Internet World Messe in Munich

Internet World Messe in Munich, at the end of the last month, showed me a completely different face of the business community in Germany. At a certain extent, I got used in the last years with the 'dolce far niente' from Berlin, with part-time jobs and not extremely well kept promises. On the occasion of the fair, there were launched special travel offers, with special prices within Germany.

In numbers, during the two days, the fair was attended by 320 exhibitors and 13, 150 visitors. Most companies were from Germany, but also from Switzerland, Israel and the US. All the exhibitors I went in touch with, were ready for businesses, a feeling that I don't see very often in the capital city. Prepared with leaflets, some bilingual, and serious packages of offers, they were ready to interact with potential partners and customers. Besides the individual presentations of the companies, and many creative branding gadgets offered and special discounts, there were many interesting workshops and seminars held by experts and attended in big number by the participants.

 The main sector represented was the B2B, with a main focus on e-commerce and online marketing.

A special sector well represented and who is making its way in Germany too is of mobile and online payments that will probably offer a lot of specific evolutions, due to the sensitivities of the German market in general when it comes to personal data privacy. 

The indestructible potential of the German market was displayed through the big companies that decided to open their offices here, even though they may operate at a small level and follow completely different strategies compared to the rest of the world of Europe. 

One of the most interesting workshops I attended was about SEO and the role of YouTube video presentations, by Dr. Rainer Zugehoer. Outlining the important role of the video presentations, especially via YouTube and adapted to various formats - mobile, iPad etc. - for improving the SEO performance, he mentioned that in Europe, at least 50% of the companies are blocking the access to this network at work. The situation is even more complicated in Germany, where the GEMA is blocking significant content. By using video and visual presentations in general, the visibility of a brand or company increased, a valuable option when it comes to the need to expand the portfolio of customers. 

I left the Messe not only with a lot of information and tips and new connections that I hope to present soon on my blog, but also with a good feeling of being at the same place with professionals taking their work very seriously. Maybe the next year, between 24-25 March, will be back to the fair, with a different input and an updated agenda. 

Evernote workshop in Berlin

Yesterday evening, I attended a very good workshop at hub:raum Berlin about basic and advanced features of Evernote. I started to use it a while ago, but without continuity and as my projects diversify - especially the blogging ones - I felt the need to find out a good alternative to a multiplicity of files, dossiers, hand written notes and notebooks. 

In a different blog post, I covered exclusively the features that are, in my opinion, recommended for academics. I will try to focus right now on other features that are useful for a variety of domains and professional profiles. 

Have things done faster

Evernote, multi-awarded program for its features and product design, is available in three versions: free, business (5 EUR/month) and premium (10 EUR/month). Its main headquarters are in Zurich, with offices in the US, Asia and the Middle East. Its main aim is to facilitate the bridge between information and the user and in a world overwhelmed by information this is what we need very often, regardless of your domain of activity. And yes, it goes very well with the daily chores, as you can set up a list of priorities to share with your partner/children/parents etc. The status is automatically updated once the checklist is done, saving time - as you don't need to ask every 2 hours the status - and money - you don't need to call or waste your working time checking it. Do you want to set up a party together with your friends? Or maybe your wedding? Evernote can help you too, with the Memory options, extended planning capacity and coordination possibilities. However, there are some limitations right now, as the bigger the team the higher the risk to encounter various 'conflicts' while attempting to work and edit various documents shared.

'Organization' is the name of the game and I am more than pleased to find out the variety of options turning around this magic word: you can create files around various tags that might help you to easily find them later with the help of the Search option - that also covers .PDF and .excel docs. Further on, the files can be organized up to their priority status, around a large array of tags, describing both the priority status as well as the main topics covered. The latter may be very helpful when one needs to search for specific terms later on.

Another good option that I intend to use frequently is that allowing to save articles of interest for a later lecture. The reading can be done later although you are connected to the Internet. Right now, I do have a long list of bookmarked items on my computer, but it goes very slowly and very often I have no idea what I saved. With the help of the tag, Evernote makes possible a better management of the material. The texts can not only be saved, but also annotated, and it suits academics very well. The Skitch app, that can be downloaded from Evernote's website, gives even more options of editing and annotation of pictures.

Save your hand written notes

Another app allows the photographic transfer of hand written notes. The document saved like this can be annotated. The integration of the document may last more than usual, 15-20 minutes. The scanning of business cards can create a repertoire of contacts easy to access. Gone are the days of the time spent searching chaotically about certain contacts for hours!

With the help of the Skitch app, that can be downloaded from their website, pictures and other visual docs can be annotated and modified. When you are planning events with visual content, some direct insights of this kind are very useful. 

Once you set up your account, you creates an e-mail where you can forward some of mails and check their status. 

A new option available that I am interested to test in detail is the Presentation/Meeting, that as for now, helps to organize the notes and creates docs that can be accessed and saved by different persons. I am interested though in the format of the docs too, for instance. 

The Evernote workshop only made me curious to see what's new and how can I improve my time management in the next weeks and months. I already know people using it regularly for research or various planning options and I am sure that there are some interesting opportunities for my writing and blogging projects. 

What does it mean to be a freelancer, a new episode

Once upon a time, when I did not have any idea that there is a word called 'freelancer', I was day dreaming about me spending my working day at a coffee table outside while making the last touches to my articles before sending to the newspaper, without the need to spend sunny hours in a cubicle. And thereafter, to fully enjoy my time with family and friends, before getting ready for a new article.

Now, my dream is real, and I can write how many articles I want from anywhere. After, I can spend a lot of time with the family, cook dinner, read and learn a new language.

For those who are not (yet) freelancers, such a daily schedule might look as a little corner of paradise. And it can be, as long as you consider that using your freedom is the most important thing that you can live. On the other hand, if someone might have a look at my schedule for today, would not have any intention to be a freelancer any more.

Just a little impression: woke up around 7.30 for coffee and some family chat, left on my own at 8am for: writing a couple of academic posts, answer another set of questions for another academic contribution, sending some pitches and CV for 2 possible new collaborations, answering some 5+ question for a company I am doing customer service consulting, checking every hour my Twitter and Facebook feed for getting in touch with interesting people and ideas, requesting some interviews, checking the results of a 21-page test I did at the beginning of January (with good results and this is by far, the best news of the day), thinking about new writing collaborations, finishing a children book that should be included on a longer post reviewing a couple of children books read recently. For a break, I went outside to pay a visit to the local library and some basic shopping for around 45 minutes. Returning back where I am set to prepare some cookies, listen for 2 hours to some online classes and finish another 4 blog posts. 

Discipline, an important key of success

Maybe this is one of the busiest day of the week, when I do not have too many meetings on the agenda, but this is how I usually work every day as a freelancer, except the Saturdays. But at least one day the week should be full time dedicated to updating my blogs and reading plus finding out important collaborations for the next days and weeks. As I am completely on my own, I am the one who is running after opportunities and the more I work the better for our daily life and the future travel plans. 

Especially at the beginning of your freelance life, there is not easy, not easy at all and having some healthy savings can avoid many dangers. If you don't have any contacts and experience in the area you want to be a freelancer, you better wait a bit and try to think about a transition time, when you still keep some connection with your previous work while building a new network for your new professional profile. 

As you are completely on your own, discipline is essential and a smart time management dramatic. Otherwise, if you plan to sleep till late and spend hours in bed or checking the funniest cat videos on Facebook, there is no chance that you will get some important revenues out of your freelancing work. 

I am very honest and will always say that freelancing is not for everyone, but if you really feel able to cope with all the challenges, there are many rewards waiting for you at the end of the road. Sometimes, it is really important for your self-esteem but also for keeping up the good work and continuing your work! Your one and only freelance work!

Sorry, I should be ready with some cookies for my beloved ones!

The challenge of the next 365 days

Yesterday, in less than 30 minutes, I was holding in a small paper box my new business cards. For the first time after many similar small paper boxes, I knew that these business cards will not need to be changed. Because this time, there is no way back to give up my little business plans and dreams.

One year ago, after some time of reflection and almost 12 months after I decided to give up my corporate business, I knew that travel and writing are the main things that make me happy, besides learning something new every day or learning how to cook or a new foreign language. 

The decision to start working for myself was not 100% selfish. Besides the guarantee of mental sanity, I was also giving myself the chance of being able to fully share everything I always wanted to share: ideas, encouragement, my passion. 

In the last 12 months, things moved steadily, although slowly and with not a few crisis moments. I am sure there will be more to come, as there are thousands of things to be learned in the next 10 days. But I know that whatever will happen, me and my travel blog, will be always around, trying to share experiences and cultural adventures. I also know that I will never give up writing and the work to my book projects. 

Is late in the night and although I should be up very early, I am contemplating tomorrow, one of the most important days of the year, when I should start - finally - behaving as a business woman responsible of her projects that should be presented, outlined and promoted. Meticulously, I set up my agenda and my main meetings, I have more or less ideas about the opportunities and I finally have my business cards to brand my blog. It is a new level and as for now, I have not the slightest idea how things will develop and what clear opportunities will arise. Persistence always helped me and not giving up my dreams and my true vocation brought me here, to this moment today, when I am fully responsible of my revenues and partly the future of my family. 

What will happen I cannot predict right now. Whatever the outcome, I am ready to learn and make corrections. In any case, I will keep doing what I enjoy, because there is no other way back. My black-and-white elegant business cards are the constant reminder of my future. Not yours, hers or other people's future. Mine, only mine.