I'm really excited to embark on a new project with Tan & Tan developers, writing for their annual newsletter and providing designing services with my associate designer, Sarah. And I'm always glad when the client tells me they want to differ from the norm. While many people like to do things the 'tried and tested' way, I don't. Sure, trying to be different is always riskier, but the results are always well worth it.
Observing the property arena is my current passion, and I'm delighted when my client's nature of business coincides with my interest. For some fortunate reason, this happens rather often.
For instance:
I'm writing the company profile for NetDomination Sdn Bhd, a digital marketing company, and it gave me ideas to improve my own website.
I'm in the midst of finalizing details with a potential client, The Decorateur Sdn Bhd, who is an interior designer. I've been obsessing with furniture and design ideas for a home I've yet to buy (still looking!). The owner is also a very successful businesswoman in her own right, which is very inspiring for an aspiring entrepreneur like myself.
Perhaps I'm lucky to be so interested in other people's 'business'. Am I shooting myself in the foot to say that I enjoy the client liaising part of my work first, then only the writing? Oh well, bang! bang!
Showing posts with label being self-employed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label being self-employed. Show all posts
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Monday, July 11, 2011
Wit & Words is now a registered company!
Originally posted on 9 June 2011
I should have done it more than a year ago when I began this business. But it is finally done. Wit & Words is officially a registered company! *Champagne cork popping. Glasses clinking. Whistle blowing. Crackers cracking*
Again I vary from my usual topics to outline briefly the procedure of registering an enterprise in Malaysia. It's really simple, especially since it's a sole proprietorship and not a sendirian berhad (limited liability company).
There are many online companies offering the service of registering a company for a few hundred. I opted to do it myself the long (more than 3 hours!) and hard way for only RM70. You only had to (1) turn up at SSM (Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia) with your original IC and a copy.
(2) Obtain a form from the information counter to check whether your company name is available and viable. You'll have to give three options. Mine were Wit N Words, Word Artisan and Word Art.
(3) Take a number and WAIT
(4) Submit the form when your number is called. Then WAIT SOME MORE. Meanwhile, they would have passed you a form to register the company. Leave the name portion blank until confirmed.
Lucky for me, Ratatouille was playing on the TV
Here's an important note most people do not know. Your company name and trade name can differ. So my company's name is Word Artisan, but the trade name is Wit & Words.
(5) If your company name is approved, take another number and WAIT. You can take the time to finally fill in the name portion in the form.
In my case, they suggested I use Wit N Words Art. How odd sounding! If I were looking for writing services, I'd dismiss such a copywriter who came up with such a company name. I insisted they check on my second choice. While I WAITED some more, I wondered why they asked for three options if they were going to take liberties in changing the first, and ignore the other two. Finally, Word Artisan was approved. I rather like this name.
(6) Submit your form and IC copy, show your original IC and pay RM60 for company registration and RM10 for company information (I have no idea what the latter is for, but I was too tired at this point to enquire. I just wanted it to be over).
(7) WAIT AGAIN.
(8) Your number will be called again. If all is in order, you'll get your Company Certificate. If not, I'm so very sorry for you.
I should have done it more than a year ago when I began this business. But it is finally done. Wit & Words is officially a registered company! *Champagne cork popping. Glasses clinking. Whistle blowing. Crackers cracking*
Again I vary from my usual topics to outline briefly the procedure of registering an enterprise in Malaysia. It's really simple, especially since it's a sole proprietorship and not a sendirian berhad (limited liability company).
There are many online companies offering the service of registering a company for a few hundred. I opted to do it myself the long (more than 3 hours!) and hard way for only RM70. You only had to (1) turn up at SSM (Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia) with your original IC and a copy.
(2) Obtain a form from the information counter to check whether your company name is available and viable. You'll have to give three options. Mine were Wit N Words, Word Artisan and Word Art.
(3) Take a number and WAIT
(4) Submit the form when your number is called. Then WAIT SOME MORE. Meanwhile, they would have passed you a form to register the company. Leave the name portion blank until confirmed.
Lucky for me, Ratatouille was playing on the TV
Here's an important note most people do not know. Your company name and trade name can differ. So my company's name is Word Artisan, but the trade name is Wit & Words.
(5) If your company name is approved, take another number and WAIT. You can take the time to finally fill in the name portion in the form.
In my case, they suggested I use Wit N Words Art. How odd sounding! If I were looking for writing services, I'd dismiss such a copywriter who came up with such a company name. I insisted they check on my second choice. While I WAITED some more, I wondered why they asked for three options if they were going to take liberties in changing the first, and ignore the other two. Finally, Word Artisan was approved. I rather like this name.
(6) Submit your form and IC copy, show your original IC and pay RM60 for company registration and RM10 for company information (I have no idea what the latter is for, but I was too tired at this point to enquire. I just wanted it to be over).
(7) WAIT AGAIN.
(8) Your number will be called again. If all is in order, you'll get your Company Certificate. If not, I'm so very sorry for you.
Working from Home
originally posted on 6 June 2011
I digress today from my usual topics of copywriting and creative writing to quickly put down some thoughts on working from home. I realised that many people have the same desire for a more relaxed work environment with a flexible timing. But before they had even taken the first step, they have already set up their own barrier.
"I don't have the discipline!", they usually lament. Well, neither do I.
If we're talking about lacking discipline, I'm actually the worst of the worst. But I do have an innate sense of responsibility to deliver what I promise, and that's my saving grace.
So, here's some quick tips on how I made it working from home:
1) Practise a proper work schedule
I follow working days, working hours, weekends, and public holidays. When it's lunch hour, I go for lunch. When it's 6pm, I shut down my computer and go for a jog. When it's a public holiday, I refrain from switching on my computer.
Contrary to popular belief that you work less when working from home, you actually don't know when to stop. So, follow a normal work schedule as if you're working in an office environment.
The plus point is that you can be flexible and start work a bit later, stop work a little earlier, take a day off any time you need to. The only approval needed is from yourself.
2) Make deadlines
It's easy to forgo deadlines if you're mostly working with yourself. Your inner voices debate and conclude that one or two days late is okay.
So, I put the deadlines 'out there' making it difficult to change without affecting others. Whenever I get a project, I will either ask for a specific deadline or declare one to the client if they have none. Once you make that promise (for deadlines are essentially a promise to deliver), you will inevitable deliver it on time. After all, if you don't deliver on time, there will be no repeat business, no repeat business means no money, no money means cannot pay car loan.
3) Set small goals
Distractions... in the form of internet, Facebook, IM chatting, non-existant firewall to curb those online activities, housework, television, bed. It takes army training to be disciplined enough to resist temptations.
My only way to do it is setting small goals. Finish two paragraphs and I'll allow myself 10 mins of Facebook. Complete this article, before taking a nap. Finish editing this, then I'll go watch an episode of Star Trek.
4) Have a proper work area
I tried it before. When my Macbook was still functional and mobile (an incident caused it to only work while plugged into an external monitor...long story), I worked EVERYWHERE. In front of the TV, on the dining table, on the floor, in a cafe, on my bed, by my bed....
While I believe an occasional change of environment helps to boost creativity, it can sometimes be distracting. You lose focus and take time to get back onto the roll each time you change work stations.
So, looking on the bright side of my laptop monitor being fried, finally setting up a permanent work area forced me to sit my behind down and focus on the work at hand.
5) Get out and meet people, stay in touch with the world
As much a recluse as I am, as amusing as I think I am, I do become bored with my own company sometimes. Working like a frog under a coconut shell is far from beneficial to a creative mind. While the world outside changes rapidly, I could still be working like it was 2010 (that's when I left permanent employment).
I make it a point to meet as many people, as often as possible, dropping by my clients offices to join their brainstorming sessions, meeting up with enquiring parties even though the chance of closing the project is slim, joining networking sessions for SMEs, etc. While benefits of such efforts to my work is not immediately noticeable, it will help sustain my business and sanity in the long run.
I digress today from my usual topics of copywriting and creative writing to quickly put down some thoughts on working from home. I realised that many people have the same desire for a more relaxed work environment with a flexible timing. But before they had even taken the first step, they have already set up their own barrier.
"I don't have the discipline!", they usually lament. Well, neither do I.
If we're talking about lacking discipline, I'm actually the worst of the worst. But I do have an innate sense of responsibility to deliver what I promise, and that's my saving grace.
So, here's some quick tips on how I made it working from home:
1) Practise a proper work schedule
I follow working days, working hours, weekends, and public holidays. When it's lunch hour, I go for lunch. When it's 6pm, I shut down my computer and go for a jog. When it's a public holiday, I refrain from switching on my computer.
Contrary to popular belief that you work less when working from home, you actually don't know when to stop. So, follow a normal work schedule as if you're working in an office environment.
The plus point is that you can be flexible and start work a bit later, stop work a little earlier, take a day off any time you need to. The only approval needed is from yourself.
2) Make deadlines
It's easy to forgo deadlines if you're mostly working with yourself. Your inner voices debate and conclude that one or two days late is okay.
So, I put the deadlines 'out there' making it difficult to change without affecting others. Whenever I get a project, I will either ask for a specific deadline or declare one to the client if they have none. Once you make that promise (for deadlines are essentially a promise to deliver), you will inevitable deliver it on time. After all, if you don't deliver on time, there will be no repeat business, no repeat business means no money, no money means cannot pay car loan.
3) Set small goals
Distractions... in the form of internet, Facebook, IM chatting, non-existant firewall to curb those online activities, housework, television, bed. It takes army training to be disciplined enough to resist temptations.
My only way to do it is setting small goals. Finish two paragraphs and I'll allow myself 10 mins of Facebook. Complete this article, before taking a nap. Finish editing this, then I'll go watch an episode of Star Trek.
4) Have a proper work area
I tried it before. When my Macbook was still functional and mobile (an incident caused it to only work while plugged into an external monitor...long story), I worked EVERYWHERE. In front of the TV, on the dining table, on the floor, in a cafe, on my bed, by my bed....
While I believe an occasional change of environment helps to boost creativity, it can sometimes be distracting. You lose focus and take time to get back onto the roll each time you change work stations.
So, looking on the bright side of my laptop monitor being fried, finally setting up a permanent work area forced me to sit my behind down and focus on the work at hand.
5) Get out and meet people, stay in touch with the world
As much a recluse as I am, as amusing as I think I am, I do become bored with my own company sometimes. Working like a frog under a coconut shell is far from beneficial to a creative mind. While the world outside changes rapidly, I could still be working like it was 2010 (that's when I left permanent employment).
I make it a point to meet as many people, as often as possible, dropping by my clients offices to join their brainstorming sessions, meeting up with enquiring parties even though the chance of closing the project is slim, joining networking sessions for SMEs, etc. While benefits of such efforts to my work is not immediately noticeable, it will help sustain my business and sanity in the long run.
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