tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27874443.post1039476535927199514..comments2024-01-27T18:00:54.268+00:00Comments on This Is My Blog: Pass the parcelMaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11639094548415759560noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27874443.post-26519640624990256442009-11-30T16:02:36.116+00:002009-11-30T16:02:36.116+00:00Bats, just seen your most recent comment. Don'...Bats, just seen your most recent comment. Don't worry, I feel no sense of responsibility whatseoever! <br /><br />K<br />xKatiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14255575000862197175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27874443.post-5252200042237062732009-11-29T13:12:32.634+00:002009-11-29T13:12:32.634+00:00I did the same as you did , and I went around in c...I did the same as you did , and I went around in circles, they even sent me to see a bloke who could help me, they told me he died three years ago. I was then told OK we can send you to this charity that helps people start up a business, down I go the place is now a dentist, talking to a lady in the charity shop she said oh that closed last year as the government stopped it's funding.<br />It's as if they fob me off not to bother, last July I was told not to attend any further meetings at my local job center, because they had removed the Disability adviser she is now working on no disabled unemployment.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05186557603493331701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27874443.post-25956039924501368862009-11-24T22:04:40.590+00:002009-11-24T22:04:40.590+00:00Wow, yes those examples are really classist and se...Wow, yes those examples are really classist and sexist (I love #1, as if men are helpless children who need organising!). <br />As if the only people wanting help to get back into work are middle-class women with kids and a partner, especially in this economic climate.<br />I doubt they *mean* to be so exclusive, but they really should have thought. They could quite easily have come up with more neutral examples such as voluntary or community work and organising social events...I mean, the last 3 examples are OK-ish (I'd rephrase 'social functions' I think, and 'community fair' but...)<br /><br />I can completely understand how you feel excluded by them. Remember, you *do* have transferable skills (as in your examples), I'd say there is nothing wrong with using those examples in your business plan. <br /><br />I don't know about half of what you're going through, but I do sympathise - and good luck.<br /><br />(Sorry if any of that sounded condescending, I *really* don't mean to...)butterflywingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16873407072604417252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27874443.post-85447838964668233712009-11-17T22:39:13.961+00:002009-11-17T22:39:13.961+00:00Oh no, don't get me wrong, I will continue to ...Oh no, don't get me wrong, I will continue to enjoy the advice and support and general solidarity for as long as you feel happy dispensing it - and it IS making a positive difference. I just don't want you to feel like you <i>have</i> to or like you have a responsibility to me.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11639094548415759560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27874443.post-82772691186273020802009-11-17T22:36:15.331+00:002009-11-17T22:36:15.331+00:00:-)
Oops. I have a tendancy to try and be over-h...:-)<br /><br />Oops. I have a tendancy to try and be over-helpful on this subject because I went through the mill backwards (or something) when I became self-employed, both generally and with access to work specifically, so I have a lot of really spoddy irritating knowledge on the subject and like to share it, possibly a little too much sometimes.<br /><br />I know you're perfectly capable of handling it yourself, though I may not have been giving that impression...!<br /><br />Best of luck with it all.<br /><br />xxKatiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14255575000862197175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27874443.post-51978086800233644942009-11-17T16:56:55.507+00:002009-11-17T16:56:55.507+00:00Yes, practically and psychologically it makes bett...Yes, practically and psychologically it makes better sense to me to think of myself as hiring out my skills and services as a freelancer, rather than "being a business".<br /><br />Perhaps I could write down something as simple as "I intend to charge £X per hour to independent companies to do admin tasks from my home," and call it a business plan, followed by "the help I need to do this is..." and updating it every time something new pops up.<br /><br />Either way, I still have a couple of weeks to play with and I have access to the online resources from the agency Business Link recommended - which <i>does</i> include writing a business plan, although, being the person that I am, I am working through the modules in the prescribed order and haven't got that far yet.<br /><br />While I do really, really, really appreciate all the advice and support you've given me so far, please don't start to feel responsible for guiding me through this - I know you've got quite enough on your own plate. :)Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11639094548415759560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27874443.post-15089124131618880662009-11-17T16:08:47.544+00:002009-11-17T16:08:47.544+00:00Bats,
This may be irrelevant, but double check w...Bats, <br /><br />This may be irrelevant, but double check with AtW that you do need a business plan. I got away without one. <br /><br />I'm a TV Producer (for some of the year, anyway). When I turned freelance, AtW told me I would need a business plan because this is what they say to all self-employed people. They turned out to be wrong. <br /><br />I told them I was not running a business, I was hiring my services out to several different independent companies during the course of any year. Hence I was freelance, not running a business. If I had been setting up my own independent production company, I would be running my own business.<br /><br />Eventually, they agreed with me and settled for a copy of my contract with the company I was initially working for.<br /><br />It used to be easy to differentiate because freelancers were taxed in a different way from business owners, but not anymore.<br /><br />From what you've written here about the work you're doing, I *think* you could very easily suggest to them that you're self employed in a freelance way and that you have no need for a business plan.<br /><br />It very much depends on the work you're doing, your own AtW adviser, and whether or not you want to write a business plan, which you might want to do anyway. <br /><br />Whatever, it sucks that the 'local' services aren't accessible to you. Business Link do have step by step advice online detailing how to complete a business plan, but I'm sure you've already found that. <br /><br />It might be worth asking AtW if they can be flexible on the business plan front, is all. I know it's not just about that, and it's deeply reprehensible (?sp!) that all the 'starting up on your own' advice is not accessible to you. <br /><br />I will go away and think about other sources of advice that aren't Business Link. Sorry they've not been more helpful :-(Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14255575000862197175noreply@blogger.com