Happy Links
December 29, 2005 in Happy Links- Case studies for a bunch of folks making a fortune on Adsense.
- The needle, the vise... and the baby rattle
Seth opines on the three types of marketing. Two that work (needle and vice) and one that doesn't (baby rattle). Some great advice in here. - Full-time freelancing: 10 things learned in 180 days
Cameron Moll has been flying solo for 6 months now and pauses to share some thoughts on what he's learned. - Why Small Web Design Firms Should Think Big
"Either you're serious about growing your business, or you're not. Either you choose to approach marketing with 100% commitment and intensity, or you choose to approach it with a half-baked effort. It doesn't matter to me, or to anyone else, which approach you choose. I hope it matters to you. Life is short. Why do things by halves? Why not create a business that you enjoy and that also helps you achieve your most ambitious financial goals?" - Google: Ten Golden Rules
Eric Schmidt (CEO) shares how his company puts together, and retains their rock star team. - Creativity on speed
The brilliant thought-leader Kathy Sierra with some ideas on juicing your creativity. - Small Biz 101 on SvN: Ryan Carson (of DropSend) guest blogs on 37signal's Signal vs. Noise blog.
Here are his first three.
How to Get Started
Cash Flow
No one starts with a masterpiece (my fav!) - My Wife Won’t Let Me Start My Own Business
"Your wife won’t let you start your own business? What’re you… six years old? Have you softened your will so much that you now live only by the voice of the collective: “You will not start your own business. Individuality is irrelevant. Resistance is futile.”" - Google Teaches Bloggers How To Rank
An interview by Nick Wilson with senior Google engineer and webmaster relations chappy Matt Cutts on some issues specific to bloggers. - A Guide to Starting Your Business
This brilliant chaps at Particle Tree offer this handy guide to some of the nuts-and-bolts. "We’ve written this article to help you with the small business paperwork, the basics of accounting, and an overview of some legal considerations" - 18 Lessons I’ve Learnt about Blogging
Problogger Darren Rowse with 18 tips for you aspiring pro bloggers. - Adsense: Beginner’s First Option, Professional’s Last
Scrivs of 9rules (workhappy.net is a proud member) with an excellent analysis of why most of us start with AdSense, but should move on once we gain a readership. - The Ten Commandments of Goal Setting
Just in time for the new year.
The Particletree article is very useful to those of us who are sniffing around the hydrant a bit before starting a company. Taxes and lawyers scare me worse than the avian flu, but it turns out you can create an LLC online for about $350...without setting foot in a lawyer's office.
Posted by: Christian von Kleist | Dec 29, 2005 3:21:07 PM
Wait, are you equating going solo with taking a leak on a fire hyrdant?
FWIW, you don't need an LLC either. It might be handy at some point, but you can be a simple sole proprietor and worry about that stuff later (if ever). I've been a sole prop for 6+yrs, with and without employees, and it works for me. My advice would be to forget all the legal garbage for now, keep your work and personal money separate for tax purposes, plan on using Turbo Tax to help you sort it out and get after it. I had a modestly priced personal accountant help me for the first tax year to make sure I didn't screw anything up and got me on a quarterly payment schedule. From there, TurboTax keeps you in line. It's not *that* complicated (although it can feel daunting).
(That said, the PT article does have great advice if you want to do it the way they do).
Posted by: Carson McComas | Dec 29, 2005 3:27:54 PM