How to build a high performing communications team

(Thanks to Neil Grayshon for the image!) Building an excellent communications team requires lots of equally-excellent strategy, hiring, people management and culture building – and more. I knew when I started at FutureGov that I didn’t have experience in this area, so reached out to the good and the great of the UK PR industry … Read more

Freelance Mobile App Developer Q&A: Nick Nicolaou

(This is the sixth in a series of interviews with freelancers, telling us their stories on how they went freelance. The aim is to help others who are thinking of becoming freelance learn more about what it takes, as well as get advice and inspiration so they can get the confidence and understanding to find … Read more

Self-publishing a book on freelancing in 100 days

"Self-publishing

Freelance in 30 Days is the first book I’ve written. It’s self-published and I wrote and published the 200-page book in around 100 days, starting late August and finishing in early December.

Along the way I’ve learnt a lot about the self-publishing process and gathered lots of information about how to make it work for you.

Here’s my experience on what worked and what didn’t go so well in the self-publishing journey.

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Freelance book now available

I wrote a book about freelancing! It’s called "Freelance in 30 Days" and you can buy it here. This book aims to get you excited, inspired and absorbing insight into what it takes to go freelance, attracting your first clients, standing out as a high-profile freelancer, and building a valuable pipeline of new business for your freelance … Read more

Today is my birthday, here’s a present for you

Today is my 30th birthday. Yes, I’ve reached the big three-oh. I can already see wrinkles appearing by the minute… To celebrate, I’ve been whisked away for a surprise trip and I’m writing this from the cosy bedroom aboard a boat. One of the advantages of freelancing is that you can take a trip whenever … Read more

2015 Year in Review

Travel Selfie by Seth Eckert   As a freelancer and small business owner, I find it vitally important to take a regular step back and look at what I’ve been working on for the past year, to help shape the year ahead. I’ve had my head so buried in work in recent months that it’s taken … Read more

Havana, Cuba in one week: budget travellers’ guide

"Havana,

Havana, Cuba’s capital city, was amazing, We spent the whole week in Havana in the end, with a few day trips here and there. We went in March 2015, just before the first direct flights from the US started flying to Cuba.

Cuba is very tourist friendly, but there is also plenty to do to get off the beaten track, but it can be hard to plan too much before you get there, as things change quickly, so thought I’d quickly jot down my thoughts in case I can help out and give tips if anyone you know is planning on going.

Here are some Havana tips and some more from our friend Laurie too. Leave any questions in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer, while the unbelievable experience of Cuba is still fresh in my mind!

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The importance of paper-based communication in a digital world

Being a digital marketing consultant, it can often be quite easy to forget that the world was once dominated by paper-based communication – and in many places, it still is. As our global society moves increasingly to digital-first formats, the art of writing letters, sending postcards or simply sending a thank you note is becoming … Read more