Make 2018 the year to go freelance

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Fed up of the daily commute?

Had enough of mundane water cooler conversations?

Sick and tired of Sarah in IT and Jo in HR making your life a misery?

Then maybe it is time to go freelance.

While you might not have the security of a 9-5 role, a monthly salary or 21 days holiday a year, being your own boss does offer you flexibility and the chance to do what you love but on your terms.

We aren’t saying hand your notice in now, but have a think about what you want to do and if you consider the points below, we think you might start making that dream a reality.

Have a plan
Create a business plan that looks at finance, growth, location, activities and skills. This don’t need to be anything long or fancy but setting things out in black and white can give you a focus and realistic goals.

Network
Breakfast meetings, lunches and evening events are all greats ways to start making connections even if you are still in a full-time job. If you are nervous, why not go with a friend and then swap notes at the end of the session?

Contacts
The old saying, ‘it’s who you know not what you know’ is very true when you start a new venture. Maybe your best friend works on a magazine, your old school mate is a blogger or you know a couple of people who design websites or do PR? Make the most of the people you know and it could well be there is synergy between you and them that could lead to business opportunities.

Look at the Competition
You might be able to make a mean cake or write a really creative marketing plan – but so do loads of other people out there. Do your research, check out the competition and work out what makes you different and where your offerings would site in the market place.

Think About the Money
Let’s not beat about the bush, starting out requires hard cash investment and you are going to need this, so start planning. Look at how much money you need to start your business, what equipment you would need, and before you make a start make sure you have a buffer saved up for those unexpected costs and quiet patches. It might even be that you need to work part-time for a while to get things up and running and keep money coming in, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Marketing and PR
This is something you can do as you get ready to take the next step of full-time freelancing. Decide in a business name, get a logo, set up your social media feeds and ensure you have a website in place. All of this takes time, and money, but if you get the basics set up in the background, when you are ready to go, people will be able to find when you when you are open and firing on all cylinders.

Small Print
The excitement of setting up something new can mean the details get left behind, but this isn’t a mistake you want to make. Finding an accountant or book-keeper, registering for tax, considering VAT status and researching professional insurance might seem boring, but they need to be done and will make you more efficient and professional in the long run.

Location, Location, Location
When you work for someone else, you go to their premise day in and day out but when you fly solo it is a very different matter. You need to make sure you have a base to work from and one that is ideally close to local amenities, has a decent internet connection and phone support as well as good transport links.

Whatever you do, if you have a dream, go for it.

Team Pure-Beauty

Could your garage be your home office?

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With train ticket prices on the rise and meetings eating into the day, for many the idea of working from home is very appealing. While spare rooms and lofts are often the first spaces to be converted for this purpose, garages can be full of potential and can work really well.

You might not see it right now, but with a little creative consideration and TLC, we think you will be able to transform a sad shell into a chic workspace that will put an end to Sunday night blues and bumper to bumper traffic on Monday morning.

Clean it up
The first step towards creating a usable working environment is making the space clean and clear. Sort out what is rubbish, find a home for tools, paddling pools and hoses and then get to work cleaning the floors and walls, tackle the cobwebs and repair any cracks.

Make it light
Garages tends to be dark by nature, but you can transform it with a lick of fresh white paint. If you have windows in your garage this will give you a natural burst of light so give them a clean and add curtains or blinds to create a welcoming environment. If there is no natural light, invest in a decent desk lamp, look at LED lights and create a bright space that you want to work in.

Get the temperature right
It is unlikely you will have central heating in your garage so fans or air conditioning units will be needed in the summer and radiator-style oil heaters work in the winter. Always be safety conscious and ensure they are working correctly and turn them off when you aren’t in the working space.

Power
If you are going to work from your garage you need to ensure it has the correct power needs. You are making an investment in your home, so get an electrician to check things are safe and in good working order.

If you are going to be running computers, printers, phone and tablet chargers as well as heating solutions, it is vital to ensure you have enough sockets. Do not overload extension cables as this could end in disaster.

The basics
Source a proper desk, a decent chair, filing cabinets and book shelves but be sure to measure up before buying to prevent layout issues. If you don’t want to spend a fortune, eBay and Gumtree are great sources for second hand items and you can also try your local recycle centre.

Get the look
As well as being warm and safe, you want your office to be comfortable and inviting. Coordinate your files with your coffee cups and pens for that pulled together looking. Adding photos to the walls and having canvas paintings can really bring your office alive and add a contemporary edge. Plants make the space green and a diffuser means you can keep your mind alert thanks to essential oils of mint, lemongrass or lavender when you want to relax.

Clean up
It might be tempting to leave mugs on the desk and papers in the bin, but if you want to keep things professional and not slip into bad habits, tidy up at the end of each day and lock the door behind you.

Good luck and if you have already made the change, drop us a line and let us see the results.

Team Pure-Beauty

Celebrate World Chocolate Day

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World Chocolate Day, also known as International Chocolate Day, is here once again on 7th July and it is a great reason to ditch your healthy eating plan and enjoy the good stuff, guilt free.

With so many bars and brands out there, just where do you start when it comes to chocolate?

‘I love nothing more than a Double Decker and quite like Rolos too.”
Jane

“I love dark chocolate and have a couple of squares everyday.”
Danni

“For me it’s chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce.”
Vicky

“I wish I could stop at one chocolate but no, I can eat an entire tray of Thornton’s in one go.”
Annie

Whilst you can go out and buy a Mars Bar, Twix and family bag of Maltesers to enjoy on 7th July, why not make this amazing fool-proof chocolate cake that is bang on the cocoa money.

For one delicious cake you will need:
225g of plain flour
350g of caster sugar
85g of cocoa powder
2 teaspoons of good quality vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons of baking powder and the same of bicarbonate of soda
2 large free-range eggs
125 ml of vegetable oil
250 ml of full fat milk
250 ml of boiling water
For the top of the cake you will need
200g of good quality, dark chocolate
200 ml of double cream
1 large bag of Minstrels or similar

In preparation for baking, wash your hands then preheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 then grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins.

To start making your cake, put all the ingredients, except the water, into a mixing bowl and beat the mixture until smooth and lump free. You can do this using a wooden spoon or an electric whisk.
Next add the boiling water a little at a time, until you have a smooth liquid – don’t worry this is how it is meant to be.

Divide the mix in two and pour into the sandwich tins and bake for around 30 minutes, or until the top of the cakes are firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

When ready, take the cakes out of the over and allow them to cool on a rack before you add the icing.

To make the icing, you will need to put the chocolate and cream in a pan and let them melt over a very low heat. Once they have melted, take away from the heat and whisk the mixture until it is smooth and thick then cover and let it rest for around an hour.

When ready, spread the icing onto the base of one cake, add the second cake then ice the top with the reminder of the mixture.

You can then get creative and add an extra chocolate hit with the Minstrels or sweets of your choice.

Serve as it comes or with ice cream and enjoy!

Team Pure Beauty