Report from the Self-Employment Trenches

The US Census Bureau reported up to 18.6 million self-employed workers at the end of 2003. A large and growing number of technical communicators have joined their ranks.  Our January meeting featured three such entrepreneurs:  Adrienne Charak, Karen Harrington, and Thea Teich – SWO members who represent a total of more than 23 years of self-employment. (Emergency illness prevented the scheduled fourth panel member Mindy Hoffbauer from participating.)

Adrienne Charak (Charak TechComm, LLC)

• Core business: Technical writing and instructional design, including courseware training, Web content, software documentation, and editing
• Client industries: Telecommunications, medical, life insurance, information technology, and training
• Self-employment pros:  Working remotely with a variety of clients, meeting their needs and deadlines while managing my own business, my own projects and my own time/schedule
• Self-employment cons: Keeping a steady stream of project work and not becoming too isolated
• Self-employment wisdom gleaned from experience:
  Maintain a staff of support personnel, most importantly an accountant, an IT consultant, and a graphic designer.

Karen Harrington (The Write Thing)

• Core business: Technical writing and editing, including print and online software user assistance, new business proposals, and white papers
• Client industries: Software companies (commercial and government contractors)
• Self-employment pros:  Being able to adjust your personal work schedule to fit your life, having a beautiful quiet office conducive to concentration, not having to get permission to purchase tools and equipment
• Self-employment cons: Managing others’ perceptions, lacking IT support, the potential for non-payment
• Self-employment wisdom gleaned from experience:
  Establish a manageable plan that sets personal and professional limits.

Thea Teich (Teich Technical and Marketing Communications)

• Core business: Marketing and technical communication and indexing, including Web content, writing, editing, marketing consulting
• Client industries: Software companies, marketing research, technical publishing, finance companies, manufacturing
• Self-employment pros:  Doing a variety of work and projects, plus working with clients who are project oriented
• Self-employment cons: Dealing with inconsistent, peak-and-valley workloads, potential for isolation
• Self-employment wisdom gleaned from experience:
  Avoid false economy and buy what you need (good chair, good lighting, health/disability and umbrella insurance), but buy only what you need when you need it; avoid spending on nice-to-haves.