Yesterday, we gathered at InHub Coworking with about 40 other freelancers to kick off the inaugural FreelanceCamp Victoria.
The small group had lots of ideas and lots of information to share — a dozen people pitched sessions and we mapped them all out, based on who needed the biggest room! Session topics ranged from freelancer finances to SEO strategies (see photo, right). Unfortunately, not everyone could go to every session but we tried our best to avoid serious overlaps — this meant that Mike and I held our sessions in the same time slot.
My session was about strategies for survival as a part time freelancer; the stuff you need to be thinking about before you get started and before you burn out. I’ve worked up an article on the subject for my blog at Those DeWolfes if you’re interested in reading more: 7 Important Tips for Part Time Freelancers.
Throughout the day, people were talking. I’d say there was about double or triple the amount of networking going on than at any other conference or meetup I’ve attended locally. I managed to hand out some of my own cards (even as I admitted that self-promotion is my achilles heel) and made some good contacts. It was also very exciting for me to see a few people that up to yesterday only existed as online contacts with two-dimensional avatars. As great as Twitter and other online platforms can be for making connections, you really can’t beat the value of in-person meetings.
I came away with a few ideas too, including the need for a well-thought-out business plan (strategic plan) for Those DeWolfes and a new concept for billing strategies. I also have a long list of recommended websites, software programs, and apps to check out. Oh, and I even won a door prize!
While the official event survey and follow up has yet to happen, I can safely say that for me, FreelanceCamp was a success.