Self-Employment Pros and Cons

by Elle Ray | Nov 28, 2017 | Small Business Advice

Trying to Decide Whether to Work for Yourself?

Believe it or not, but about one in three Americans label themselves as self-employed. That includes freelancers, contractors and small business owners. Like self-employment pros and cons, it’s a good thing for many and a terribly challenging option for others.

Those numbers don’t even take into account the number of Americans who wish they could be self-employed, who dream of one day telling their bosses to bite it and others who’re working towards the goal of “living the dream.” With self-employment pros and cons on the table, do you think it may be for you? Maybe or maybe not? Let us help you decide.

Weigh self-employment pros and cons

What Are the Odds?

Like many small business owners, we’ve had periods of employment, as well as self-employment. We’ve experienced self-employment pros and the cons, as well as the ups and down of working to someone else’s timetables. As with most things, to make a big decision like whether to switch to the other side, we put each move through the list brigade — a list of pros and cons — and the side with the most checks wins.

At times, pros outweigh cons, and we’ve sought self-employment. And then, when we’re at the end of the rope, the con side tips the balance sheet, and we seek release from all responsibilities with regular jobs. Either way, the process works for most big life decisions — from should I end a relationship to should I quit my job: the side with 51 percent wins. 50/50 goes back to the drawing board and landslides get no further consideration.

When the Positives Win Out

Running a business, being your own boss: when it’s good, it’s really good, kind of like that perfect relationship that you can’t believe you finally found. When self-employment makes you happy and makes you money, it’s pretty darn cool.
Other pros include:

Flexibility. Want a day off? Don’t want to do that particular job? When you’re the boss and if you can afford it, take the day off, tell that cranky client good-bye and work when it suits you. Flexibility, which also means working many 12-hour days and 7-day weeks, is one of the highlights of self-employment.
Passion plays. You get to do the kind of work you feel like you were born to do. If the environment is your passion, if dogs give your life meaning or if crafting a cool sentence gets you off, you can do it in your own business.
No limit to income. You’re the only limit to your income. Sure, the economy at any given time may play a role, but truly, you govern your income based on the level of work you’re willing to put into it. You set your goals, and it’s up to you to reach them.
Dress for your success. I love to stay in my pajamas until mid-afternoon. And I can when I’m writing and editing all day. The commute is awesome too. When others are grappling with rush-hour traffic and cold-morning commutes, the self-employed can do the books, stay in the home office or just work the phones all day, depending on your business model, of course.

When It’s Bad, It’s Awful

The thing is, most of the pros can be turned upside down and made to be the bad guys. Self-employment pros and cons are just two sides to the same coin. And when those smiles turn into frowns, it’s not a happy place to be, which makes us wonder why so many people choose self-employment. Things that can turn around:

Flexibility means working when your staff doesn’t show up. It can mean working holidays and weekends and nights and mornings and all hours if you want to get paid.
Passion may grow old after a while. Sometimes, the thing you love most turns into your least favorite thing to do after doing it all day every day.
Income can be so unstable that some days you don’t even have enough to buy a coffee and a bagel. Unstable income is one of the unhappiest side effects of self-employment.
Dress for success takes on new meaning when it comes time to get out and network or attend a community function. Whoops, forgot to buy new business attire this year (or last).

Weigh Self-Employment Pros and Cons Before You Try It

Or get Mikey to try it; he likes everything. It used to be that many people went to work for “the man” just to get the bennies, but healthcare and dental insurance are not assured for the working class in America today. So that’s not always a reason to stay in a job that isn’t fun anymore. Self-employment pros and cons take on new meaning altogether when you talk about fun. Should work really be fun anyway?

And if it’s not fun, or at least satisfying, or paying you enough or giving you any reason to get out of bed in the morning, then maybe it’s time to try the route that 33 percent of your fellow Americans have gone — and start a business. You can always go back to work. The “man” is always hiring. But you may not always be in a position to give it a try. And you wouldn’t want to lie on your deathbed and wonder, what if…

Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.

You Know Who You Are

by Elle Ray | Nov 21, 2017 | Small Business Advice

Who’s on Your Gratitude List and Why It Matters

In our e-newsletter this month — and if you haven’t signed up for it yet, get our monthly newsletter here — the theme was, “Don’t Be a Cliché.” We believe they’re a shortcut indicative of lazy writing. And here we are about to break that rule…

But on second thought, being grateful is never cliché, even though it may only be once a year when we truly stop to take the time to thank others who have helped us throughout the year. Building a gratitude list is something that we at Ray Access like to do on a regular basis. It helps us appreciate what it takes to run a small business.

At Ray Access, we love gratitude lists

As a successful partnership, we’re grateful for each other. If one partner falls behind, the other one’s there to pick up the slack. If one wants to throw in the towel, the other sets him right. We keep each other on track, focused and motivated. We have high expectations, and we push each other to reach them.

It’s Often the Little Things

Building a list of the little activities in life and in business that we feel thankful for actually leads to a very long gratitude list. After all, success rarely is the result of one super-big event, but more of an accumulation of individual considerations and special moments. And even those memories that seemingly don’t belong on the gratitude list often carry side effects for which we can find grace.

To that end, here is a gratitude list of Thanksgiving blessings for which the partners at Ray Access are grateful for, coming to you with our blessings to steal any one or all of them to which you too can relate:

Co-workers who pick up the slack when you’re sick. Family and friends who come to the door bearing gifts of time and treasure to pitch in when you can’t do everything you need to do because of some unforeseen illness that knocks you off your game for a while.
Family members who allow these free-spirited entrepreneurs to flourish, who forgo the lavish cars and vacations so that their loved ones can pursue their own path to happiness. Because God knows, being a small business owner doesn’t always guarantee a high, let alone a regular, income.
Decision-makers who place a priority on shopping local and using local contractors whenever possible. Especially in a community that attracts entrepreneurs and free spirits, Asheville business owners who use local talent deserve to be high on the gratitude list.
New clients who dare to take a chance when they need content for their business, but don’t understand how someone else can write it. We take them by the hand and lead them through the process. They’re always amazed at the results. One dentist client claimed, “The quality of the content is outstanding! We even learned a thing or two.” Imagine that!
Repeat customers who haven’t forgotten the outstanding service they received. Business leaders who keep a digital Rolodex of contractors who did good work in the past often return when the service provider needs them the most.
Team members who stick around when the work isn’t flowing and who are as loyal as the repeat clients. We’re grateful for these workers who tell their employers that they aren’t going anywhere.
Readers who appreciate good writing and quality editing. Supporters of proper grammar and punctuation who sign up for well-crafted newsletters and take the time to read through a blog that catches their attention. And a special place on the gratitude list for those who respond.
Difficult clients who cut ties on their own. Some clients are just more difficult and time-consuming than others. While we try to accommodate all our clients, we breathe a sigh of relief when they decide to move on without us, often leaving behind valuable lessons.

A Year-Long Gratitude List

These are people, situations or businesses that should never be taken for granted. It’s not always a given that just because an organization touts support for local business that they end up actually hiring local talent when they have the chance. You know who you are! Very often, people say, “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,” but are nowhere to be found when you ask. You know who you are!

And we shouldn’t expect clients and employees to just know how much they’re appreciated. You never have to worry about being a cliché when you take the time to say, “Thank you.” So if we don’t say it enough, or if we haven’t said it to you lately — Thank You! You know who you are! And we’re deeply touched by your presence and grace … for our business and for our lives.

True to Our Word

by Mark Bloom | Sep 25, 2017 | Small Business Advice

Our Mission Statement Gives Us Our Purpose

Ray Access is true to its mission statement

At Ray Access, we don’t often use this platform to toot our own horn, not counting last week’s cool announcement. But we take our mission statement seriously. It drives our business forward and expresses our ethics. In short, it gives us our purpose. Without it, Ray Access would be a rudderless ship adrift in an ocean of opportunity. Read it for yourself:

“To help companies succeed online while educating business leaders about the value and purpose of well-crafted content. It’s not enough for you to say something; you have to say something meaningful. Your message must be worth your customers’ time and attention.”

We’ve written about mission statements before. Finding your mission and putting it into a statement can point you, your business or your agency toward:

The success you crave
The clients you want
The work you desire

Every Day Is an Opportunity

Many companies don’t change a thing after spending time and effort writing their mission statements, but that’s not how mission statements work. Once you have your purpose, it’s supposed to change your approach to your job, your idea of success and your list of priorities. The most successful companies have actionable, goal-oriented mission statements. We’d bet these companies have placed their mission, clearly and visibly, on the walls of their reception areas, in the company cafeterias or break rooms and in the offices of the CEO.

You need to live your mission statement. You need to refer to it often. Let it guide your decisions and keep you on the right path. Your mission, just as the word itself implies, is your reason for being in business. If you ignore it, you have no purpose other than making money, and if that’s your true purpose, you’ll end up making short-term, profit-motivated decisions that may short-circuit your ultimate success.

Ray Access Lives Up to Its Mission Statement

It’s not easy to live your mission. But, as one CEO said: “Do the right thing, not the easy thing.” By staying true to our goals and purpose, Ray Access is attracting the kind of business clients we’re seeking. We’re finding writers who want to stay with us and contribute. Anyone, be it client or contractor, who doesn’t align with our vision, ends up leaving.

And we’re fine with that. We encourage it, in our own way. We’d prefer to surround ourselves with those people who want what we want:

To help businesses become successful through top-notch content that connects with customers
To create literate marketing messages that attract a more targeted customer base
To educate business leaders to develop a more media-aware marketplace, where both businesses and consumers understand the value and power of knowledge
To inspire people to fashion a better and safer digital world for businesses and consumers alike

Make sure your goals align with your mission statement

Evolving Needs to Hit a Moving Target

But the world is changing. New technologies come along that disrupt the status quo. New platforms emerge that better connect people to what they want. New algorithms allow search engines to determine which messages are the most valuable. Through it all, Ray Access has been saying that it’s quality content that matters most.

And that’s still the case. Regardless of search engine algorithms, keyword best practices or the number of backlinks — all that SEO mumbo-jumbo — it’s really all about delivering value to your audience:

Answering their questions
Gaining their trust
Proving your expertise
Communicating clearly and honestly

We write informative website copy, engaging blog posts and attention-grabbing newsletters for our clients. We write for people first, because people matter most. It’s not necessarily the companies who are the biggest spenders who end up winning; it’s the businesses with the best messages that come out on top.

Writing is still meaningful. Communication is still vital. Businesses still thrive — or fail — based on how they connect with their audiences. So, when you’re in the market for revamped website content or when you’re ready to launch, or relaunch, your blog, remember Ray Access.

No Storm Can Bring Us Down

by Elle Ray | Sep 12, 2017 | Small Business Advice

In the Swirling Marketplace, Remain Committed

As wordsmiths and purveyors of articles, stories and descriptions, we enjoy both the way you can play with words and the sometimes varied meanings that can be attributed to a single word. For this purpose, because it’s the word on everyone’s mind these days — from the fires in the West to the floods in the East — we’ve chosen the word “storm” to play with.

Weather the storms to come out on top

While so many batten down their hatches to ride out the various storms that may be hitting home — or close to it, we know just as many people who are enduring stormy relationships, riding out emotional storms and braving the storms that usually follow a small business as it matures and grows.

Setbacks and Storm Surges

Most small business owners don’t head into their chosen fields thinking that they’ll have to weather big hurricane-force winds of change. Others, on the other hand, go in with eyes wide open and — just like those sea-loving creatures (aka beach bums) who like to make their homes on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean — they prepare for the storms they know come with the territory.

It takes a truly optimistic and positive-thinking entrepreneur to quit a day job. You forgo a steady paycheck and eschew paid benefits to start a small business. But those of us who do wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re prepared for some of the storms that hit, while others blindside us, but just like the city of Houston, hit unawares by Hurricane Harvey, we find a way to keep on going.

A few of the storms a small business should be prepared to meet might include:

A push to diversify. Your one big passion may not be enough, or your lenders and colleagues may try to get you to add more lines. For example, at Ray Access, we try very hard to stick to what we do best — writing and editing. But we’re constantly being asked and pushed to do SEO or to create websites. So far, we’ve resisted, sticking to our core values, our core disciplines and our core strengths.
Bad hires. While you’re growing, the last thing you need is to make bad hires that not only threaten your current business model, but waste enough of your time so you can’t put your effort into sustaining your growth. Been there, done that! Keep tabs on your new hires and look for the early-warning signs.
Being broke. The perpetual optimist knows that when he’s broke, it’s only temporary. The optimistic entrepreneur puts a smile on his face and braves the next networking function with enthusiasm. But when you face the need for cash flow or shut down, that’s a storm you’ve got to weather. We’ve walked that line, for sure, but we’re still here, still determined and still confident in our product.
Losing a big client. Any small business owner who’s survived past storms knows that you can’t put all your sandbags along one wall. As soon as you do, the water inevitably comes crashing over the opposite wall. Never rely on one customer. Fortunately, at Ray Access, we’ve known this one from the start. The search for new clients never ends.
Needing more exposure. To advertise or not to advertise; that’s a big question — especially for internet-based companies like Ray Access. After two years, we finally started writing weekly blog posts, just like we were doing for clients. As we grew a little, we knew we were going to have to do more. It took us more than three years before we finally started spending money on advertising. It’s a gamble for a small business, but maybe the only way to gain exposure.

Survive and Grow

A hurricane or wildfire can take out the infrastructure that houses your small business. You may lose equipment and power for a short time. But the entrepreneurial spirit can’t be extinguished by a little — or even a big — storm surge. With the cloud safely away from land-based designs and with your mind and body intact, you can and will survive this and any other storm that comes your way.

Every defeat, the saying goes, is only a defeat if you don’t learn from it. What can you learn from the devastation of a hurricane that washes away clients like so many cars on a flooded highway? There are many lessons:

Expand your customer base from just one area to national or even international.
Stay true to your goals, and you will survive and prosper after the waters recede.
Deliver a product or a service that people actually need and want, and they’ll keep coming back.
Make the planet a better place, every day, in large and small ways.
Look back to understand how you could have prepared better; then look ahead and implement your changes.

Who’s Buying Your Products or Services?

by Mark Bloom | Jun 13, 2017 | Small Business Advice

You Must Know Your Customers to Sell to Them

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: “If a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon or make a better mouse trap than his neighbors, though he builds his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door.” This sentiment may have been true in the late 19th century, but it isn’t any longer.

Today, you have to promote your brand, do your market research and offer compelling pricing. It almost goes without saying that your products or services are better in some way than your competitors’. To reach your audience in a meaningful way, you have to know who your customers are — and the better you understand them, the more your sales tactics will succeed.

Know your customers so you know what they want

Do You Know Your Customers?

Your customers include those who have already bought your products or services, as well as those who are merely interested in what you’re selling. You have to reach both of those audiences to increase your sales and grow your business. How do you find out who your customers are? Ask them, poll them or survey them. Explore your analytics. Search social media characteristics. Whatever it takes, you must do it.

It’s possible that the only difference between those who’ve already bought from you and those that haven’t is that one group already knows how awesome your company is and the other group doesn’t. Yet. You have to put the effort into getting to know your customers. Find out as much as you can about them. For example:

What they like, beyond your products or services
Where they like to go and where they hang out
How much they earn, on average
Why they like your company enough to buy your offerings
What they do for work and play
How old, what gender and what race they are, on average

The Point of This Exercise

To get to know your customers, research all the information above. But once you have that information, you have to act on it. You have to target your advertising and marketing to that audience. You have to be a presence wherever they are.

For example, if you determine that they’re more likely to listen to a certain radio station, buy air time. If they spend time on Facebook or another social media channel, advertise there. If many of your customers also mountain bike, drink beer or vacation in the mountains (to pick three random examples), make sure you have a presence in mountain bike shops, breweries or mountain rentals.

Success Involves Knowing Your Customers

As writers, the Ray Access team has to know who our clients’ customers are before any writing can take place. All writers need to know their audience. Stephen King, Peter Drucker and Ralph Waldo Emerson all recognized who would read their words. Fox News outlets, your local paper and the New York Times all understand their specific following. When you write your marketing copy, website content or blog posts, know your audience to get the best results.

In the end, when you know your customers, you know how to appeal to them. Because you know what they want, you can build the trust it takes to create not just customers, but loyal advocates of your brand. That’s worth taking the time to get to know your customers — both for the present and for the future.

5 Parts of a Business to Nail

by Mark Bloom | Jun 6, 2017 | Small Business Advice

No Matter What Your Business Is, Know It Well

Running a business is hard work. If you’re a small business owner, then you’re likely doing almost everything yourself. It’s a lot to take care of, all those parts of a business, and you have to do everything well. The state of your business very often depends solely on you.

5 parts of a business to nail

As small business owners, the principals of Ray Access have found themselves in the same boat — and to maintain this analogy, you’ll agree that when you have to do everything yourself, the boat sometimes springs leaks. When you’re working, you’re not marketing. When you’re doing payroll, you’re not earning any money.

Get These Parts of a Business Right

It’s a small business trap. It’s about balance… and knowing when to call in outside help. It’s about forging ahead… without killing yourself. It’s about recognizing the value of your time.

But some things require your touch. These are parts of a business that you must understand backward and forward. These are business aspects that you have to know so well that you dream about them. And let’s be frank, when you’re starting a business or nursing a small business, you’re dreaming about it most nights.

5 Parts of a Business to Worry About

No one person has all the answers. Ray Access is no different. We advise you to read and digest the information presented below, but how you approach them may be as unique as your unique value proposition:

Operations. No matter what your company produces — whether it’s yoga eggs or accounting services — you need stay on top of your day-to-day work. To keep your business running smoothly, you need to nail your business operations. Keep your customers happy, keep your employees happy and keep the production flowing. This is perhaps your #1 priority. Without having your finger on your company’s pulse, your business can collapse from neglect or poor decision-making.
Customers. No matter what you sell, your customers keep you in business. It’s imperative therefore that you learn as much about them as possible. Where do they hang out? What do they enjoy? How much do they make? How old are they? Create buyer personas so that you can better tailor your wares to your best customers. Personas also help you target the most appropriate market when advertising.
Financials. To succeed in business, you must understand the three major financial statements: profit and loss statements, balance sheet and cash flow. To know how your business is doing at any point in time, you have to know how to read these documents. Fortunately, you can find software solutions, including QuickBooks invoicing that make your financials much more accessible.
Research. The world continues to evolve. Don’t be caught with an outdated solution to a problem that no one experiences anymore. To stay current, keep up with research in your field. Advances are overtaking almost industry. With the Internet of Things (IoT), every business is or will be changing. How will your industry evolve? That’s your charge.
Marketing. No one beats a path to your door — most people don’t know where and how to find you. You need to keep your brand in front of your target audience. Without marketing, your business is a corner shop on a deserted street. It’s no longer enough to be the best plumber, for example; you have to let everyone in your market know that you’re the best plumber — and provide the reasons.

All five of these parts of a business contribute to the success or failure of your company. Learn them. Use them.

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