Self-Employed on Sonia Cuff

Why is writing important to me and my business?

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 06:31:36 +0000

Wow. That�s a big question that I�ve never asked myself before. It�s never been important like being at the top of a list of priorities, or even at the top of the �important/urgent� quadrant of a to-do list. But it�s important to my heart, to the part of me that always has writing as the answer to the question �what do you really want to be doing right now�.

The comfort of keyboard clicks & screen focus soothes my soul. My writing has always been a natural outpouring of my thoughts and never a chore. Well, mostly never, unless you count struggling through sections of an unknown subject section in a tender document and even then we made it into the top 2 out of 35. Word count has always been a guiding constraint and never an impossible mountain to climb.

Vodafail by another name: 3 Mobile demands payment during overseas trip.

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 07:02:13 +0000

Brace yourselves � this is a rant.

In my opinion, mobile phone companies are right down their with real estate agents and used car salesmen. But let me lay out the facts and you can decided for yourself.

After receiving a wedding invitataion, we decided to pack up the kids and head to Wellington for a 10 day holiday. We�re self-employed with clients who rely on us, so by �holiday� I mean �time away from the office�. We accept that our lifestyle means our phones come with us and so does the laptop. Then again, we didn�t have to get annual leave approved.

The warrior spirit when germs attack.

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:25:28 +0000

I�m sick. Technically, a doctor would announce that a germ of some description has entered my body and that my immune system is in full response mode.�I�m pretty sure it�s your common garden variety cold or flu-type bug, that inhabited my 2 year old the week before.

She got lots of mummy & daddy cuddles and one day off childcare. Today, I ran errands, braved the school uniform shop, did the school run, tamed my Inbox, visited my parents & wrangled the kids into bed by myself. Then I happily collapsed on the couch to watch some recorded TV. That 40mins was as still as I�d been the whole day and I was quite happy to not be washing, tidying or even �social mediaing�. Until this blog post started to fester and here I am now in my study at 9:30pm to get it out of my head.

Technology considerations for your new startup business

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:34:54 +0000

If you�re thinking about starting a business (congratulations!!), then technology might be the very last consideration on your mind.� With a long list of tasks in front of you (like getting a logo and stationery designed, finding an office, and working out your marketing plan), you may just requisition your home computer to start running your new business.��Let�s�look at some of your very first technology decisions.

New computer or your home PC?�� For a while, your home computer may be adequate to handle the necessities of your business.� However, if your computer time is conflicting with the children�s need to surf the internet for their homework, it may be time to consider a dedicated business computer.� Study any system specifications carefully and check the manufacturer�s websites.� Many �cheap� retail deals are superseded models, cannot be upgraded easily or may not connect to a bigger computer network, which will all be important as you grow.� Also, talk to your accountant about any tax benefits that may be gained from leasing instead of purchasing your IT assets.

Planning the survival of your business

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:38:43 +0000

If your technology stopped working, would your business stop functioning too? Is your business totally reliant on the information stored on your computer systems or could you continue to deliver 95% of your products and services and catch up on the computer work later? No matter which end of this scale your business is at, you will fare much better during a major technology outage if you plan in advance, before it happens. This month we take some of the mystery out of Business Continuity Planning.

The 5 things YOU must know about your business�s computers

Mon, 31 May 2010 08:41:44 +0000

If someone else is responsible for the technology in your business, it can feel fantastic that you don�t have to worry about that part of your business operation.� But whether that person is an employee, a freelance computer guy or a larger I.T. support company, the responsibility for this part of your�business still ultimately lies with you.� Here�s�a list of�what all business owners should know about their own computers:1. Administrator passwords�� Local administrator accounts� have full access to make changes to your computers.� If you have a server, there may also be a �domain administrator� account.� Make sure you have a record of these account passwords in a safe place.� If your business provides laptops and mobile phones to your staff, also keep a record of any passwords or PIN numbers that are used to secure these mobile devices (e.g. are prompted for when the device is turned on).� This may seem a bit over the top, but it only takes a disgruntled employee or an issue with your support provider and you can find yourself locked out of your own systems, at the mercy of someone else who knows the passwords when you don�t.� I�ve actually seen I.T. companies refuse to release administrator passwords.� Remember, your information is your property, not theirs.

The trials & tribulations of a digital certificate file (aka why you should listen to your husband)

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:46:51 +0000

I should have listened to my husband.

Armed with my shiny new copy of Windows 7, I was keen to install it onto my laptop to see if the claims were true that this new operating system would give my laptop a new lease of life.� �Remember to take an image* of it first�, called hubby.� I logically thought this through and reasoned that all of my important files were in My Documents which is synchronised to our server, therefore there was nothing else on the laptop that I needed to keep.� I even thought about my digital certificate file from the ATO, and remembered that I�d previously made a backup copy of this file on another location on our server.� So, with all of my bases covered, I began to format my hard disk.

OK, Windows 7 it is.

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:52:28 +0000

A lot has happened since my last blog entry.� Mortgage approval, in-laws 7 week stay, birth of new baby, end of rental lease, moving back in with my parents and storing a houseload of stuff at a friend�s, oh and continuing to run our small business.� So you�ll forgive me for not posting earlier�🙂

I am getting back into the swing of things with my writing committments, amongst which is the customer newsletter distributed globally through our franchise.� With Windows 7 now released, our early Oct edition was a quick glimpse into why you might bother with the new OS � well, as much as a glimpse as you can get in 500 words.

Dear Mr Bank Manager (aka the ballad of the self-employed)

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:53:46 +0000

On most days I love being self-employed.� I like the control I have over how my business operates.� Whilst we�re still only a �micro business� (read: no other �team members� but us), it could be classed by some as a job.� However, I get to set my own salary, my own hours, my own work location, what products & services I offer, how I market & advertise and which customers I will (or won�t) deal with.