Wednesday, November 04, 2020
My 5 steps to becoming a freelancer
Thursday, October 22, 2020
How to promote yourself as a transcriptionist for remote transcription jobs
1. Come up with a brilliant resume.
Every freelance transcriptionist planning to market herself and her services to attract more projects is must start with a compelling resume.
You don't have to include every detail of your professional history. Just put the details that are related to the skill sets required for the transcription job, and highlight them. It's also a good idea to create your own website. Make sure you use the most significant keywords that are used to search by the clients when they are looking for freelancers in the transcription industry.
When your profile is aligned with the keywords that are being searched, it becomes easy for the clients to discover your profile. With this, the chances of getting remote job assignments would increase drastically.
2. Build your resume on a professional media network.
There are many professional media networks that are made exclusively for people looking for assignments in the freelance industry. You can either choose to upload the same resume on your website or you can create another resume for these professional media network channels. Start building your own network.
A lot of transcriptionists highlight their profile on social media websites using the advertisement campaigning feature. This is one of the greatest benefits that can be leveraged through social media in order to positively publicize your services related to transcription.
The campaigning money can be easily recovered once you start getting a lot of deals through legitimate customers. Therefore, this is one of the most important ways that could help you to quickly find remote freelance transcription assignments.
4. Make videos and write blog posts.
Finding remote transcription assignments can become easy if you start making videos and writing blog posts. Post these either on your website or any other websites that accept guest posts. By doing these things, you would be able to showcase your presence in the transcription world. You improve your chances of coming across a potential client that can offer you remote jobs assignments. Start promoting these things in a positive manner and get noticed by the clients quickly.
Some freelance transcriptionists might end up losing hope when they do not get assignments the way they have planned. That's why it's important to carefully craft your resume, professional website, and profile on job-seeking platforms.
Once you start reworking on your resume in order to meet the requirements of the freelance industry, you should be able to get more projects than you expect.
When you start underestimating yourself, you will start thinking negatively, and that can seriously impact the way you work on your assignments. Hence, having a positive attitude at all times is also important when you are planning to get remote job assignments.
These are some of the most important tips and techniques that could help you to quickly get more remote freelance assignments in the transcription industry.
Monday, September 28, 2020
Review (book): "The Overseas Fabulous Pinay" by Donna Avellana Kunzler
I just put down this super interesting book, The Overseas Fabulous Pinay: A Modern Filipina's Handbook on How to Thrive Abroad. It's by Donna Avellana Künzler. She may have a foreign last name but she's Pinay through and through. Donna was born and raised in Cavite and took up accounting because all she ever wanted to be was a CPA like her dad. However, she became an Information Technology Auditor and Consultant instead. Her #ovfabpinay life started almost 20 years ago when she moved to Singapore for work. From there, she moved to the USA and then to my favorite city, London. Always because of work (how lucky is this woman?). She is now based in Switzerland, working for a Swiss global company, responsible for finance process governance and standardization in the finance organization.
Donna's a new mommy to a baby girl and I really admire her because she was working, writing and producing a book, and making a baby all at the same time! That's amazing! I know this because - full disclosure - I helped edit the manuscript so my deadline was the most unusual in my editing career: I had to finish editing before Donna gives birth. And there's no pushing that deadline haha I was also working when I was in the delivery room with my first baby but I had already turned over most everything to my staff. A whole book is a whole different story. It's personal. It's also like a child. So for Donna to be working on her book and preparing to give birth is a whole new level of devotion.
Yes, Donna has lots of online talks! Just visit www.ovfabpinay.com because Donna always has events lined up. She has other #ovfabpinays over for chats about how to live fabulously abroad. Join the #ovfabpinay Facebook community and follow @ovfabpinay on Instagram for more updates. Donna is very friendly and encouraging of her fellow Pinays who would love to start a new life abroad.
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
The SalesVIP boys are ready for Rockwell Voyager, an interstellar Halloween adventure!
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They were so excited! |
1. Get the interactive Space Voyager Kits!
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They can't wait for Oct. 31 to open their Top Secret Missions! |
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Handy bottle of sanitizer before eating the snacks! (I ate the Snickers. Oops.) |
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Checking out each item. Parang birthday party! |
Tuesday, September 01, 2020
Homeschooling Week 1: I learned flexibility and gratitude for life's surprises
Yes, we're one week in. Today is our second week and so far, so good. I can already see where we'll have a hard time (my boys like to annoy each other and joke around) and where we'll have an easy time (apparently, school is super fun for them... but it's only been the first week bwahaha).
I really am enjoying myself. I didn't anticipate how fun homeschooling was going to be. I really thought we'd be killing each other by now haha Instead, we're enjoying ourselves so much, I'm the one who can't keep up with the kids. Like, I beg off from more schooling. "Mama wants to nap! Stop bugging me for more Math!!!" What a shock.
Monday, August 24, 2020
5 best U.S. states for starting a small business
Finally, we have California. Full of big name companies like Facebook, Google and Apple, California is a great choice for tech companies, but entrepreneurs in other industries as well. 99.8% of the businesses in California are small, yet they’re certainly mighty and employ over 7 million people between them. And, while there is quite a bit more red tape in this state than others, and the corporate income tax rate is higher than almost all over states, the five year survival rate of businesses is higher than average. Although possibly not as impressive as the four proceeding it, it’s still a good option to consider.
Thursday, June 04, 2020
"Mukhang pera" LOL
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
4 home-based business ideas that actually make money
- Artworks
- Dolls and toys
- Home accessories
- Jewelry
- Knitwear
- Party favors
- Pet accessories
- Wedding supplies
(Note on drop shipping vs. affiliate marketing: As mentioned above, drop shipping allows you to sell other people's products as your own while affiliate marketing is you promoting other people's products and you earn a commission from each sale from your promotions.)
Sell Your Skills or Expertise
- Affiliate marketing
- Advertisements
- Sponsored content
- Email marketing
- Selling digital products like e-books
- Selling coaching services
- Sponsorships
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My blog earns money from brand ambassadorships, too! |
Monday, March 02, 2020
Hello there! My name's Frances and this is what I do to make money.
Well, I do a lot of things but since I don't go to an office, people sometimes assume I don't work. Oh, I work a lot! I hustle for need (pay bills, send kids to school, etc) and for pleasure. I love working!
But what exactly do I do? I always say I'm a writer. That's what I do. All my jobs has writing in there somewhere. The more writing it has, the happier I am with it.
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My favorite photo from my PR job last year. L-R: Cosmo.ph EIC Jill Gatcheco, Paint It Red managing director Cath David, me, and our client Dr. Candy Drilon-Dalman of Centro Holistico. |
Last year, I had an 8-month stint as a PR Manager at Paint It Red. I learned so much from that job. It was intense because I haven't been employed for 6 years and I literally didn't know anything about the PR industry. I was really lucky I had bosses who took a chance on me and were diligent in teaching the oldest member of their staff new things.
I think they didn't have an easy time (this old dog had a hard time learning new tricks!) but I did learn and I did have fun. I was surrounded by young blood and they were so masipag and mabait! I only left because I found I couldn't juggle a job with being a mommy and running my own business.
Yes, I have a legit, BIR-registered freelance writing business. My writing business earns from foreign clients and local magazine websites. I write product descriptions for e-commerce sites, write branded content for websites, do proofreading and editing of manuscripts, and - my absolute favorite - I write articles! Articles may pay the least but they nourish my soul.
My business also covers my PR consultancy work. Now that I'm no longer employed, I have more time to do freelance PR. I've decided to just focus on family-friendly brands, so my PR work now involves promoting products and services moms would like or are owned by mommies. So now, I like my PR work better because it's more meaningful (and easier) to me.
Ask me what job earns the most, however, and it's blogging hands down. It earns me more money than my job as a PR professional and my freelance writing and editing combined. And I'm not even power blogging like I did in 2013-2016! What I earn from blogging now is a third of what I used to earn and yet it still is the one that brings home the fattest bacon. My blog also lets me earn through speaking engagements and workshops, which scare the shit out of me but are fun to do anyway.
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Sneak peek: New campaign involves me admiring a giant bell pepper. |
Anyway, I guess I should say I'm a blogger first and everything else after. It's not my dream job (will always be magazine editor!) but it's made my dreams come true so I can't complain. And I guess the point of this post is to say all that I do to earn money so people will stop wondering haha. I also want to say that I'm grateful I have my blog.
Everyone hates bloggers, I know, so I feel weird when I say I'm a blogger. I shouldn't because I know people have been moved by the things I write. That's a profound change in people's lives I know I've done and I am so proud of that.
Now, if you've ever read any of my blog entries, shared them, left a comment, attended my workshops, sponsored my blog, got me as brand ambassador, invited me to your events, even clicked "like" on my blog shares, THANK YOU!!! You have helped feed my family and you are a blessing to me! Love you all!
Friday, December 20, 2019
You can #DoMoreNow if you lived in a home near it all
What gives us pause, however, is we actually really love our home. Our condo is in the middle of everything, it's safe, and has great amenities. That said, even though we're near everything, the traffic makes everything seem so far! Plus, in a few years, it will be really tight because our 3 sons will be teenagers and teens need privacy and that's why we're thinking maybe it's time to look around for a new home.
We have a non-negotiable list of our requirements in finding a good home. It has to be in a safe community, of course. It has to be near an amazing school for our boys. It also has to be near a good hospital because I'm paranoid like that. A mall has to be a short drive away so we can shop for our needs without going all the way back to Manila. And of course, our new home has to look nice, too! So, upon the recommendations of friends and the invitation of Avida Land, we drove to Nuvali to check out the Avida properties there. Take a look at what we saw!
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Welcome to the Trista Model, floor area: 85sqm |
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Light-filled staircase! |
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One bathroom at the landing for all 3 bedrooms upstairs |
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Adorable girl's bedroom |
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Cozy boy's bedroom |
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Brightly lit master's bedroom! |
That's not my voice, by the way =)
Anyway, the floor area is smaller than our condo now but we saw that the other houses in the neighborhood just extended their floor area. That's possible because the lot area is pretty big (check out the first photo of this post). There's enough for a front yard, a backyard, and a 2-car, even 4-car garage. So if you have just one car like us, there's plenty of space for expansion.
Okay ang Nuvali area, mamas! For schools, it's near Xavier Nuvali, Beacon Academy, Brent International School, Miriam College, and Caritas Don Bosco. Then kahit looban siya, it's a short drive from many commercial centers like Ayala Malls Solenad, The Landmark, S&R, Robinsons Supermarket, Walter Mart, and so many more! For hospitals, there are The Medical City and QualiMed. So convenient!
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Everything's a short, tree-lined drive away! |
Our trip to Avida Nuvali made it really obvious that we can do more every day in the right community. SIGH. Please pray for us! We really do love our home and we truly wouldn't mind staying here forever. But maybe one day, God has a bigger home planned for my family and it may be waiting for us in Avida Nuvali.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Our favorite find at National Book Store: dotted journals!
I love working with my son. This is the second video we've done for National. Last year, Vito and I starred in a back-to-school marketing campaign where we hawked lunch bags.
I really like that lunch bag. I still have the pink and purple of it. Vito's blue and Iñigo's red were so well used and abused for an entire school year, nabutas na haha. I was really hoping National would sell them again this year.
Anyway, we also did an unboxing of our shopping.
So some moms who watched our video this month asked, "What did you buy po? Sana may unboxing din!" Oo nga naman! Well, it's not very exciting kasi we bought ball pens, Spider-Man pencils, highlighters, bond paper... you know, school supplies!
But Vito and I did find a very nice and affordable journal. As in sobra kaming tuwang-tuwa sa kanya. Are we mababaw to get all excited about a notebook? Maybe. Pero sa pamilya ko kasi, we are writers and artists. We love to write down everything. As in everything! The kids love to draw. They draw every single day! So notebooks are a HUGE deal here in our home. So, mamas, check out our favorite National Book Store find: Limelight Dotted Journals!
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The blue has subtle gold flecks. |
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Love the cheerful color and lines! |
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The journal is really thick. I can do 12 months plus notes and drawings pa! |
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Pocket at the back cover. |
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Empty pages excite me! |
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Vito uses his as a planner, gaming notes, and writing his stories and comics. |
Vito's dotted journal is already used but I'm saving mine for my 2020 bullet journal. Actually, we both want to buy more because there are more cover designs and P220 lang siya! Sobrang affordable!!!
We found this at the Glorietta 1 branch. The two branches near our house are small so very limited ang items available there so I think, if you want to buy this dotted journal, you'll have to go to a big branch like in Glorietta.
Now remember: Everything you need for school is at National Book Store. You can shop at their hundreds of branches nationwide or you can shop online at nationalbookstore.com. You can also call 8888-NBS (627) to order and have your shopping delivered! Follow @nationalbookstore on Instagram, and @nbsalert on Twitter, Viber, and YouTube.
*This post is brought to you by National Book Store.
Friday, August 02, 2019
We're purple and pretty at Welch's 150th anniversary party! Plus, Grape Salsa with Goat Cheese Crostini recipe
Welch’s is 150 years old this 2019 and we celebrated with a purple party last weekend! I'm so happy to tell you all that Welch's has partnered with my blog to help in their mission to "Share What’s Good." So that means you can expect me to write about healthier nutritional choices from now on, mamas!
The Philippine distributor of Welch's is Fly Ace Corporation—another company close to my heart! Remember when I was a Jolly Mommy a few years ago? So happy to see Fly Ace President Lucio 'Jun' Cochanco Jr. again at the Welch's party! Sir Jun said that they're proud to carry Welch’s as it's not only a heritage brand but also one that is popular among Filipino families. He said, "We celebrate with Welch’s as it marks 150 years. It is a product that we are proud of since it is well-loved because of its nutritional values and the natural goodness that it gives to consumers. Moving forward, we want more Filipinos to share in the joy of drinking Welch's together especially during special occasions and family moments."
At the event, I shared the stage with gorgeous and super fit and healthy mommy Aliza Apostol a.k.a. @mustlovemom on Instagram. She's really been drinking Welch's since she was a child, and since her husband is a chef, their meals are always fresh and healthy. She's such a good example to me! I was so inspired to work out after being in her presence!
Anyway, one concern of health-conscious mommies that Aliza raised was the sweetness of Welch's. Well, we need not worry at all. Unlike other beverages that contain huge amounts of sugar and artificial coloring, Welch’s is vitamin-packed and 100% natural. Scientific studies show that grape juice made from Concord grapes contain natural sugars but compared with other forms of sugar, sugars in grapes are considered to be low in the glycemic index. Thus, grape (or grape juice in this case) is unlikely to raise one’s blood sugar significantly.
Erika says, "Each bottle of Welch’s is made from Concord grapes, assuring moms that they give their kids a large, concentrated amount of polyphenols which a natural plant nutrient that plays a key role in supporting a healthy heart. These same polyphenols contribute to the antioxidant power of 100% grape juice."
Another thing Aliza and I love about Welch's is it's not owned by a conglomerate. It's lovingly harvested from over 900 family farmer-owned vineyards across America. They then use the entire Concord grape – skin, seeds and all – to release the plant’s true polyphenol power. In fact, at least 20 grapes are squeezed into each 4-ounce glass. Imagine the vitamins and minerals in each glass of Welch’s that has nurtured generations of families not only in the Philippines but all over the world!
Speaking of families, here are a few of my favorite mom influencers that attended the Welch's event:
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The Casa Mamas |
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April of Daily Dose of Brie and Feliz of Today with the Lucas |
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Louise of Mommy Practicality and Ina of The Asian Parent |
Of course, since we were talking about good nutrition, there was a cooking demo!
Chefs Peachy Mathay and Trisha Ocampo shared delicious recipes with us, all of which had Welch's 100% Grape Juice as an ingredient! We had an appetizer, salad, dessert, and sangria! But the recipe below is my favorite:
Grape Salsa with Goat Cheese Crostini
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients:
Grape Salsa
½ cup Welch’s 100% Grape Juice
1 cup seedless grapes, quartered (red, green or a mix)
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp jalapeño, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
½ cup red onions
1 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper
225 grams cream cheese
¼ cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
1 loaf baguette
cilantro
Procedure:
In a sauce pan, pour the balsamic vinegar and the Welch’s 100% Grape Juice. Reduce in half or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Cool down and set aside.
In a mixer (using a paddle) or bowl, mix the goat cheese, cream cheese, and heavy cream together until light and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside in the refrigerator.
Slice the baguette into ¼” thick slices and arrange on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Flip and repeat the process. Bake in a 350 F oven until golden, about 5-8 minutes.
To assemble, spread the goat cheese on the crostini. Add a spoonful of grape salsa and garnish with cilantro.
*This post was brought to you by Welch's 100% Grape Juice.