what successes did you have this month?

I spent August insanely busy - I had a subcontracting gig for a bigger design firm that ended up being pretty much full time for the month, with my existing clients squeezed into the evenings and weekends. I'm fried. Plus side, it was a month with lots of hours and not a lot of worries about finding work. (In web and other graphics-related fields, work tends to be either sub work for some agency or services directly for clients. Both have pros and cons. The hell if I can figure out my ideal balance of the two.)

what do you have an eye on for the next month?

A couple of leads on new projects plus one to wrap up this month. Not as much solidly planned as I'd like, but enough to keep flying. With more flex back in my schedule, I can also get back to tending the business itself more than I did in the last month.

didja at least pay the rent?

Eep. In the long term, yes -- I have more than my monthly target coming in. But short term, a big chunk of it doesn't get here until after the bills are due, and we're living tight until then. My major freak at the moment is getting my reserves in good enough shape that I can ride the ups and downs a lot easier.

Yeah, that's a biggie. When I launched the company, we had about seven grand in reserves, which was enough (we're a small budget) to keep me comfortable. That amount stayed more or less the same until year before last, when a convergence of activities (unbudgeted work teams who came out and cost us more than they gained us, blargh) plus a lot of long-term projects falling due pretty much depleted it. Since then, the numbers coming in haven't changed, I've just lost the elasticity to be able to absorb it. My finances are very seriously cyclical, and I really need that buffer. The donor I'm courting right now is thinking about supplying the buffer, but I need to get everything else in good enough shape that we don't just whiz right through it if they do.

Okay, so I bought half the individual elements of the suite at twice the price, but at least it was possible. Now I gotta get into town and download the massive files.

what successes did you have this month? In the midst of the worst financial month I’ve seen in years, I was hired to do something I love that will raise the profile of my own business. It was a surprise that shouldn’t have been a surprise. We should have done it a long time ago.

I spent significant energy on getting my redesigned doggy lama website reatdy and I like the results. All my sessions went well and I did some pro bono work that I feel good about.

what do you have an eye on for the next month? I’m releasing the website, along with some event announcements, basically a ‘grand reopening.’ A major priority will be leveraging the partnership and doing a lot of commenting on other people’s sites to drive traffic to mine.

any brags, frustrations, brilliant ideas, inspirations? I procrastinated as much as I worked this month. Next month, that ratio has to change. My people business needs more attention. More than anything, I need to love writing every day.

In frustration-land, I had several people who sought treatment but did not follow through. I don’t mind when people change their minds, not at all, but just leaving me hanging is just plain rude. Even worse, a woman actually came to a session and then stiffed me. I can’t force people to be honorable and I wish I didn’t even have to think about doing so.

In inspiration-land, spending time dreaming with my employer/partner really sparked my enthusiasm for forward movement and helped me to overcome my terror of giving up my lone wolf status. It’s about time, everyone says!

didja at least pay the rent? (or whatever your personal bottom line is for "is my business doing okay?") Nope. My salary (just saying that gives me a boost) will help when I actually get a full month of it. Of course, the two-week check helped, but it really was just a terrible month financially. Thank god for student loan deferment.

how are your psychic wages doing? My psychic wage FAR outstripped my accounts receivable. What few clients I had did excellent work and made great changes.

Well, I finally get a moment to catch up a couple hundred posts or so and find it is reflection time. Hmmm.

what successes did you have this month? Well, I had major contract renegotiation to deal with while moving back to Florida after the summer up north, and tons of family and other stuff to deal with. And I juggled it all. Major stress from all directions but it was all handled.

what do you have an eye on for the next month? Getting back into going to my actual office. Due to government deadlines I need to make changes to all my client systems in the month of September. Big coordination effort with my team. The key is prioritization based on our own criteria, not reacting to the loudest most persistent clients.

any brags, frustrations, brilliant ideas, inspirations? DH and I are working on a new plan for balance where we spend x amount of time on various work/home/personal projects. This is easier for me, but he is more of a stick to one task even if it takes 2 weeks and every single other thing in life gets neglected until he finishes. Hoping for a bit more sanity. And maybe a block of time for catching up with Buffistas!

didja at least pay the rent? (or whatever your personal bottom line is for "is my business doing okay?") Signs point to yes. Feeling fairly confident about the fiscal soundness at the moment.

how are your psychic wages doing? Not as great since the stress of the past month left me sick due to neglect of the body. First time in 12 years I am actually taking antibiotics because I was too busy to catch stuff early. Yeah, balance would be good.

bonny, did you send me a new version? To which address? Not seeing it...

Glad to hear from you, Laura, and sorry about the sickie!

smonster, I sent it to the gmail account at 9:22am.

If it didn't arrive, I'll send it again.

bonny, didn't get it and it's not in spam.

bonny, did you resend? If so, still nothing, and I'm afraid I have to go to bed now. I just sent you the corrections I made on the original release, so at least you've got something to start with.