The calendar has advanced to 2021, but nothing much has changed — not yet, anyway. We’re still stuck in Crazy Town, looking for an exit ramp and a road to the “new normal.”

I’m cautiously optimistic, but I’m not undoing my metaphorical seatbelt. It could be a bumpy ride.

I couldn’t resist. And if you have never seen the inimitable Bette Davis in “All About Eve,” you should go straight to Netflix right now. I’ll wait. You’re welcome.

Quarter mastery

Meanwhile, it’s been about three months since I launched this website and published my first blog post. It feels like a long time, and yet, no time at all.

Now I’m at the end of that quarter, still at the beginning of something new. This is not the first time I’ve been a freelancer — I was on my own for maybe 4 of the past 25 years. This time is different, though. I’m committed to this as a business, not merely as a way to bring in money until I find the next corporate perch.

Freelancer vs. business owner

Starting an independent business is both liberating and scary. I love the work, and I’m proud of the results. I get to a point in almost every project where I look at the website, the report, plan, or press release in front of me and realize that I am helping a small business to grow, and making that company’s services more accessible to other businesses so they, too, can grow. B2B marketing propels a virtuous cycle, and I am happy to be a part of that.

No lie: I am also happy to be earning money. I was already building a freelance practice, and starting a website seemed like a good way for me to acquire some new skills — and eventually some new clients — that support and expand my business. That’s been working out pretty well. I’m also using this platform as a way to express my own thoughts in my own voice. Goodness knows, I’ve done plenty of ghostwriting and blogging that has benefited others. I was glad to do it. It served its purpose, and I was compensated for the work. This is not the same, though. This is mine.

Intangible skills

I do have some awesome skills already in writing and editing, and I’ve accumulated a substantial portfolio. It’s harder to showcase my extensive background in PR campaign planning and execution, lead generation, marketing strategy, branding, and creative problem-solving. That’s all part of the mix, though. B2B content development encompasses so much more than writing.

Sometimes I pat myself on the back, silently, and sometimes I even say it out loud: “Damn, I’m good!” My husband concurs. He is incredibly supportive. (Thanks, Honey.)

Appreciation and payment

I’ve been blessed with some wonderful clients who appreciate my efforts. They say “This is great!” and “Thank you!” I’m glad to know I’ve been able to help them to accomplish their goals. They also pay me, which is a very tangible and desirable form of recognition.

Now I’m in the happy position of having prospective clients contact me proactively, to ask for my help with strategic and tactical marketing campaigns, content development, either as discrete projects or on an ongoing basis. This is not happening out of the blue. I’m doing marketing-type things to build my business, and I’m getting some very welcome referrals.

Referrals are the best

I’m grateful for those referrals, and I'd like to return the favor. Contact me, tell me who sent you — or who was referred by you — and I’ll gift each of you with a free hour of consulting.

I’ll also refer business to you, or connect you to someone who is in a position to help when I don’t have the resources.

Let’s work together and build each other up, so we can look forward to even more positive results in the quarters and years to come.