Leader

Unclaimed money

There's a frightening amount of money unclaimed and awaiting collection, about $458 million at last count. Are you one of the 500,000 Australians who’s owed something? Find out here.  

How to write a mission statement

This video by Dan Heath over at Fast Company shows you exactly how the mission statement of a small business goes from tasty to terrible in one brainstorming session.




Just how much are meetings costing you?

This basic, but very effective tool easily gives you the answer. Simply tell it how many people are in attendance, their daily rate and the clock starts ticking. Very, very scary! 

Any procrastinating writers here?

Thought so. This little site is a corker. Select how many words you're trying to write, your deadline and punishment mode and you'll get some pretty sharp reminders if you start to slack off.  



Need a financial health check?

Superannuation advice, budget planners and tips for saving are all on offer at the Understanding Money website. This Government operated site provides real back to basics information on how to, err, understand money. 

Font of all knowledge

Not sure what your default font should be? This site is sure to help. Simply paste in some text, choose from hundreds of different fonts and take your pick! 


Feeling demotivated?

The motivation industry has had its day in the sun. How's this for a contradictory view? Despair.com's demotivators claim to 'increase success by lowering expectations.'

Office pod

We want one. Well half a dozen, actually. These office pods have got to be the coolest little workspaces we’ve seen. They look so yummy in the garden.

18 smokin' hot business cards

If you’re just starting up or looking to redesign your business cards, here is a wealth of inspiration from our friends at Freelance Switch.

Wordle on the street

This cool free tool at www.Wordle.net generates funky looking word clouds based on your website or selected text. You can even try different colour schemes and layouts.

Hot or cold?

Stay up to date with the climate debate on this site. Great for those pro action and sceptics, it lists calls to action and dissenting voices from around the world.

Are you free?

If you struggle getting small groups of people together for a meeting, this little gizmo may help. It certainly saves on the email tennis.

Get help from the crowd

The Flying Solo forums are where you can talk and network freely. If you're looking for help, seeking a referral, or just itching to share some news or knowledge, there's a mob of supporters here.

Someone trying to empty your pockets?

SCAMwatch will help you recognise, report and protect yourself from scams that target you or your small business.

Want to get your articles out there?

ArticlePR features a free list of article submission sites or article banks, to which you can submit your articles in order for them to be distributed far and wide.

Keep it simple, silly

More often than not, a soloist’s life is about multi tasking and coping with complexity. If this sounds like you, our friends at Freelance Switch have some worthwhile tips: 10 Ways to Simplify Your Freelance Life.

Calling all Flying Solo fans!

If you're an active networker or involved in any small business groups, we'd love you to get involved in our snappy little promotional program. Find out more.  

Who's following you?

Twitter fans may like Twittersheep, which tells you which kinds of folk are following you. Give it a go! 

When it all gets too much

When it all gets too much. A big thanks to web developer, Simon for this little gem. Apparently it’s where he heads when clients drive him nuts.

Save (on) your energy

Make It Cheaper provides a free service that helps you ditch and switch energy providers. There’s a handy blog with money saving tips, too.

Have you read our manifesto?

If you've yet to read Flying Solo the book, have a read of the Soloist's Manifesto to get a feel for what it's about. Alternatively, browse some reader reviews.

Anatomy of Australia’s micro business owner

Flying Solo’s Understanding Micro Business, 2010-2011 – Australia’s largest micro business survey takes the pulse of this critical business sector. Download the results now.

 

Get projects over the line

If you admire 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' (and who wouldn't?) and recognise you need some assistance to get over the finish line, this online goal tracker may well appeal.

Text for dummies

Ever wondered where to find that dummy text used by designers? The answer is here. Given it's a practice that's been around since the 1500s, this may not be the original source!

 

Impress your TED friends

There's no doubt that TED is a wonderful resource and we love it, but FORA is pretty awesome too. Enjoy a short movie with your morning tea.

Please help us spread the word!

If you enjoy your time on Flying Solo, you may like to tell others. Here are a number of ways you can do just that. The larger we get, the greater the combined wisdom. Thanks!

What say you?

My days are…
0% - Planned to the minute
78% - Loosely structured
21% - A moveable feast
My days are…
 
HomeStartupWorking from home

Startup | Working from home

Working from home brings many benefits such as less travel time, greater flexibility and more freedom. But home-based businesses also have their challenges.

In this section we explore many of the issues faced by soloists who run a home-based business. From small business credibility and the psychology of working from home to what to wear in your home office, here fellow soloists share their experiences of working from home and provide tips to make your home based business work.

Backyard studios: Do they work for work?

25 Aug 09 | Peter Crocker

I moved house, and therefore office, earlier this month. Inside there’s plenty of competition for bedrooms and, with three wardrobe-hogging girls circling my precious office, I could be banished to the doghouse. But should I go to a backyard studio? Read more

Comments: 68

Setting work boundaries for the home office

01 May 09 | Bronwyn Simmonds

Many of us find it a challenge to close the door at the end of the day. Our home office draws us to finish that invoice, put the finishing touches to a project or make that last phone call… even if it is Sunday. Read more

Comments: 15

Benefits of working from home

05 Feb 08 | Kathie M. Thomas

I’ve discovered both expected and hidden benefits to my work and family in the 14 years I’ve been working from home. Read more

Comments: 14

22 things you MUST do every day

12 Dec 07 | Noel Ranger

With so many self-help books around, keeping up with the latest tips can be a major challenge for the time-poor solo business owner. Never fear, Big Noel sat down in Borders with a super-size latte and summarised just a few of the gurus’ tips. Read more

Comments: 18

Dressing for success: The art of being yourself

26 Aug 07 | Peter Morgan

When you are meeting with the big end of town, do you dress up for the occasion? This is a dilemma many soloists are faced with when they need to move from their home office and meet in a corporate environment. How important is dressing for success? Read more

Comments: 31

Confessions from the third bedroom

23 Aug 07 | Noel Ranger

The next time some well-meaning relative asks me how my 'little' business is going, when I’m getting an office, or, if I’m still 'just' freelancing, I’m going to chop down the family tree. It really gets my goat. Read more

Comments: 46

Does working in your bathrobe work for you?

26 Apr 07 | Kathie M. Thomas

Last February was deemed the month for home-based workers to don the bathrobes to do their work. Whilst I appreciate the sentiment behind this idea, I’ve never worked in my bathrobe in the thirteen years I’ve been working from home. Read more

Comments: 20

Working at home better than a 'real job'

04 Dec 06 | Karen Morath

It can’t hurt us home business owners to reflect on all of the reasons why working at home works for us. Here we explore some of the best bonuses of not having a real job. Read more

Comments: 2

Flexible working hours: Mowing on a Monday

14 Sep 06 | Tim Reid and Luke Moulton

As a fairly new soloist, I am still coming to terms with the flexible working hours this existence brings. No longer am I bound to my desk from nine to five, having to find an excuse if I want to sneak out mid-afternoon to buy a book or wash my car. Read more

Comments: 12

The highs and lows of working for yourself

04 Jun 06 | Peter Crocker

Working for yourself from home is often glamorised as a life of freedom, leisure & balance. A world where shiny silver laptops roam free and hours are spent at the beach. But what’s the reality? And is it all worth it? Read more

Comments: 21

Small business credibility: You cannot be serious!

28 May 06 | Sam Leader

A majority of soloists admit they are concerned about their small business credibility. But before changing our ways to suit others, we should recognise the legitimacy of our chosen workstyle. Read more

Comments: 13

Meet two types of home-based business

11 May 06 | Karen Morath

There are two types of home-based business owners, the laissez faire homegrown and the ambitious solo professional. It seems no matter which we are, others assume our businesses are a mere folly. Read more

Comments: 17

The psychology of working from home

26 Sep 05 | Ellen Jackson

For most of us, going solo means waving goodbye to rush hour and saying hello to working from home. Read more

Comments: 3

Working from home: 10 tips to make your home office work

05 Sep 05 | Thomas Murrell

Soloists know the benefits of working from home. They tend to be more efficient, spending less time in non-productive situations caused by travel and traffic than their office-bound friends. Read on to discover 10 tips to make your home office work. Read more

Comments: 4