This morning, as I was checking out the latest posts from some of my favorite blogs, I saw a headline on ProBlogger that caught my eye… “Today is Blogger Appreciation Day [Unofficial]“

As the title suggests, this is an unofficial day - but I have a feeling that any blogging tradition started by Darren Rowse is very likely to catch on. I would not be surprised if this is an even bigger event - and possibly changed to [Official] - by next year as well.

From Darren:

Lets spend today doing a few random acts of kindness and encouragement for our fellow bloggers.

We’re in it together, blogging is about collaboration and together going further than we can by ourselves - so why not help another blogger today by shooting them a word of encouragement, a pep talk, a congratulations, an idea to help them improve or some other positive constructive message. Better still, do it publicly on your blog and tell the world about another blogger who you appreciate.

I was checking out a few of the posts, and noticed that a few people have taken this opportunity to thank some of the bloggers who have had a positive impact on them. I would like to do the same, as well!

In the past 8 months that I’ve been blogging, I’ve met some amazing people! A few in particular have done some amazing things for me, and I would love to thank them on Blogger Appreciation Day.

Shane of Shane and Peter Inc.

Shane is an amazing young entreperneur, offering his business insights on the Shane and Peter Inc. Blog. He’s accomplished so much and is only one year younger than I am (and goodness that sort of thing makes me feel old, lol). Shane has really helped bring out the entrepreneur in me!

I was simply amazed when he first found and commented on my original blog (little ole me?!?!?!) LOL. He offered some very kind comments and a huge boost of encouragement. I was honestly shocked that here’s this great business person (whose blog I had been following for some time) who somehow came across my blog - and thought it was good enough to leave a comment! This was back when the old blog was not even a month or two old.

Shane asked a few questions that really got my mind going - he has an certain way about communicating with other budding entrepreneurs… you get the sense that he honestly cares about find out your dreams and goals, and wants you to succeed!

Shane’s questions really gave me a big kick in the pants. I have him to thank for playing a large part in getting the ball rolling for me. So to kick off my version of Blogger Appreciation Day, Shane, I have to say Thank You!

Naomi of Itty Biz

This chick seriously rocks! Do you have a small business… a very, very small business, LOL? If so, you probably need marketing help, and Itty Biz is the place to go!

Naomi’s got a unique writing style - she tells it like it is, and isn’t afraid to use a few expletives in the process. I literally laugh out loud reading many of her posts - but they are not just funny, they are incredibly informative, as well.

I bought Naomi’s Itty Bitty package a few months ago, and all I can say is WOW! I can’t remember being as excited about my business as when I got off the phone with Naomi! I had some initial plans and ideas, but Naomi helped set me in a new direction - one I must say is working amazingly well so far!

I had a great phone consultation with Naomi, with follow-up emails throughout the re-design of my primary business site, and this blog. Heck, she had such great info, I came back for a second Itty Bitty package. Naomi, you’ve given me such amazing advice and direction, etc, that I have to say Thank You!

Wendy of eMoms at Home

Wendy offers great business advice for work at home mom’s and dad’s on the eMoms at Home blogging network. Well - I should re-phrase that… Wendy offers great business advice for small business owners and entrepreneurs period - regardless of their parenting status.

Wendy is in the process of re-branding her web site, as she’s realized that a large portion of her audience are not just parents. I don’t envy her on the re-branding - it’s certainly NOT an easy task… especially with a blogging network as large as eMoms at Home is!

Wendy is great about sharing the love with other small business owners. We’ve been following each other on Twitter for a while now… Shortly before the re-launch of my current web site, Wendy and I had a great little conversation… and by little, I mean 140 characters at a time or less, LOL.

I had been having questions and doubts about the direction this blog should take. I needed a bit of a nudge, and Wendy was there for me. She gave me the little pep talk that I needed to follow through on the same direction that Shane and Naomi had been nudging me towards as well. So to you, Wendy, I must say Thank You!

Jon of Freelance Folder

John is awesome! He’s the go-to social bookmarking guy, LOL. I had been reading Freelance Folder for a while, but first found a connection with Jon through StumbleUpon when I noticed that he bookmarked a post from my original blog. I thought that was pretty cool, since well, it was an itty bitty little blog (I swear I didn’t say that on purpose, Naomi, LOL).

Jon and I have since emailed and connected on Twitter, etc. - especially since the launch of this blog last month. This blog started out with a very small following - 20 people came over from the old blog (just about 50% of my original subscribers). It wasn’t long before I posted my article about the “6 Phases of the Web Design and Development Process.” I asked Jon if he wouldn’t mind submitting it to a couple of the social bookmarking sites (Digg or StumbleUpon - wherever!)

Little did I know, he submitted it to more than just a couple places, and it really caught on! 24 Diggs, 40 Likes on Stumble, 275 Saves on Del.icio.us… Wow! This one article has received well over 10,000 page views, and as a result I now have over 100 subscribers. Still a small number, but much larger than the original 20.

I’m still amazed by the number of comments, and trackbacks this article continues to receive. It even made the “Best of March…” lists on Smashing Magazine and Vandelay Web Design. I owe this 15 minutes of fame entirely to Jon. And for that, I must say Thank You!

Who Do You Want to Thank?

Who do you appreciate out there in the blogging world? Please spread the word about the (Unofficial for now…) Blogger Appreciation Day!

Please post a comment below, or on ProBlogger showing your appreciation for your favorite bloggers. Better yet - dedicate a post on your blog to the topic!

A good friend of mine recently decided to start-up her own business, and asked me if there were any web sites or blogs that I recommend she read.

I’m currently subscribed to approximately 40 blogs relating to small business, blogging, marketing, etc. Although I love them all, some are more highly regarded as great resources for these particular topics.

The cream of the crop so to speak…

Now, this isn’t a definitive list, as it’s all subject to personal opinion, if you know what I mean. There are obviously a LOT more blogs than the ones listed below, and many of these actually cross-over between different categories - although I did attempt to place them in the most applicable spot…

Anyway, these are the blogs that I personally refer to the most. Whether it is to read the latest post, or search through the archives for something specific, you can often find me on these sites. They are the “must reads” on my feed reader.

I use Netvibes, by the way - check out my Netvibes Universe here… all of the blogs below are already setup for your reading pleasure!

Blogging

• ProBlogger
• Pro Blog Design
• Remarkablogger
• Skelliewag

Business

• Freelance Folder
• Freelance Switch
• Self Made Chick
• Shane & Peter, Inc.
• Sproutwire
• Wake Up Later

Marketing

• Chris Garrett
• Dosh Dosh
• IttyBiz

Productivity

• Million Dollar Leverage
• Put Things Off
• Zen Habits

Work / Life Balance

• Anywired
• eMoms at Home
• Freelance Parent
• Jarkko Lane

What’s In YOUR Feed Reader?

If you could only subscribe to 3 feeds relating to the topics above…
what would be on your list? What MUST you read no matter what?

Please leave a comment below - I’d love to hear your suggestions! I’ll eventually be setting up a Blogroll page, which will include the sites above. I’m open to suggestions for additional blogs to add to the list, so let me know your thoughts!

Good luck with your new venture, Nicole - and thanks for inspiring this post!

I read a great post on Freelance Folder today: How to Balance Freelancing with a Full Time Job Without Burning Out by Michael Martine of Remarkablogger.

This article is of particular interest to me since…. well, I am a freelancer / small business owner who also has a full time job. I have to tell you, it can be stressful at times! I’ve managed well so far but I realize that it is a very delicate juggling act to successfully manage two careers and a family, without burning out!

A Small Snippet from the Article

It is possible to effectively balance your full-time job with freelancing - without going insane or burning out. I do it, and in this post, I’ll tell you how you can, too. Many of us begin freelancing while we are still employed in full-time jobs.

Here are some requirements and tips for staying sane while working the 9-5 and freelancing on the side.

• Get help from others
• Calculate your total work and billable hours
• Become an efficiency ninja
• Take care of yourself
• Write blog posts in advance
• Keep your two jobs separated
• Take mini vacations

Juggling Act

If you’re facing a daily juggling act like I am, I highly recommend heading over to Freelance Folder to read the full article. Michael makes several good points. One in particular I know I need to focus more on is “Take care of yourself” - I know sleep is the first thing to go when I’m facing multiple deadlines, and is likely the thing that’s going to burn me out the quickest (I live for weekends when I can actually get 7 hours of sleep - 8 if I’m lucky!)

The information on calculating your work time and billable hours are very important, as of course, are the tips on efficiency. I also like the suggestions on writing blog posts in advance. This is something I’m only now finally starting to do…

Reader Suggestions

I hope you’ll head over to the original article. I made a few comments there, and am sure the post will receive many more reader comments and suggestions, as well, which I am very interested in reading about. Anything to help a girl out, right?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject, whether here or over at Freelance Folder. Is there anything you feel is most important when juggling both a full-time and freelance career, and in many cases, a family too?

Freelance Switch posted an article titled “Freelancers Beware of Receiving Payments via Credit Card through PayPal” a few days ago that still has me shaking in my boots!The article details a terrible experience that Cara Williams had with a very bad client and PayPal.

PayPal often boasts about it’s strong buyer protection. But what about sellers? Sellers - especially sellers of services and other non-tangible goods - are least protected of them all.

Question is… what’s the alternative? There seem to be drawbacks to just about every payment out there (chargebacks to PayPal payments, chargebacks to credit card purchases made through other merchant accounts, bounced checks, etc.)

There has been a massive outpouring of support and concern over the issue - go look at the growing comments! I’ve learned quite a bit from the comments to this article.

I personally use PayPal and good old fashioned checks for payments for my web design services. On one hand, PayPal is nice and quick, but they take away a percentage (as with any merchant account…) Checks are great because you get the entire amount for yourself - it just takes longer to arrive in the mail, and involves an extra trip to the bank, etc.

So, what should you do? Yes, PayPal is convenient, inexpensive, and everyone and their mother seem to already have an account. But, with such lack of protection for the seller (aka you and me) - we might actually be better off spending a little extra money on a “real” merchant account. Question is, of course - which is the best one? Who will stick up for us the seller against fraudulent chargebacks?

Go check out Cara’s Story - heck, I’d almost call it a nightmare! Lots of great conversation over the issue on Freelance Switch. I’d love to hear your thoughts or suggestions, whether it’s over here, or at the original article.

Edit: Freelance Switch has since posted a follow up article, with some alternatives to paypal. You can read that article here:

• Linkswitch! PayPal Alternatives & Extra Goodies

Today’s Link Love has my fellow techie web designers and developers in mind!

If you are haven’t already visited Smashing Magazine - I urge you to go and run to it! Right now… ok, not right now, right after you finish reading this post and checking out the blog a bit more, LOL.

Then go over to Smashing Magazine and be sure to subscribe it, bookmark it, whatever… This site contains an insane amount of valuable resources and information for web designers. I’m honestly in awe of the amount of helpful information they offer.

Today though, I’m focusing on CSS. I found two fantastic articles with tons of tips and tricks. I am constantly working on increasing my web development skills, and the two posts below will certainly help me achieve this in regards to CSS.

There are so many cool things listed in the two posts below that I wish I could just take an entire day to experiment with them. I’ll have to settle for incorporating them bit by bit on projects as I work on them. I’ve already got a few specific ones in mind for this blog.

Smashing Magazine

• 70 Expert Ideas for Better CSS Coding
• 53 CSS Techniques You Couldn’t Live Without

Are there any great CSS resources that you can’t live without? Please share with the rest of us by making a comment below!

I just came across a very interesting post by Nick Cernis on Put Things Off in regards to using the “F” word with clients and potential clients.LOL - No, not a curse word - but the word “Freelance” or “Freelancer” etc.

Shock! Horror! Are You Using The F Word Around Your Clients?

In his article, Nick discusses both the Pro’s and Con’s of using this term with clients and potential clients, etc.

Personally, I have been using this as part of my non-official title on my other web sites, but am now reconsidering it…

Of course, as part of this blog and blogging community, I am among the company of some amazing Freelancer’s! That is what I am, too, so I will proudly continue to use the F word around here, LOL.

I hope you’ll give this article a read! It is interesting to see the comments and what everyone else has to say on the matter.

What do you think?

Do you use this term with your clients and prospects? Did the article change your mind about it?

I would love to hear your opinion on the matter, whether it’s here or over at the original article!

Skellie of Skelliewag and Anywired recently wrote a four part series on Freelance Switch about Becoming a Freelance Web Worker.This isn’t just in reference to becoming a freelancer - the articles focus on how to be a freelancer who does 100% of their business online. I found the posts to be very helpful and informative!

The series focuses on:

How to find clients, how to work completely online and how to run your freelancing business from anywhere in the world.

Working as an online-only freelancer takes this flexibility to another level. You can work for who you want, when you want, in any state or country in the world (all you need is an internet connection and a computer).

I would say that the majority of my business is done online - in fact I don’t actually have any local clients. I think of this as a great thing, because that means I don’t have to deal with any in-person meetings.

Most importantly, I’m able to do all of my work from the comfort of home, or wherever my laptop takes me. With no local clients, I’m lucky enough not to have to go to their office to work, for example.

On the other hand, most of my clients and prospects prefer the phone to email, and most pay by check rather than by PayPal - so in this sense, I’m not truly a web worker yet.

However, the majority of my business either comes from referrals or from online sources (most have found my web sites through the search engines, for example).

My favorite post in the series is Part 2: Finding Work Online. Skellie lists 23 ways to find work online, and goodness knows we can all use tips on how to get more work… well, those of us just starting out, anyway, lol.

So, I am fairly close to being an online only freelancer - the tips in the articles below might just get me to 100%. Hopefully they will help get you there, too!

Becoming a Freelance Web Worker

• Part 1: Why You Should Do It
• Part 2: Finding Work Online
• Part 3: The Working Day
• Part 4: Working Anywhere

I just launched the re-design of this blog last month, even though I didn’t feel it was 100% ready yet. In thinking of ways to enhance the blog, and make some tweaks to things such as the sidebar and footer, etc., I came across several very helpful posts on the subject.

There seems to be an unlimited number of things you can do to tweak your blog template. Suggestions to make it both more design and user friendly. I’ve already begun implementing a few of the tweaks, and can’t wait to work on some more.

Below are a few of my favorites. There are tons of great ideas for things to do, plugins to add, etc.

I hope you find these helpful - I certainly did!

Pro Blog Design
10 Best Plugins to Get More Comments

Pro Blog Design
How to Style Author Comments Differently

Pro Blog Design
Separating Trackbacks from Comments

Skelliewag
50 Tips to Unclutter Your Blog

Skelliewag
The Blog Usability Checklist

Are there any particular tips, tweaks or plugins that you can’t live without? Any major pet peeves - something you see in blogs that just shouldn’t be there?

Please do share your thoughts with the rest of us by posting a comment below!

One of my primary goals for 2008 is to create a healthy work / life balance.

Considering that I run my own web design business while also being employed full time, it often seems that all I do is work. On average, I’d say that I work on average, 60-70 hours a week. I’m sure there are many entrepreneurs, freelancers and work-at-home individuals in the same boat… especially other work-at-home-mom’s and work-at-home-dad’s.

How do I find the time to get so much work done, while still caring for my child and spending time with my spouse… an add to that attempting to maintain a (somewhat) clean household, etc.?

It can all get quite a bit overwhelming!

Below are a few articles I’ve found relating to time management, productivity, and the work / life balance.

I’ve found some very helpful information in these posts! I hope you find some helpful suggestions in these articles that you can incorporate into your daily routines, as well.

Freelance Folder
How to Unleash the Productivity Beast

IttyBiz
Time Management for Entrepreneurs: How to Avoid Burnout

IttyBiz
Time Management for Entrepreneurs: How to Get 4 More Hours In Your Day

Mom Works at Home
Be a Balanced Mom

Mom Works at Home
WAHM - How to Find Time for Your Business

Online Merchant Network
How I’ve Wrestled the Time Management Beast to the Ground

Zen Habits
3 Ways to Claim Your Life Back - How to Step Away from the Computer

With the New Year fast approaching, my mind is constantly on creating my goals and resolutions for 2008.

I’ve come across a few interesting articles on the subject, as well as several that highlight the idea of fear both helping and hindering your efforts to reach those goals.

Several of my favorite blogs have some good food for thought. I have been coming back to these articles as I set my resolutions for the upcoming year.

I hope these help shed some light for you as well!

Freelance Switch
How to Apply What You Learned in 2007 for Continued Success in 2008

The Shane and Peter Inc. Blog
2008 Goals: Scare Yourself

The Shane and Peter Inc. Blog
The Million Dollar Question

IttyBiz
Entrepreneurship: What To Do When You’re Scared Sh*tless

eMoms at Home
Is it Fear of Failure or Fear of Success that is Holding You Back?