Perhaps I am a little unusual, but I LOVE getting together with other freelancers and home business owners and talking about income. I think it is because I can get pretty isolated in my little world over here and am apt to beat myself up thinking that I am not doing a good enough job or generating enough income. It is good to get with other folks in similar circumstance and compare notes on the revenue side of our businesses. Of course, this demands that we be able to comfortably talk about money and income.
It took me a few months to get comfortable talking about my fledgling business income. I figured people might not think I was “serious” if I was bumbling along making only a few hundred dollars a month. What I soon found out was that other freelancers and home business owners were in a similar place. It actually helped me to feel more confident and comfortable building my business knowing that it wasn’t the “norm” to start out right away with a steady cash flow and blossoming income.
I have been extremely grateful for the camaraderie and information I have gotten from others who are walking the same road. It is good to be able to talk about unpredictable incomes, how to collect from clients who haven’t paid, or how we’ve all grown from being “beginners” to being savvier about our business and freelance efforts. I need that, and I have learned that it takes my being able to comfortably talk about where I’m at with my business to garner stories and information from others. But I do believe that the more we are able to talk about the realities of building a home business—and that means income and money too—the more we can dispel the myths and fears and support each other as we take risks and grow our businesses!
Also: Why Is Talking About Money Taboo?
and the Money Blog