When I first began my freelance career, in the spring of 2016, my goal was to get enough clients and bring in enough income to break even and pay my bills. It seemed a reasonable goal for someone starting out and building a client base from scratch, and by meeting it, I gave myself the…
It’s official! Sarah Wood Communication became an LLC earlier this month after a somewhat anti-climatic online filing. Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate that it was an easy process, but after the months and months I spent thinking about whether or not I should officially become a business, it went quickly once I actually made…
There aren’t many (if any) aspects of the communication field that I haven’t been at least peripherally involved in by this point of my career. But if you asked me what I do most, I’d tell you I write. Whether it’s reports, case studies, press releases, media pitches, newsletters, blog posts, speeches, social media, web…
Earlier this summer, I went to see Wonder Woman at the movie theater. I rarely go to theaters anymore; I’m not a huge movie buff and I prefer being able to pause a movie for snacks or a bathroom break. But I felt it was important to see this one in the theater: It’s been…
It’s been almost exactly a year since I took the plunge and became a full-time freelance consultant. So looking back on the past year, how do I feel? Honestly, it’s been one of the best decisions I ever made. I love the freedom of being self-employed and the ability to dip my toes into the…
Next time someone asks you to prove the value of a good crisis communication strategy and listening to professional advice, refer them to United Airlines, who lost millions of dollars in stock value and years of effort spent attempting to boost popular opinion due to a few bad communication decisions. While I was shocked by…
While I was in Guatemala, I was still conducting business with clients back home. One of the perks (and downfalls, since a vacation is never totally just a vacation anymore) about being a freelance consultant is that you can work from anywhere with an internet connection. So, in between studying Spanish and sightseeing, I picked…
Think communication isn’t important? Try traveling for an extended period to a country with a different primary language than yours. I’m now approximately halfway through a month-long trip to Guatemala and if nothing else, it’s certainly driven home for me how much easier it is for me to communicate in my native tongue. Thankfully, I…
We’re almost three weeks into January, which means many of us have already abandoned our New Year’s resolutions. So why am I suggesting that now is the time to organize your communication efforts and make sure you are prepared to implement an effective strategy for 2017? Your staff has now had enough time to recover…
2016 was a year of transition for me, most clearly marked by two major defining events. One was my decision to quit my full-time job and start my career as a freelance communication consultant this past spring. The other was the unexpected death of my beloved dog, Snowflake. Both were dramatic changes to my life,…
