business and the power of outsourcing

Garrett Hope is the host of The Portfolio Composer Podcast, a composer, a bass player, owns a piano tuning company and is a consultant.

Note: Since we recorded this interview, Garrett has rebranded his podcast, Composer On Fire, as The Portfolio Composer Podcast.

Topics Covered:

How entrepreneurial thinking led him to ultimately choose bass over guitar as his primary instrument
The factors that led to him getting turned off by academia which led him to becoming an entrepreneur
How starting a piano tuning business made him realize he needed to apply the same entrepreneurial principles to his music career
The skills musicians need as the world moves more and more towards a freelance economy (and they don't teach them in music school)
The challenge of thinking about art as a business
Why it's imperative to identify exactly who your audience is
The importance of having a rich network to utilize when trying to serve a specific niche
How Garrett came to have world-renowned thought leader Seth Godin as a "guest" on his podcast
The audacity of asking
The power of asking "And then what?" to get to the bottom of fear
The Brand Fascination Assessment Test
The power of outsourcing (even though it can be scary to spend money on things)
Understanding cash flow as a small business owner and the importance of keeping good records
Why we've all networked already on some level
How networking is the bread and butter of a musician's life
How to create a spreadsheet to get organized about your networking

Links:

Books:

Favorite Quote:

"In 10 years, more than 50% of the workforce will be freelancers. That's where we're heading and musicians need to be prepared for that."

You can help offset the ongoing costs of producing the show by making a small donation at http://www.pedalnotemedia.com/support-the-entrepreneurial-musician. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Produced by Austin Boyer of FredBrass