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Some things, no doubt, are complicated:
There’s a bevy of examples in the universe. I’m sure collectively we can think of several hundred (if not thousands) of them. The hip hinge isn’t one of them. Or, at least it shouldn’t be. Trust Me, You Can Do ItThe most cogent place to start is to (briefly) explain what a hip hinge is. And to that end I often like to steal a train of thought from renowned strength coach and writer, Dan John:
Well, that was easy. Now that we know what it is, why do we care? In my neck of the woods – strength & conditioning – the hip hinge is the precursor (or base) for a lot of what we do to help make people stronger, faster, and more athletic. Deadlifting = hip hinge. Jumping = hip hinge. But in everyday life, too, the hip hinge pops in to make a cameo appearance:
Photo Credit: STACK.com Whether you realize it or not, and whether or not it involves lifting heavy things (or your recycling bin), you likely hip hinge many, many, many times per day. And you’re likely more than proficient at it. Some (not all) fitness professionals like to make things more complicated than they have to be. When it comes to the hip hinge, really what we’re after is the ability to dissociate hip movement from lumbar movement. We want to be able to move from the hips with little (if any) movement from the spine; especially when we’re under significant load. Some fit pros will assess the hip hinge and if it seems wonky or awry they’ll automatically transform into “corrective exercise” mode where said individual will be put through a hefty 17-week program complete with dowel rods, bands, breathing drills, and maybe a Shaolin monk (in worst case scenarios) to set them straight and to fix things. Now, I am not here to bemoan corrective exercise or to belittle those who take the time to coach up their clients with hip hinge drills. I mean, I’ve written several blog posts on the topic HERE and HERE, so I’d be a major asshole if I did that. But, what I would like today’s post to do is to provide a bit of context and to remind coaches that sometimes all people need is a slight nudge or reminder that “x” is what you want them to do. Again, with a hip hinge, all I’m after is dissociation of hip movement from lumbar movement. If I can get an individual to create tension – or a “flexion moment” – in the anterior core so that they can’t move through their lower back, then my job is done. This drill is about as simple as I can make it: The Bear Hug Hip Hinge[embedded content] Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/07/lets-not-make-things-more-complicated-than-they-have-to-be-the-hip-hinge/
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Earning an income while studying can help keep you financially afloat. And as technology advances, the range of opportunities for students to make money is wider than ever. While earning money is great, you don’t want your side job to interfere with your studies. Luckily, there are many full-time and part-time jobs for students that are flexible to give them an opportunity to improve their productivity and also focus on their education. Check out these six: 1) Online tutorYou might be frustrated that what you’re learning in school is difficult to apply to the real world. For example, maybe you don't intent to use your great essay writing skills after you graduate. Regardless of the career you have in mind, you can earn income by helping people understand what you already know. All you need is to develop your communication skills and understand your target audience. Remember, you will be compensated for the quality and quantity of service you render. Therefore, pay attention to the boring professor, learn more to improve your skills, and reap the benefits now. 2) Freelance writer and editorIf you are a good writer or you love writing articles, what are you waiting for? You can start earning today. There are lots of great companies looking for good writers to do the job. Good writers are hard to find and difficult to replace. Again, the more articles you well, the more you earn. To write well, read well, and practice on a daily basis. And if you'd rather help others with their writing, know that editors are well compensated for their work and in demand. 3)TranscriptionistIf your typing speed is good and your grammar is on point, being a transcriptionist is for you. Simply, it's turning audio files into text. It's not complicated — most clients will tell you not to change anything. The skill you require is focus to avoid missing or misspelling words. The average pay for a transcriptionist is $20 for each audio hour. 4)Online English teacherMost people lack the patience and strength to tutor because it’s difficult. But being good is worth it: the better you are, the higher the pay. When I was a student I tutored several people via Skype and worked at writing services and earned enough to live pretty comfortable. 5)PhotographerGreat photographers are rare to find therefore they get paid extremely well. If you don’t have the resources to buy a great camera, you can start taking photos with your phone and doing some editing. Start with what you have to get what you want in future. 6)Presentation designerPowerPoint presentations are one of the most powerful ways people use today to deliver speeches or organize business meetings. Making them impactful isn't difficult; all you need to do is understand what the client wants to be included in the presentation and ensure the slides are flowing logically. ConclusionBesides the benefit of earning an income, lots of students end up making their part-time job a full-time one. And as one of my friends says, “Any job that is performed in a great way will always present opportunities for growth”. Therefore, start doing what you love to do. Start with what you have right now. Don’t wait or make excuses. Start your success journey today by learning how to perform whatever you do well. Michael Gorman is a UK-based freelance writer and proofreader. He writes for best dissertation help and on a range of human interest topics. Reach out to him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/07/31/6-freelance-side-hustles-for-students/
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Communication is an essential tool in your business, at home, and basically in every aspect of life. You cannot avoid it, as it is the mean through which we share our ideas and listen to others' opinions. But as a business owner, handling demanding clients can be a big challenge. That is why you need to master your communication skills to handle the most difficult of them. They will always be there — you can't wish them away. Master these tips and you just might turn them into loyal customers! 1) Listen and communicate carefullyWhen a client comes at you with guns blazing, stay calm. They may have a point that is worth noting. Listening to them and showing a sincere desire to help can help diffuse the situation, as you're demonstrating that they are valued. So instead of reacting to rudeness, stay cool. After they voice their complaints, express your opinion calmly and clearly — and try to empathize. 2) Restate their concernsThe next thing you need to do is reiterate the issue, calmly. Summarizing their concerns shows that you listened and that you take them seriously. This will make them more open to reasonable problem-solving approaches. Keep that friendly smile in place. 3) Empathize and apologizeWhether their grievances are justified or not, show the client empathy. If they are justified, the first order of business is to apologize — particularly if the situation is black and white. And if the client is wrong, at least apologize for the misunderstanding before offering a solution. This will make the client more amenable to whatever you propose. And remember: if it is your fault, treat it as a learning experience. 4) Negotiate with respectWhen the client is rude or demanding, you must respectfully try to talk them out of it. Try to understand where this client is coming from and maintain your professionalism throughout. Do all you can to tone down the client's anger rather than aggravating it. One way to do that is to admit your own mistakes, but also treat the client with dignity if you must also point out theirs. Encourage them to say what they would wish to be done, then make it easy for both of you to reach a middle ground. Show this client that they can trust you again to do business with in the future. Your goal is to repair the relationship so that you can — if you'd like — work together again in the future. 5) Follow upAfter you have solved the client's problem, make sure you implement the solution immediately and follow up on how well it is working. Perhaps you offer a discount to let the client know that you still value them and would love to do business with them again. Doing all this will score you points as a business. The client will be confident that you will always be there to handle any issues that arise, and that you will remain professional. In conclusionAs a business owner, you must strive to keep the lines of communication open — with both challenging and easy clients. You cannot avoid having difficult clients. However, you can make sure you have all the necessary communication tools to manage them. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/07/30/5-communication-skills-to-deal-with-difficult-clients/
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Whoa – I was thiiiis close to titling this post “A Cool Way to HACK Your Landmine Variations,” and then I remembered I can’t stand people who use that word incessantly. Hack. You see articles or blog posts use it all…the…time, as if to imply 1) they know something we don’t, some short-cut no one in the history of ever has ever thought of before and 2) that they’re some sort of uppity, bourgeoisie Dumbledore or something with a bevy of tricks up their sleeve:
Anyway, I remembered I wasn’t an asshole and decided to go with “upgrade” instead. You’re welcome. Upgrade Your Landmine Variations: The Gut WrenchI receive inquiries from companies and individuals all the time asking me to try their stuff out in the hopes that maybe I’ll like it and share it amongst my “tribe.” Admittedly, most of the time, it’s just not a good fit for what I do and what I believe in. I had an individual reach out to me once asking me if I’d be interested in trying out their “Keto” supplements. “They’re very effective,” she said, “and I’m sure the bulk of your audience will agree.” In my head I was like, “I’d rather jump into a dumpster fire.” I don’t know, maybe they were effective (at what, I have no idea); and maybe I’m a big, fat, meanie head for not giving something new a try, but all I did was politely say “no thanks” and move on with my life. I’ve also had people reach out to see if I’d be interested in trying out “x” piece of equipment or maybe they want to send me some of their apparel that does all sorts of fancy things like keep track of your heart rate, exfoliates your skin, and filters your sweat so that it can be recycled to grow organic grass fed acai berries. I’m always flattered and always try to be respectful when I know something’s not a proper fit for me or my brand. It comes with the territory for being moderately e-famous. NOTE TO AUDI: If you ever want to send me one of your new Q5’s to try out I won’t say no…:o) That said, it’s not always a shit show. Every now and then I’m sent something cool, and something I think everyone else will think is cool too. Like… …The Gut WrenchThe people over at StrongerThanU.com reached out to me several weeks ago asking if I’d be interested in their gadget, The Gut Wrench. Full Disclosure: I receive zero kickback or affiliate income for recommending this product. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a future hug, though. I know based off the picture above it doesn’t look like much, but once I saw it in action I knew I’d want one to have in my studio. It makes having a dedicated Landmine (or Angled Bar) attachment obsolete. I can do a multitude of Landmine exercises anywhere in the gym I please: in the corner, in the middle of the gym floor, over here, over there, pants on, pants off, whatever. When I got back from Australia last week The Gut Wrench was waiting for me and I immediately starting playing around with it. [embedded content] And boy do I like it. It’s small, sturdy, and I can use it for soooo many activities; a god-send for anyone who works out of a limited space such as myself. In the video above I’m performing a Rotating Alternate Landmine Press (0ne of my favorites), and because the Gut Wrench is designed the way it’s designed the barbell doesn’t “slip” on the floor. I.e., It stays in place. Too, I’m still able to perform all the same lower body movements as well without any worry that the barbell will travel away from me. If you’re a gym owner or someone who needs a little more versatility with your Landmine exercises I’d seriously give The Gut Wrench a consideration. Seriously, Audi, call me. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/07/a-cool-way-to-upgrade-your-landmine-variations-the-gut-wrench/
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Like many of the freelancers who are involved with cryptocurrency, you may be unaware of the tax rules related to it. This is evidenced by last Friday’s news that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is sending “educational letters” about tax penalties and obligations to more than 10,000 cryptocurrency holders. It is likely that there are many more people out there who do not know the related rules. If you have not reported virtual currency income or you have failed to pay tax on it, now is the time to make sure you come into compliance before the IRS contacts you. Here is how the IRS is cracking down on taxpayers with cryptocurrency income. With its first wave of letters to taxpayers with virtual currency transactions who may have failed to report income and pay the resulting tax, the IRS is issuing a stern warning to take seriously the obligation of reviewing and amending previous returns and paying back taxes, interest, and penalties when necessary. The consequences of not doing so can mean hefty fines and even criminal prosecution. The IRS started sending educational letters last week to taxpayers whose names were obtained through the agency’s various compliance efforts. It is expected that by the end of August more than 10,000 taxpayers will receive these letters. If you are one of them, you will receive one of three variations: Letter 6173, Letter 6174 or Letter 6174-A. No matter which one you receive, the goal is to help you understand your tax and filing obligations and how to correct past errors by visiting IRS.gov. Even if you don’t receive a letter this time around, be certain that if you do have virtual currency income you need to be compliant with all tax laws because this is an area of focus for the IRS and it is expected that they will expand to other virtual currency exchanges in the future. The IRS will also be actively addressing non-compliance related to virtual currency transactions using tactics such as taxpayer education, audits and criminal investigations. The IRS is planning to issue additional legal guidance in this area soon. A quick overview of virtual currency tax rules For tax purposes cryptocurrency is not treated like cash. It is treated like stocks, bonds, and other investment properties. You need to report your holdings, gains, and losses on Form 8949 and 1040 Schedule D at tax time. When you trade cryptocurrency to cryptocurrency (calculating its fair market worth in US dollars) or to a fiat currency like the dollar it is a taxable event. It is also a taxable event when you use cryptocurrency to purchase goods and services. You may also end up owing sales tax. Buying cryptocurrency with U.S. dollars is not a taxable event because you are not realizing gains when you do so. If you trade one type of virtual currency to the same kind in a wallet-to-wallet trade you may not obligated to pay tax, but you do have to account for it, depending on the exchange you are using. Make sure to check the tax rules of the specific exchange and the IRS accordingly. Gift tax rules apply if you give cryptocurrency as a gift that is larger than the annual exclusion amount, which is $15,000 for 2019. The recipient inherits the cost basis and will owe tax when they sell or trade it. If you are mining and using virtual currency as a business the general rule is that you must account for the dollar value of the coin at the time you received it and again when you trade it or use it. If you make a payment in cryptocurrency you must report it as well. If you receive a payment in cryptocurrency for your business, it is a taxable event. The rules for businesses are complex, so consider seeking the advice of a tax professional to help you. One of the key things to remember when it comes to taxes and virtual currency is that you must keep track of your gains and losses each year and deduct this from your cost basis. This makes it vital to keep track of the value of any trades you make in U.S. dollars at the time of the trade. No matter whether you are using cryptocurrency personally or for your freelance business, you must report your activity and pay tax on your assets. You can find additional information on the tax treatment of virtual currencies on IRS.gov. Catch yourself up on virtual currency taxes before the IRS “educates” you. If you think you might owe taxes from past years, file an amended return now —before you receive a letter from the IRS. If you are one of the 10,000 recipients of an IRS letter this August, be sure to take appropriate action if necessary. Don’t ignore it or you face the risk of fines, penalties, or even legal action. Jonathan Medows is a New York City based CPA who specializes in taxes and business issues for freelancers and self-employed individuals across the country. He offers a free consultation to members of Freelancer’s Union* and a monthly email newsletter covering tax, accounting and business issues to freelancers on his website, http://www.cpaforfreelancers.com — which also features a new blog, how-to articles, and a comprehensive freelance tax guide. *Jonathan is happy to provide an initial consultation to freelancers. To qualify for a free consultation you must be a member of the Freelancers Union and mention this article upon contacting him. Please note that this offer is not available March 1 through April 18 and covers a general conversation about tax responsibilities of a freelancer and potential deductions. These meetings do not include review of self-prepared documents, review of self-prepared tax returns, or the review of the work of other preparers. The free meeting does not include the preparation or review of quantitative calculations of any sort. He is happy to provide such services but would need to charge an hourly rate for his time. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/07/29/the-irs-is-targeting-taxpayers-who-use-cryptocurrency/
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It’s official: I thought I felt like a bag of dicks yesterday, but I really feel like a bag of dicks today. The jet lag was fairly manageable yesterday and Lisa and I were both like “huh, not too shabby.” Today, though, it’s kicked into high gear and next level shitty. It’s so bad I don’t even feel like heading to the gym to do some arms. FML. BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT1.Strong Body-Strong Mind Workshop – Chicago, IL (w/ Dr. Lisa Lewis)Go HERE to register. This workshop is designed for fitness professionals – personal trainers, strength & conditioning coaches, physical therapists, etc – to provide both physical & psychological tools to help build your brand, business, and rapport with clients. Dr. Lewis and I cover a lot of material:
The Early Bird rate for this workshop is set to expire this weekend (7/29) so if you want to save yourself $50 I’d encourage you to sign up ASAP. CEUs will be available. For more information – including full itinerary and to register – you can go HERE. 2. Strategic Strength Workshop – London, UKRegister HERE Luke Worthington and I have presented this workshop twice. Once in London last year and again this past June in Boston. We’re bringing it back to London this Fall, my most favorite place in the world. This two-day workshop is designed to arm fitness professionals with all the tools they’ll need to hone their assessment skills and to make their clients/athletes a bunch of bonafide, resilient, strength training Terminators. Combined Luke and I have ~40 years of coaching experience (or one Dan John) and bring different perspectives and skill-sets to the table; Luke peels back the onion on PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) concepts and assessment, while I go into detail breaking down movement and how to better “match” the exercises we prescribe to our clients. For more information – including itinerary and how to register – you can go HERE. SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS
STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORKThe Truth About TRT & Tips to Maximize Your Hormones – Ali GilbertAli is smart. Very smart. [embedded content] Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World – David EpsteinI’ve seen 94,102 (+/- 32) people recommend this book so I figured it was high time I give it a go. I’m two chapters in and LOVE it. In a world where parents of seven year olds are inquiring about hiring strength & conditioning coaches it’s a much needed breath of fresh air. Pump the motherfuckim brakes people. Ketogenic Diets Suck for Speed and Power – Dr. Mike T. NelsonI love when Mike gets snarky. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/07/stuff-to-read-while-youre-pretending-to-work-7-26-19/
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I feel like a bag of dicks today. Well, not that bad considering the 2o hour total flight time (in addition to a four hour layover in LAX) Lisa and I endured yesterday making our way back to Boston from Australia. I don’t know, maybe I feel more like a bag of soggy potatoes? Either way, it’s not good, and I have zero room to complain given I’m not coaching today and Lisa had to go in because she has full day of clients lined up at her private practice. To that end, given my brain feels like mush at the moment and I’m still trying to get my bearings back from being across the other side of the world for the past two weeks, I wanted to take today as an opportunity to remind people of where I’ll be presenting next. You know, because it’s all about me, me, me, ME! Strong Body-Strong Mind: Chicago (August 2019)Full Disclosure: This will be the only date in 2019 that Dr. Lisa Lewis and I will be presenting this workshop. Go HERE to register. This workshop is designed for fitness professionals – personal trainers, strength & conditioning coaches, physical therapists, etc – to provide both physical & psychological tools to help build your brand, business, and rapport with clients. Dr. Lewis and I cover a lot of material:
The Early Bird rate for this workshop is set to expire this weekend (7/29) so if you want to save yourself $50 I’d encourage you to sign up ASAP. CEUs will be available. For more information – including full itinerary and to register – you can go HERE. Coaching Competency Workshop: Dublin, Ireland (September 2019)Register HERE This will be my first trip to Ireland and I’m curious what’s going to happen when a room full of Irish(wo)men find out I’m not much of a drinker…;o) This workshop is catered to both fitness and non-fitness pros alike. It’s a full day where I take a deep dive into both upper and lower extremity assessment in addition to outlining how I coach up common movements such as the bench press, “shoulder friendly” overhead pressing, squats, and of course, deadlifts. In short, it’ll be an excellent opportunity to get an “umbrella view” of my coaching philosophy and how I best set up my clients/athletes for success. Too, you’ll probably be subject to an array of pictures of my cat. It’s MY workshop, I’ll do what I want! Early Bird rate is currently in effect. Save $100 by registering now. For more information you can go HERE. Strategic Strength Workshop: London, UK (September 2019)Register HERE Luke Worthington and I have presented this workshop twice. Once in London last year and again this past June in Boston. We’re bringing it back to London this Fall, my most favorite place in the world. This two-day workshop is designed to arm fitness professionals with all the tools they’ll need to hone their assessment skills and to make their clients/athletes a bunch of bonafide, resilient, strength training Terminators. Combined Luke and I have ~40 years of coaching experience (or one Dan John) and bring different perspectives and skill-sets to the table; Luke peels back the onion on PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) concepts and assessment, while I go into detail breaking down movement and how to better “match” the exercises we prescribe to our clients. For more information – including itinerary and how to register – you can go HERE. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2019/07/upcoming-speaking-engagements-the-jet-lag-edition/
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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here. If you're like me, your first step after coming up with a great story idea is to check the clips. And no, I'm not talking about a few minutes of cursory cruising on Google. You really need to dive deep using professional research options like TLO or LexisNexis, which people at the top of our field rely on, or you risk missing paywall-protecting articles. And that can be a career knee-capper. You certainly don't want to be pitching to an editor who just saw your angle or a similar one elsewhere. Here's the good news. When you get proficient at combing through published work, you go beyond confirming that your idea isn't already out there. You can actually hit on promising leads in those archives. My choice is LexisNexis — which I find indispensable — and I've gone so far as to work out a discounted deal for freelancers. I also train other journalists in how to use it efficiently. (Here's how to sign up.) So these are my five favorite ways to generate story ideas just be reading up on your subject: 1) Find compelling anniversary follow-ups through custom date searches. Let's say today is August 1, 2019. What I'd do is look at front-page articles from top newspapers and magazines that came out in October and November of 2014, 2009, 1999 and 1994. In other words, five, 10, 20, and 25 years ago. If you find that something big happened back then, this is an opportunity. And not just to report a where-are-they-now feature in advance of the anniversary (though such pieces are often big hits). A great recent example was this story, in which the Daily Mirror tracked down and interviewed Patrick Ireland, the so-called "Boy in the Window" during the Columbine massacre 20 years ago. He'd been shot three times, got stuck climbing out a window, but somehow survived. There's also a chance to examine what might have changed since that news event occurred. Was any new legislation passed? Did any studies come out on the issue? 2) Piggyback off trade journals. Many are expensive, with esoteric insights and data, so typically they're read only by a small community of industry insiders. Looking at them fast-tracks you to subject expertise. But it also puts you in touch with developments that most people won't know anything about. And if you come across a trade-journal reporter who seems to be particularly well informed, set up an alert on her or his byline so that whenever a new article by that person is published, you know instantly. You might even reach out and cultivate that person as a source. 3) Use Newsbank to unearth criminal records. The way to do so is through Newsbank, a collection of the smallest newspapers in the country — dailies from tiny towns and rural areas and free weeklies. There have been many times when I discovered a drunken driving arrest or charge of loitering, trespassing, harassment, or other misdemeanor in some hyper local publication read by a small number of readers. Sometimes those offenses occurred long before a person of prominence became well known — or the crime just never made its way up the news food chain. LexisNexis, by the way, has created a custom search string to help root out arrests, convictions and criminal allegations. Reach out to me by email ([email protected]) and I'll show you how to find it. 4) Do a reverse chronology search. Remembering that Trump had sued all kinds of people — and had been sued himself frequently — I suggested that we do an oldest-to-newest scrub of articles, searching under the candidate's name, plus harrassment and lawsuit. The earliest hit came back to a 1983 suit filed by Anderson Clipper, a rent-controlled tenant at Trump's building at 100 Central Park South. The New York Times piece noted that Clipper prevailed in court after a judge ruled that the numerous suits Trump filed against him — deemed "spurious" — amounted to harassment. And he ordered the developer to pay his ousted tenant 5 percent of the rent he'd received from Clipper. So I said to the group, "Maybe somebody should track down this guy and find out how he feels about Trump all these years later." Not long after the webinar, someone did just that. Jose Pagliery, an award-winning investigative reporter, produced a great story for CNN's web site that looked at Clipper's case and many others. The headline: "Donald Trump was a nightmare landlord in the 1980s." 5) Tap into biographical sources for leads. These profiles provide myriad details about a person's history, ranging from where they went to school, jobs they've held, boards they've served on, home and work addresses, work associates, licenses, hobbies, even estimates of their net worth. Note: To sign up for LexisNexis, go to this link, or contact Brad Hamilton at [email protected] Brad Hamilton is an award-winning editor who heads a foundation for investigative journalism, The Hatch Institute, a New York non-profit. It publishes long-form enterprise pieces with media partners and provides guidance and support for freelance writers and reporters. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/07/25/the-5-best-ways-to-get-story-ideas-from-clips/
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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here. You’ll be pleased to learn that my daughter, Emily, is now a college graduate. Her double major: anthropology and sculpture. The anthropology is interesting, definitely. But the sculpture? That is way cool. Not just because it’s comforting to know that in the unlikely event of a major structural collapse at home, there’s somebody in the family who knows how to weld. No, it’s because unlike most of what you experience as the parent of a kid going to school far away – phone calls, grades, the occasional term paper and/or arrest report – when your daughter is a sculptor, you get to see tangible things that she has produced. That’s a significant distinction: Her sculpting work allows us to experience, understand, and remember what she’s doing in a way that is much deeper and longer lasting than her purely word-based anthropology projects. Your work as a professional service provider is no different. When you share your qualifications and experience on your web site, LinkedIn, in conversation, etc., it tells me a lot about you, absolutely. But it’s not very tangible or enduring. Professional service providers like us sell air, and air has a way of evaporating (or something, I’m not a scientist). That’s why it’s helpful to take deliberate steps to make your work – and you – feel more tangible: Testimonials. Other people talking about you goes a long way towards convincing me of your value and helping me understand how you might solve my specific problems. So when you ask people to write these for you, ask them to be as specific as possible about how working with you improved their business or life. Case studies. These don’t have to be long or complicated. Here as well, though, the idea is to let prospective clients get as close to a firsthand look as possible at how you work and how your clients benefit. It’s one thing to read about your qualifications. It’s quite another to read a story about how you put those into practice. Lots and lots of reality. Do you tell stories from personal experience? Is your physical mailing address on your web site? Is your photo and those of your staff prominently displayed? All of these tangible bits of the material world help you feel more real to others. General Mills can’t write a story about what it did over the weekend (although I’m guessing it would involve cavity-filled, overstimulated children). You can. When you omit this kind of thing out of fear of appearing “unprofessional,” you are ceding one of your most important competitive advantages. Here’s the bottom line. When you sell a professional service, it can be hard for prospective clients to really understand what you do and, even more important, imagine how they might benefit from hiring you. Take a page from Emily’s book: the more real and tangible your services feel, the easier it is for others to know what exactly it is you can contribute. Michael Katz is Founder and Chief Penguin of Blue Penguin Development. He specializes in helping professional service providers talk about their work in a way that is clear and compelling. Sign up for his free newsletter, The Likeable Expert Gazette, here. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/07/24/three-suggestions-for-selling-a-service/
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If you are a freelancer who travels for work or who hires subcontractors to travel on your behalf, then you are likely already aware how time-consuming keeping track of travel expenses for tax purposes can be. Getting a handle on your freelance travel expenses doesn’t have to be complex, but it does require discipline to keep accurate records of the categories of expenses you need to track: transportation, lodging, meals, and incidental expenses. There are two ways to approach freelance travel expenses from a tax perspective: 1) You can track each individual expenditure, keeping in mind that lodging and round-trip travel are 100 percent deductible and that meals while traveling for work are only 50 percent deductible. 2) You can skip the manual tracking of each expense and use a per-diem rate for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses. This method is more streamlined, and it can also help you budget for these expenses more easily. If you are paying for the travel expenses of subcontractors, it also helps you cap your potential expenses because they will have to pay the difference if they exceed your established per diem allowance. On the flipside, if they spend less than your per diem, they will keep the difference. The first method is the traditional itemized deduction approach — which requires receipts for every expense and to-the-penny record-keeping of each category of your travel expenses. This can become tedious due to the significant amount of time and commitment needed to collect receipts and track expenses using software or a tax professional. If you choose the second option, the per diem method, you will in theory spend less time record-keeping as long as your per-diem rate does not exceed the per-diem rate established by the federal government for its employees traveling to the same destination. To keep per diem payments free of income and payroll tax obligations, each expense must have a record of its date, place, and purpose. With this proof, you can deduct 100 percent of lodging per diems and 50 percent of meal per diems. You will, of course, also need a copy of the federal government's per-diem reimbursement schedule for each locality that you or your subcontractor travel to for the current tax year. If you want to simplify things even further, you can choose to set your per diems based on general “low cost” or “high cost” travel destination amounts for the lower 48 states as set by the United States General Services Administration or international destinations set by the U.S. Department of State. These amounts do change from time to time so be sure to check the rates before setting your per diems. Regardless of which method you choose, every expense must be tied to a legitimate business purpose. Lodging and travel, for example, must be necessary for a meeting or other business purpose. The same is true for meals and incidental expenses such as road tolls, taxi or ridesharing fares, parking, and food or beverages other than those consumed at main meals. Also, remember that if a spouse, dependent, or other person goes with you (or your employee) on a trip for business with you, their expenses cannot be included in those you are deducting. Jonathan Medows is a New York City based CPA who specializes in taxes and business issues for freelancers and self-employed individuals across the country. He offers a free consultation to members of Freelancer’s Union* and a monthly email newsletter covering tax, accounting and business issues to freelancers on his website, http://www.cpaforfreelancers.com — which also features a new blog, how-to articles, and a comprehensive freelance tax guide. *Jonathan is happy to provide an initial consultation to freelancers. To qualify for a free consultation you must be a member of the Freelancers Union and mention this article upon contacting him. Please note that this offer is not available March 1 through April 18 and covers a general conversation about tax responsibilities of a freelancer and potential deductions. These meetings do not include review of self-prepared documents, review of self-prepared tax returns, or the review of the work of other preparers. The free meeting does not include the preparation or review of quantitative calculations of any sort. He is happy to provide such services but would need to charge an hourly rate for his time. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2019/07/23/two-ways-to-get-a-handle-on-your-freelance-travel-expenses/ |
AuthorI have 5+ years experience working as a medical transcriptionist. When I am not working, I enjoy sports like playing basketball or judo. I love making friends and connections. Archives
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