Three years of working for myself and I sometimes 

can’t believe it. January 29, 2021

It’s been almost three years since I started working for myself and I have to say I couldn’t be happier. 

Things have been progressing steadily year on year and I’m pleased to have got through 2020 in one piece with all the turmoil and uncertainty that’s happened in the world with the Covid issues.  I’ve worked hard and feel I’ve grown as a person as well as in business. I don’t pretend to know everything and I’m still learning, but that’s what makes it interesting. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives, if I could think of anything that is and like anything I have learned a couple of valuable lessons along the way, such as people not paying their bills and difficult customers, but as long as you learn by them, then they are not wasted moments. We all learn from our mistakes and we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t make them. 

I have fabulous customers, and love working with lots of different people and companies on many different products. Variety is really good and keeps things interesting. I’ve helped with logos, business stationery, flyers, brochures, folders, posters, vehicle graphics, icons, books, adverts…the list is endless and I could go on and on, but I won’t. 

I’ve kept up my networking group BNI Academy and have been the ST this year as part of the leadership team. It’s been a strange year as we’ve had all of our meetings on Zoom which has been, at times, hard going. It took a bit of getting used to but I think we’ve done a pretty good job, all considering and the group has maintained a good level of members and new members. I’ve not done any other networking really as I’ve felt a bit zoomed out with meetings, 121s and work, but I will hopefully be able to pick things up when / if we are allowed to meet people again, face to face. I’m missing the interaction, but understand why we are not able to do certain things at the moment. I’ve adapted and survived. 

There have been lots of people who’s businesses have struggled because of COVID and some have not survived which is tough and extremely sad when they’ve invested blood, sweat and tears for years. It’s at times like these that a supportive and helpful network comes into play. 

I reflect on how my life has changed. No more office politics, no stress related to work issues, no more battling with people, I’m working from home, so no travel backwards and forwards and I can pick the times I work which has been great. I’m saving hundreds of pounds a year on travelling and commuting to and from work, plus no need to buy special work clothes and spend money on things because I popped to the supermarket at lunchtime, mainly to get away from my office, for bread and came out with £30 worth of rubbish that I didn’t really need. 

Feeling grateful to lots of people for helping me achieve my goals. In return I have tried to help other people in their business too which is a great feeling knowing I’ve done that as well. 2021 will be a strange year but I will continue to help others were I can and progress myself forward if I can. I’m grateful and thankful for everything I have, a great family, and although it’s small, they are loving, caring and supportive.  Great friends, young and old, and all from very different backgrounds, they are all diverse in age and in everything they are. A great supportive network group, where everyone wants to help you in your business. I have a lovely house, enough food and clothes and health wise, my family are all well. Things could be so much tougher than they are and for those people who find themselves in that situation, I hope things improve. 

On a personal level my partner, who helped me when I started working for myself, has semi-retired, so I’m now repaying the favour to him. It’s great that he can now take some time out and find a job that he wants to do with better hours and no silly shifts. 

The start of 2021 was as anticipated, but with hope on the horizon with the new vaccine in sight and a return to some sort of normality things are starting to feel better. The start for me was good and I started off with work immediately after my Christmas and New Year break. My BNI meetings started on the 8th January, again on Zoom, but it was good to get back into a routine. 

Brexit has happened, so only time will tell what happens there, but again I’m hoping for the best. It doesn’t affect me on a day to day basis on my work, but I’m sure it will impact me on the price of certain things, travel to and from Europe etc. 

Looking forward to working through 2021 and into 2022, going forward and upwards and onwards. 

Rachel Yarwood

Raywood Graphic Design

Rachelyarwood@aol.com |  raywoodgraphicdesign@gmail.com

The importance of branding

Branding is something that the business owner needs to think long and hard about as most companies will keep their logo and branding for many years. It needs to convey your business and what you do and you as a business owner. Its a very important part of the process and can be a huge benefit if you get this right. 

Branding includes your logo, but is so much more than just a logo, it is about you and what your brand needs to communicate. 

What is a brand identity - Good branding makes you stand out from the crowd and people can identify you quickly and easily with a coherent and complimentary brand across all platforms, print, digital, stationery, etc using consistent colours, icons, visuals and fonts that represent your company.

Brand identity is a mixture of things. Your products and services, the company name, who your audience is, the colours and the fonts being used, what the company wants to convey; playful, smart, professional, relaxed… the list is endless and each company has different requirements. 

If you get this right it will explain to your target audience what you are all about and what services or products you offer and in turn will encourage your prospective customers to buy from you sooner than your competition. The message needs to be easy to relate to and needs to be simple and easily identified. 

Try not to be too clever and way out with names or concepts as it will only confuse customers. Your message needs to tell your potential customers, exactly want you do and be instantly recognised. 

The Company name, logo and colours - This is the first thing that people will see and know about you, so make sure it is memorable, easy to use and spell and unique. Use the same name, colours and fonts across all platforms but before you become transfixed by a certain name, check the availability of the domain name, as it may already exist. Names can be simply your name if you so desire, or a quirky name that is memorable. Difficult to spell names are always a problem when trying to find you on-line so I personally think that simple or memorable names are easier to get right.  

Some people struggle with a logo and what they actually want to use, while others have a clear idea in their heads, but just need some help in getting it into an electronic format. Logos are very subjective and not everyone will like everything, but ultimately you are the business and it is you that needs to be comfortable with the final chosen design. If you are happy then you will be able to promote your company with pride. 

The logo: Keep it clean and clear and one that can be used in various applications, clothing, vehicle graphics, printed collateral, website, social media etc. Logos are better as vector files as they are scalable without losing resolution, which means it can be used at various sizes and will always look great. Consider what you want your logo to convey. Tell your designer of any ideas, colours and styles that you like and more importantly anything that you really don’t like or want, this will save time in the long run. 

Colours: Look at the meaning of colours and how they would work with your business. It would be wise to have primary colours and then some secondary colours for use as accent colours. This will allow your branding to work across a variety of platforms. CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) colours are used in printed matters as a general rule of thumb and RGB (Red, Green and Blue) for web and social media posts, so you need to have your logo in both formats. 

Logo Variations: I would suggest having a landscape and portrait version of your logo as it will be easier to fit into certain situations and also have a white and a black version. 

Brand Guidelines: Always request brand guidelines from your designer. These will tell you what the colours are and what fonts have been used. This will help with continuity going forward and keep your brand consistent wherever it is used. 

For more information contact me on 07773 253654 or email raywoodgraphicdesign@gmail.com | raywoodgraphicdesign.co.uk

Today, the 28th March 2018, is a pivotal day in my life as it was 12 months ago today, that I left my job and started working for myself, after 20 years with the same company. 

I was nervous, apprehensive and worried about whether I could actually do this and whether it would work out for me. It was a massive step, and now that I’m looking back I’m so pleased I did it. It’s a massive change of life and pace and a massive learning curve but one that I have enjoyed. It has taught me a lot about myself, and my abilities, and not to doubt myself. 

Working for yourself, means extra hours, more work and lots more to think about, but it’s on your terms. No more office politics, and no more running around like a stressed headless chicken trying to please everyone else.  No more stressing about things not getting done, because no one can be bothered to return things on time, no more travelling for 45 minutes in to work and 45 minutes home again at the end of a hard and more often than not difficult and frustrating day. 

I left my job and literally hit the ground running. I attended my first BNI networking meeting on the following day, the 29th March and sat there very early in the morning wondering what I had actually done. It was a shock to the system and for several weeks I wondered whether BNI was right for me. I had never done any networking before, so everything was alien. I thought long and hard about BNI and was unsure if I would be able to get and give referrals as was required and I realised it was a big commitment to bring visitors and get subs to stand in for me. I chatted it over with my partner and my sister, and decided to give it a try. 

On my first BNI I arrived and walked in and was made to feel very welcome by everyone. I grabbed a coffee and started to mingle with the others. A mixed bunch of people, all from different walks of life and different professions from a web designer, photographer, builder, electrician, window fitter to mortgage advisor, financial people to a printer and a gardener and many more besides. There were 40+ businesses represented within the room. 

Everyone was seated at round tables, with coffee and juice in hand ready for the actual meeting to begin. There were short, 60 second presentations from everyone educating the room about their business. I stood up and mumbled something, but honestly can’t remember what I said. I was very nervous and I didn’t like public speaking then and still don’t now. There were two other people joining BNI that first morning along with me, so I wasn’t on my own at least. 

After a few weeks I started to settle into the swing of things. I started having meetings with others from the group,  building relationships and contacts. I was enjoying meeting lots of different people, some of whom I would never have met through normal circles. The help and information and the encouragement that I received was invaluable. People want you to succeed and offer any help and support they can. It is also a way of you helping others and this also gives you a sense of achievement. 

I purchased a new Mac and printer, sorted out my software and set to getting my business cards printed. I started looking at various options with regard to work. Sent out lots of emails introducing myself to several local printers and design agencies. Some responded and some didn’t, which I expected. I was looking for work for a couple of weeks, then a friend asked me to do some business cards and I was off and running. Slowly and surely the work started to come in, some from the networking group and some from contacts and friends. 

I had a mentor from BNI, who helped me through the first few weeks. Guiding me through and telling what to do and what was expected etc. I would be asked to bring in referrals and receive them from the others in the group and hopefully this would generate work for each other. At times during this process, I felt I was out of my depth and pushing myself to deal with things that were out of my comfort zone,  but ultimately I survived. 

I had to learn about book keeping, tax returns, managing my time, looking for customers, making sure they were happy with my work, building up my contacts and my network, but it was also about enjoying what I was doing and getting some creativity and passion back into my work. I  am loving the freedom, the flexibility and the realisation that there is a big wide wonderful world out there just waiting. 

BNI has been an invaluable asset to me and I don’t think I would be where I am now had I not joined. The whole process over the last 12 months has been totally positive. I hoped that BNI would help with my confidence and I think it has in some small part. I feel comfortable and part of a much bigger team, with each member on the look out for potential business for others within the group. 
My work has steadily increased and some of the smaller jobs have grown into much bigger things. Have had some lovely testimonials and feedback and customers keep coming back time after time, which is a great achievement. 

I’m passionate about doing a good job for people and comfortable with my ability. I’m pleased with how the first year has gone and my motto is onwards and upwards. 

All of the people I have worked with have been lovely. There are always pitfalls to working for someone or working for yourself, but ultimately I’m happier than I have been for a while and even if I don’t earn as  much money as before I need and want to do my own thing. 

As a one-man band you have to be organised and efficient. You are always looking for work or opportunities but the freedom and not having to do a 9-5 job outweighs everything for me. Keep your overheads low and to start with do as much as you can yourself. Build up contacts, connections and do as much networking as you can. When asked to do something be quick, efficient and stick to your quote  and above all make sure your customer is happy. 

Bill paying is a tricky area and one where I’m learning every day. Keep on top of your invoicing and make sure people pay your bills on time. I don’t like to chase people,  but it is inevitable I’ve had to. Most smaller companies, pay on time, as they are aware of cash flow issues. Getting a deposit upfront is a good idea and depending on the amount of work, determines whether I do this or not. 
The support I have had from my partner and my family has been amazing. I have a fantastic group of friends who have all been supportive and encouraging and I am so lucky to have them all in my life. 

I wonder what the next few years will hold once now going forward ….. only time will tell on that one I suppose!