From today, self employed individuals can apply for the second SEISS grant. The grant, which aims to help those whose earnings have been negatively impacted by Covid-19, is worth up to £6,570.  In this article, we’ll give you the rundown on this new grant - how it compares to the first grant, how you know if you're eligible and how you can claim it. 

Now more than ever, freelancers are in demand.  Before the pandemic hit, there was often tough competition among freelancers to land the best jobs. However, the tables have turned over the past few months and businesses are now competing for the top freelancers amongst a pool of super talented professionals.  What has caused this change? 

This post-covid era is a strange, transitional time for freelancers. Work may have dried up, and you may have modified your services considerably.    A constructive way to address these circumstances is to step back, reflect and reevaluate your unique selling point as a freelancer. Learning how to write a compelling About Me page is a great exercise in this - and it will help you connect with like-minded clients. Win-win. 

If you’ve read any of my past articles, you might know that I’m a fan of freelancer welcome packs. I think they're an invaluable resource for freelancers when they join a new startup. Not only do they provide freelancers with a better understanding of the client, their brand, values and the assets they'll need to do the job but they also save startups so much time onboarding new freelancers. 

As the pop psychology stereotype goes… Extroverts are outgoing, outspoken and socially energetic. Introverts, on the other hand, find peace in solitude. They’re introspective and thoughtful, and often find social events overwhelming and draining.    As much as we like to imagine things in clean and tidy opposites, it’s of course more of a complex spectrum than this. We’ve all got a unique blend of introverted and extroverted characteristics woven into our personality.    That said, for people who are more inclined toward introversion, working in an office environment is a horrendous prospect. “See you at the office Christmas party!!!”    Oh, God. Please no…

How do you create company culture within your startup? The response to this question tends to vary from business to business. Pre-Covid, some might have implemented a company culture policy or brought staff out for drinks. Others may have encouraged their team to bring their dogs to the office.

I’ve always been interested in the startup journey and how entrepreneurs navigate each stage differently.  Furthermore, I’m forever curious as to how much work founders take on themselves versus how much they outsource to others throughout their respective journeys. 

Way back in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, we were outraged and hugely disheartened to see so many self employed people left behind without adequate financial support from the government.    A shocking proportion of full time freelancers who are PAYE and taxed at source, as well as all those who started freelancing in the 2019/2020 tax year, were deemed ineligible to receive SEISS.