In This Issue...

- FEATURE ARTICLE: No Rest for the Weary? Taking Time Off as a One-Person Business

- COACHING
- TELECLASSES
- RESOURCE LOUNGE

As you may know by now, I'm taking a sabbatical as of July 1 to spend time with my first child (anticipated to arrive August 1!) and to finally write the book that has been floating around in my head (and on lots of scraps of paper) for nearly two years.

While I'm gone, you will continue to receive the Solo Flyer every 3 weeks and will have access to all the great resources on The Solopreneur Zone website. I'm also working on a new website to be launched when I return!

What have I learned in planning for my sabbatical? Taking a break won't break your business. I've been happily surprised by all the support from clients and associates, the anticipation for my return and how easy it all was to coordinate. At first, I wondered if taking a long break was possible. The fact is, our clients admire us and learn something from us when we model a balanced business and personal life.

In fact, I've learned so much from coordinating my sabbatical (and will surely have many do's and don'ts afterwards) that I plan to write a short ebook on taking time off to share with you when I return -- stay tuned!

Last Call for Articles: there's no better way to get the word out about your business than to show what you know, rather than trying to tell. My new Article Bank is going live in the next couple of weeks. If you have an article you'd like to share with your fellow Solopreneurs, please take this opportunity to get some free advertising! Send your article to me dawn@solopreneurzone.com for consideration by July 10.

P.S. – There's still time to buy the Just-When-You-Need-It Audio Coaching program and get copies of all the classes on CD and printed copies of the worksheets in a folder (normally $20 extra) if you buy the program by July 1. To check out the class topics, visit http://www.solopreneurzone.com/Membership_Package.htm. Note: this program will once again become a members-only benefit when I return from my sabbatical on January 1 and will not be available for individual sale after that time.

Are You a Slave to Your Business?

When we first become self-employed, we envision setting our own hours, taking long weekends off and setting aside several weeks for vacations. We feel for the less fortunate who work for someone else.

Then, one day we realize that we are working longer hours than we had hoped and we aren't taking the time off we thought we would because "who would do the work when I'm gone?" Instead of having the ultimate time freedom we anticipated, we feel imprisoned by our business.

Or, is Managing Time Off Just a Little Bit Elusive?

Maybe your case isn't as severe. You are able to take a day or two off here and there, but you have this sinking feeling that a longer break just wouldn't be a possibility for you. How would you pay the bills? Would you lose all your clients?

Creating a Plan in Advance

The key to taking time off is to create a plan in advance. In fact, you should be planning for time off when you initially create your business plan and each subsequent year's plan. If you structure your business around taking time off, you'll be able to manage your work flow around your schedule. If you wait for a good time to take a break, it will never come.

This is the "pay yourself first" method. The magic of paying yourself first is that everything else falls in place around it. If you pay yourself last, typically there's nothing left...

Put it in Writing

Many of us worry that our clients will be upset that we're taking time off. If it's written right into your contract that you will be taking time off here and there (the more specific, the better), it sets expectations with the client. We're all willing to be flexible when our expectations are set.

Arranging for Outside Help

If you are going to take a longer break, the time to look for help is now. Is there another professional you trust that might be able to fill in when you are gone if needed? Can you arrange to do the same for them? Strategic Alliances aren't just for marketing -- building relationships with others in your field can make it much easier to support your clients when you are gone without fear of losing them.

You can bill the client directly and pay your strategic partner for their work, or have the client work directly with them -- your choice.

Would Someone be Able to Call All Your Clients in an Emergency?

What if you are suddenly sick and unable to call your clients to notify them? Do you have a list of all your current clients and someone who could easily make the calls to let them know of your situation? Even if it's just a family member, make sure they know how to access your client list and be sure to keep it updated.

Handling the Money

Is money your biggest concern in taking time off? What can you do now to create reserves to enable you to take time off? Since our income as Solopreneurs is often up and down, we should have a plan for the down times, even when we aren't on vacation. Another thing to consider: if you are taking a longer break, some of your business expenses will be lower when you are gone (long-distance charges, etc) which should ease the financial crunch.

Creating Your Plans:

Taking 1-2 Days Off

What's your plan for taking 1-2 days off? You probably don't need much in the way of external support, but you will want a strategy for notifying clients in advance.

Taking 1-2 Weeks Off

When taking 1-2 weeks off, you'll want to do a little more planning. Do you need coverage while you are gone? Will you be checking email, or could you create an auto-responder to let everyone know you are out? How will you make sure you don't have a pile of work waiting for you when you return?

Getting Sick

It's very tough to create a plan when you are sick, so you'll definitely want to plan for it in advance. How will you notify your clients? Do you have someone who can do your work in your absence? Are your files up to date so that someone else can fill in? Would you offer refunds of your fees if you are sick for a long period of time?

Taking Sabbaticals and Longer Breaks

Taking longer breaks requires a lot more planning, but they aren't impossible. Many of us love our work freedom, but admit that closing up shop for 6 months just seems impossible. You don't have to start back at square one if you choose to take a longer break from your business.

The key is to spend quality time in the planning stages. What are the biggest issues to tackle? Is money the biggest concern, or is it losing all of your clients? Are you fearful that you'll lose momentum and have to market your business as if it's brand new?

If you have a website and/or ezine, these tools can continue to keep in contact with your client base even when you aren't there. With technology, you can pre-schedule your newsletter to go out all on its own.

If you are concerned about phone calls and email, consider auto-responders and/or negotiate with an answering service for a lower rate since you will probably have lower call volume.

The bottom line? Anything is possible with a good plan...

Soon I'll be Taking a Break, but My Coaching Membership Won't…

I will be taking a sabbatical from July 1 through the end of the year to finally write my book. While I'm gone, you will be able to take advantage of all the incredible Teleclasses that have up to now only been available to members.

Because I won't be working with clients directly for several months, I've decided to package my coaching into a self-directed program where you can access hours of recorded classes and tons worksheets on everything you need to know to take your business way beyond the goals you've set for this year.

If you were to buy these 20 classes separately, you'd pay $300. But you can get the entire program for only $79. That's a 73% savings off the cost of buying each class individually! In fact, it works out to only $3.95 per class. (I spend that much on my daily mocha, and it only seems to add to my waistline, not my bottom line!)

I created these classes over the past year and a half and have poured my heart and soul into sharing everything I know about business success. I think you'll love the collection, but if for any reason you don't get what you were looking for from the program, I'll gladly refund your money. I only want you to pay if you absolutely love the classes and are bursting with ideas once you listen to them.

As a special offer to Solo Flyer readers, you'll get a free copy of the classes on CD and a notebook with all worksheets (normally $20 extra) if you buy the package before July 1. To learn more and see the topics list, visit http://www.solopreneurzone.com/Membership_Package.htm

Teleclasses

One-Hour Teleclasses: the best way to spend an hour...

Want to learn about one or two specific topics? Several of our most popular recorded teleclasses are available for individual purchase (only $15 each, including several worksheets)…

Check out the class topics at http://www.solopreneurzone.com/Teleclasses_Purchase_RA.htm

A couple of resources we love...

Clarity Quest: How to Take a Sabbatical without Taking More Than a Week Off. Pamela Ammondson

If you'd like to take a sabbatical to re-evaluate your business or personal life and goals, this book is for you. Ammondson outlines an 8-week plan which yields the benefits of a two month sabbatical with only one week off from work!

20-Minute Retreats: Revive Your Spirits in Just Minutes a Day with Simple Self-Led Exercises. Rachel Harris, Ph. D.

Don't have a week? How about 20 minutes? The 15 chapters in this book give you a topic to consider and ideas for taking quick moments of time for yourself.

For a complete list of resources we love, visit the Resource Lounge at http://solopreneurzone.com/Resource_Lounge.htm

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Copyright 2004 Dawn Nichol, All rights reserved. You are free to use material from the Solo Flyer publication as long as you keep the entire publication intact.