You can learn a lot from the Olympics.

Though I’ve always been interested in the Olympics over the years, the London Olympics were the first time in my adult life that I regarded the Games as Must-See TV. These last two weeks took on a March Madness-type feel for me, as I watched at least 10 different sports every chance I got — as much as my workweek allowed — on my NBC iPad app, which thankfully had replays for the times when deadlines loomed.

Witnessing both the glorious, jaw-dropping moments and the empathy-inducing heartbreaks, I reflected on the way athletes work, and how I can apply that to my own work philosophy and operations as a freelancer. Perhaps you can, too.

My top 3 takeaways:

1. Make Like a Gymnast & Concentrate, in Short Bursts

No shaking this level of concentration

What I found most fascinating, hands down, is the incredible concentration of gymnasts. All sports take intense concentration, but some enjoy the luxury of having the crowd fall silent out of respect for not breaking that concentration (you could hear a pin drop when athletes competed at Wimbledon). Gymnasts, more often than not, perform their routines while other routines are happening around them. It was amazing to see teenagers launching into their dismounts on beam or halfway through tumbling passes on floor unfazed by a sudden roaring crowdburst from a nearby gymnast’s vault landing or a wild trick on the uneven bars (or that buzzer I could never make sense of, the one that would go off at inopportune times). It takes incredible mental strength to stay focused in such a work environment, just as we sometimes have to work next to a noisy co-working neighbor or within the din of a crowded cafe.

Luckily, gymnasts only have to use this superpower for a few minutes at a time. It made me think that applying that level of focus into my project work for shorter stints may prove far more effective than bigger chunks of time, when energy starts to fade or my mind wanders, itching to check email or social media, etc. Small bursts of concentrated work, like the Pomodoro Technique suggests, might be my 25-minutes-at-a-time ticket to gold-medal delivery!

2. Professional Isn’t a Designation — It’s a Behavior

In 1986, the International Olympic Committee ruled to allow professional athletes to compete. This was hotly debated especially at the 1992 Games, when the NBA Dream Team began dominating their opponents (and have continued to do so ever since). The word professional pertains to an “occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain.” But another definition reads “a person who is an expert at his or her work.” To me, this defines Olympic athletes. To compete at that level, you have to be an expert. Even when I was befuddled by dressage — gymnastics for horses — a friend was quick to point out that while the sport is odd and little-known, it still requires learned skills and rules, a great deal of training and demonstrated expertise, just like any other.

American swimmer Missy Franklin won five medals in London (including four gold) and broke two world records as well as an Olympic record. Missy is a student; she’s 17 years old and will start her senior year in high school in a couple weeks (with the ultimate answer to “What did you do on your summer vacation?” in tow). Much has been made of the decision she’ll have to make later this year as to whether to go to college or go pro, but to me, she’s already a pro. She’s an expert at her sport, and even though it’s not her current occupation, she swam those laps like it was her job. The word amateur hardly seems appropriate for for someone with five Olympic medals. When watching her give an interview, I could tell right away that the amount of focused training she puts into her passion is so great, it naturally flows into how she conducts herself — like a champion.

We freelancers and solopreneurs can exude the same level of professionalism in all aspects of our work, from prospecting to final product. Even if working from home, for example, we can still shower and get dressed when we wake up in the morning, just like those who commute to work do, instead of working in our pajamas. (Besides, what if we get called into a last-minute video conference?) The professional is prepared; the professional is ready.

We can make sure we have the proper equipment and space to clearly hear and be heard on conference calls. We can keep our hard drives backed up and our files tidy for easy access when a client requests an archived document. Heed advice from the Time Management Ninja and take 10 minutes a day to improve your systems, to keep your project work flowing smoothly. If we infuse professionalism into even the most administrative ways we work, it will show in our deliverables.

You never know which obstacles will be in your path. Try to move on from them and learn.

3. Flukes Happen; Keep Going

My heart fell for U.S. runner Morgan Uceny, who was tripped from behind in the last lap of the 1,500 meters final, causing her to pound her fists repeatedly on the ground out of sheer agony. The same thing happened to her last year in the World Championships, after which she got up and finished the race, in 10th place. This time, her fall caused injury, so finishing the race wasn’t an option.

To have something like that happen in the two biggest races of your career is inexplicable. It’s a fluke, and these things, unfortunately, do happen. Can you imagine training to compete all those years at this level and not being able to compete due to a mishap? I’m sure Uceny would’ve been much more at ease about this race had she come in last place than to lose this way.

We all experience setbacks, perhaps not on an Olympic scale, but setbacks nonetheless. Setbacks that affect our business — just when we think we’ve landed a new client, the job falls through; seasonal allergies cause a sinus infection so bad we can’t even look at our computer screens, let alone work; or a family matter overtakes us, making scheduling meetings with clients and vendors impossible. Setbacks are awful, but we can learn from them as best we can, if nothing else than how to roll with the punches.

What should we do? Like Sinatra sang, “You pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.” We keep on keepin’ on. It sounds simplistic, but we must remember, the world won’t come to an end if we have to push back a site redesign by one week. When flukes happen to you, mind your hard deadlines, of course (especially when they’ve got promotional tie-ins and planned events), but see if there’s any give on your other projects. Communicate early and often, and you may find that an occasional request for push-back isn’t the capital-A Ask that you thought it would be. People understand. After all, those people are professionals as well.

Onward, my fellow professionals!

Carla

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to read for leisure. Seems that for the past couple years, I’d pick up a book to do research or improve my profession or learn to be more productive or to simplify my workflow. There’s a lot to be said for that, but I realized I never read for fun.

If only we could all take more time to mimic our wee-one selves and daydream, ponder, observe and just be.

It was because I was feeding a culturally imposed need to constantly take in information. But after this holiday season, I felt a strong longing to read for personal enrichment (for feeding my spiritual or artist self) or just to have a laugh!

I decided to go with the first book my hand gravitated toward on the shelf, If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland, one I’d never read though I bought it more than a decade ago when building my Writer’s Digest-suggested library. You wouldn’t guess it was published in 1938; Ueland’s principles are timeless and inspiring.

LIVING IN THE PRESENT
One passage that resonated deeply was when Ueland speaks of the “dreamy idleness” of children, and how adults and children are wildly different in how they spend their time:

An inspiring book to feed your inner artist

When a child is taken somewhere by his parents, he is not thinking nervously: are they late or early? is the furnace running at home? etc., but he lives at rest and looks out the window and sees and thinks. He lives in the present. That is why children enjoy looking and listening so much. … They have tremendous concentration because they have no other concern than to be interested in things.”

Children aren’t burdened by the responsibilities and worries that adults have, but wouldn’t it be great if we could all resolve to tap into our inner child every so often and really enjoy some quiet time to feed our imaginations? I remember as a child seeing shapes in the sky by staring up at the clouds for long stretches of time. I spent a lot of time observing nature. Ueland contends that the idleness in going for long solitary walks, watching the sunset or even sitting quietly in a chair is essential for enabling our creativity to flourish, for allowing the ideas to flow.

UNPLUG MORE AND REACT LESS
I know several writers who’ve made resolutions to unplug this year, turning off ringers and checking their email only at designated times throughout the day, so as to encourage longer stretches of project time, rather than spending the day in a reactive way. I am starting to do the same.

A great tip shared by designer/writer Jenn Cole: If you check your email first thing in the morning, you’re training your brain to operate reactively in short spurts, rather than in the non-staccato, big-picture-thinking way that creative projects require. So schedule set times for when you’ll tackle your inbox.

Are you willing to channel your inner child to encourage your imagination this year? Share your favorite way to do so by commenting below.

In daydreams,

Carla

Catherine Charlot (right), a Brooklyn fashion designer and owner of Upcycle with Himane.

There is nothing quite like creating one-of-a-kind gifts that will remain in the hearts of your loved ones for life. Thanks to Catherine Charlot, the Brooklyn fashion designer behind Upcycle with Himane, I was able to make this holiday season unforgettable.

Catherine’s work is featured in this month’s O, The Oprah Magazine, so I feel as though I’ve stumbled across her amazing talents at just the right time (before she’s too busy to return my calls!). In looking at her designs on Big Cartel, you’ll see that her work consists mainly of transforming umbrellas, yoga mats and other found/discarded items into beautiful handbags and clothing, making them even better (hence the term upcycling, not just recycling). But when I met Catherine at a Style with Glee event and she mentioned she can also upcycle the clothing of a loved one who has passed into functional and fashionable handmade items that can be used in that person’s memory, I knew what I wanted to do for my family for Christmas this year.

My father, the well-dressed Anthony Arnone, stands with me at an ASCAP performance in NYC in 2001.

ENVISIONING UNIQUE HOLIDAY GIFTS
This past summer, I commissioned Catherine to create Christmas gifts for my family from the clothes of my father, Anthony Arnone, who died of lung cancer in September 2010. I wanted to make this second holiday season since his passing extra memorable for my family, so I showed up at the Himane workshop with three bags of my father’s pants, jackets and ties, and Catherine proceeded to start combining the items and spec out the 18 wallets, handbags and eyeglass cases for my family members.

The pile of ties I brought to Himane to be upcycled. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

Since I won’t be home for Christmas this year, we set a deadline for the week of Thanksgiving, when my husband and I would surprise my family with these gifts at my mother’s house, combining the two holidays into Thanksmas.

REACTIONS TO HIMANE’S WORK
The end result was phenomenal. Catherine’s designs are fresh and inspired, and she maintained the integrity of each fabric, using them in their entirety, linings and all. My family was absolutely stunned and thrilled by the pieces, and were not only in awe of Catherine’s handiwork, but also of the idea itself. My dad’s best friend said that now he can “carry his buddy with him in his pocket every day.” My mother was incredibly touched and couldn’t get over the gorgeous handmade designs.

I can’t thank Catherine enough for having made my holiday season so special, and I hope that others will look to her to create similar projects to enable lifelong memories of their own. Catherine is the subject of an upcoming documentary by filmmaker Rob Weiss, and I can’t wait for more people to learn of her amazing talent and compassion.

CONTACTING CATHERINE CHARLOT / UPCYCLE WITH HIMANE
Enjoy the photos, and please let me know in the comments if you have any questions. To contact Catherine, visit her blog, her Himane Facebook page or email her directly.

A blessed holiday season to you all,

Carla

A wallet made from one of my father's ties. We made 10 wallets in total for the male gift recipients. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

The front of the brown tie wallet (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

This tote bag was created from my father's tweed blazer. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

This is the tweed blazer from which the tote bag and the little purse were made. The tie in this pic was used on one of the clutch handbags.

This small purse was created out of the same tweed blazer, and features a cell phone pocket in front. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

The pants and tie that made up my sister's handbag in the pic below

This gorgeous bag was made from my father's pants (see the before pic above) and one of his ties (for the trim, the handle and the bottom-left and bottom-right corners). (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

This grey clutch was made from my father's pants and a tie, which features a velcro enclosure in the front. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

The clutch at right was made from this pair of pants and tie.

This clutch, made from my dad's pants and a tie, features a velcro front enclosure. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

One of these ties was used to create one of the eyeglass cases at right.

Made from my father's ties, these eyeglass cases hold any kind of eyewear. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

My dad's best friend proudly displays his wallet made from my dad's tie.

The full array of wallets made from my dad's ties

My mom said these upcycled gifts (hers was a handbag and an eyeglass case) were the most incredible, thoughtful gifts she could imagine.

My family holds up their one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts made by Upcycle with Himane.

Establishing (and sticking to) a professional honor code is a smart business decision.

If you wear glasses as I often do while working, then you know how great it is to walk into any eyewear shop and get a free adjustment when you need it. Until about a year ago, I’d offer money for the service, and the answer was always, “No charge.”

One day, after passing by such a shop reminded me that my glasses were a bit off-center, I went inside. Curious about the no-charge response, I asked the clerk and he replied, “It’s an unwritten code in our industry that we make adjustments for free. We do that as a courtesy, and hope that you’ll think of us the next time you need new frames.”

Such a simple policy, and while many people who take advantage of it may never return to that particular optician, it’s far more valuable to get the occasional taker for a new pair of frames or an eye exam than it is to charge $5 for every adjustment. This big-picture thinking can help build your customer base, slowly but surely, and a loyal one at that. But don’t be discouraged if you currently lack a professional code or company policy; it’s never too late to establish one and build trust with your customers or clients.

ESTABLISHING AN HONOR CODE FOR YOUR BUSINESS
This got me thinking, What’s my honor code for my clients? My immediate answer has to do with quality control: When I come across a glaring typo online (usually in a headline or subhead), I will always speak up (and tactfully so), regardless of whether that website belongs to a client of mine. That’s because I not only have a deep respect for the written word, but also for anyone trying to put his or her best foot forward, and I want that person’s marketing materials to be presented as professionally as possible.

I can't say enough about the service at Raymond Opticians in New Rochelle. I've been a loyal customer since the day they upheld the unwritten "Opticians' Code" by giving me a free adjustment.

Yes, there is always the risk that my pointing out a typo could result in a defensive or adverse reaction, but this hasn’t been the case so far; most people are grateful that the typo was caught. And if I’m lucky, that caught typo will make a person think of me the next time he or she needs copywriting or copyediting services.

Do you have an honor code for your business? Please share it by adding a comment below. I’d love to hear it!

Onward,

Carla

Connect with me on Twitter.

This historic photo may look vaguely familiar, like an old friend you once relied upon, and a savvy businessperson will incorporate its quaintness into her communications mix.

This week, something delightful happened out of something seemingly routine. After expecting some collateral from a copywriting client and not hearing back, I e-mailed a couple times to get a status update, but to no avail. Worried that perhaps my client hadn’t been receiving my e-mail, I decided to place a call instead. Not on my mobile while in transit and not through Skype, but just a good old-fashioned, at-my-desk landline call. Little did I know this small action would make such a big impact.

My client was overjoyed that I’d taken the time to call. He gave me an answer then thanked me profusely, expressing his sincere appreciation, as though I had gone the extra mile. Considering that we’ve all become so accustomed to e-mailing, texting, Skyping and DM’ing as our main form of communication, I suppose the phone can be considered the new extra mile. We forget how effective, not to mention easy, it is to make a call.

PHONE IT IN FOR SOUND CLIENT RELATIONS

I admit that till this week, I thought shooting an e-mail over was the best way to get a quick answer, but since inboxes can be teeming and tone can be misread from time to time and spam filters can kick messages with attachments to digital Siberia, a phone call may be the clear winner (provided the person answers and you don’t start playing tag). Plus, when you’re on the phone (or on a Skype video chat, for that matter), you can tell when someone is being empathetic, when they’re genuinely excited over a project or when they’re multitasking as they’re talking. Phone calls lead to a better grasp of your current customer or client relations.

As my whipsmart colleague Allen Mogol says, “the phone call has become the new handwritten note.” Sure, we can effectively thank someone in a Twitter mention or in a thoughtful e-mail but think back to the last time you received a handwritten thank you via snail mail. Did it stand out? Of course it did — because it’s rare. Phone calls are now thought of the same way. Elegant, unexpected and greatly appreciated.

How do you make good use of your phone? Comment below to let me know!

Cheers,

Carla

Follow me on Twitter. You know, for the times we’re not talking on the phone.

Update your copyright and show the good people that your site, and your company, is living in the present.

Even though we’re nearly a month into 2011, we’ve all likely saved a file or filled out a deposit slip on autopilot with “2010″ instead of this new decade we’ve begun here. One easily overlooked usage of the new year is updating your company Web site’s copyright.

This is an easy change (if it’s not, we should talk), and freelancers reading this should update the copyright on any sites they maintain for clients.

If you don’t currently have a copyright, keep in mind there are a handful of ways to construct them — some using the symbol, some not. I’ve listed examples below. Choose one you aesthetically prefer:

© 2011 Twitter

Facebook © 2011

© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

© 2011, All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2011 [Name of Company], All Rights Reserved.

© 2010-2011 [Name of Company], All Rights Reserved.

ONE CHANGE LEADS TO ANOTHER …

Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve looked at your company site. And now that you’ve made that easy copyright change, could your content use some freshening? Visit saidandsung.com to check out my available services to help you start the year off right!

Happy 2011,

Carla

Santa gets put in a box for the next 11 months, but his attributes can influence your business strategy all year long.

1. EFFICIENCY

What other attributes can you think of that help you with your business strategy?

Happy New Year,

Carla

Follow me on Twitter.

Everyone uses passwords. A lot of them. To exist online, either as a consumer or as a business owner, you must employ the use of secure passwords, and keeping track of them all is no picnic — especially if you’re like me, and you try to come up with mixes of numbers and letters to make them extra secure.

Like I once did, you probably find yourself more often than not racking your brain to recall that once so-clever-because-it’s-so-tricky password, or even to remember which version of your usual password you’ve used for a particular site that you need to log into stat. ”Remember Me” functions often have time limits (ex. two weeks), or are made null when you have to reset your browser or clear your cache. And sure, there’s the “Forgot Password?” function, but even those can be time-consuming, especially when security questions you’ve long forgotten are involved.

An intuitive password-keeping solution for all your personal and business accounts.

The solution I’ve found for my business, and recommend to my clients, is 1Password, a software application that saves all your logins, e-mail accounts and identities in one easy-peasy virtual vault.

1Password is compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems and its features go well beyond keychain tools that come with system software. Here’s why:

+ This isn’t just a matter of copying and pasting from stored data. By far, 1Password’s best feature is that you open your vault, find the login for the site you want to visit and double-click it — next thing you know, the software is logging you in automatically. No copying or pasting of usernames or passwords. Of course, you have to enter them initially when setting up your logins, but that process is quite painless and will save you oodles of time in the long run. NOTE: In Preferences > Logins, you must have the box checked that reads “Submit automatically after filling a login (Autosubmit)” for autologin to occur.

+ Another fantastic feature is that if you ever change your password or create a new log in on a site, an 1Password prompt will ask you if you’d like to update your existing login with this info or save the new information as a new login in your vault. I cannot emphasize how convenient it is that I don’t have to make a note somewhere myself regarding my password change.

+  You can backup your data. In 1Password’s “Preferences” section, you can set how often you want to back up your password files, and where on your hard drive you’d like those backups saved. Of course, whether you do so is up to you. Some people don’t like to store passwords or secure info on their computer, because in the case of a system crash (or a fire), they would lose that data forever. Others don’t wish to employ the autologin feature, for fear that if their system was ever hacked, their account info would be compromised. How you choose to handle these security considerations is a personal choice, and you can always search user forums for advice from others who are grappling with the same issues.

+ You can set a preference for which browser you’d like opened when you double-click for autologins.

Your own personal password vault.

+ You can organize your logins in separate folders. For my business, I have different folders for different clients, with stored credentials I access on a regular basis. For my personal usage, my husband and I each have a folder for our regular logins, from social media sites to bill-paying to music downloads to online pizza delivery.

We are all looking for ways to make our crazy-busy lives easier. Getting password-keeping software is a step in the right direction toward freeing up your valuable time so that you can more effectively run your business, and your life.

Please note that I have no affiliation with 1Password; I simply like it. Try it free for 30 days and see for yourself.

Securely speaking,

Carla

Want more tips? Visit Facebook.com/saidandsung.

It’s November 1, and for the past couple weeks, I’ve started to notice shops around Westchester announcing their holiday hours. This makes me so happy, seeing companies plan ahead and, most of all, communicating with their customers.

If you have a storefront, you should post your holiday hours ASAP. Why? Read on:

Quizno's used a clever play on its name to announce its holiday hours, conveniently placed alongside its regular store hours.

1) Keeps customers informed: People like to be in the know, especially savvy holiday shoppers. They want to be able to plan their shopping trips accordingly, and can’t do so if they have to guess if and when you’ll be open on Black Friday, for example.

2) Shows customers you respect their time. By posting your holiday hours, you’re showing your customers you’ve thought about their busy schedules, and you want to give them plenty of notice so that they can be sure to fit you into their plans.

*****

Now that you know why it’s important to post holiday hours now, keep in mind:

TIP #1: Post the holidays you observe, not just Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you observe Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Canadian holidays like Remembrance Day, your customers need to know you won’t be open on those days.

Knowing your customers, you may also choose to close on holidays that they observe, on the assumption that you won’t get much store traffic. Conversely (and this depends on your particular product or service), if you don’t observe a holiday your customers do, then it’s possible that you can remain open that day and rake in high profits by being one of the only stores open for their last-minute purchases.

Moreover, you should note whether you’ll be open on Black Friday (the Friday after Thanksgiving). Some stores will close on both Thursday and Friday, so it’s not always a given that they’ll be open on the busiest shopping day of the year.

TIP #2: Say it with style. Quizno’s used a play on words — “Quiz the Season” — to announce its holiday hours (see photo above). From a design standpoint, the use of the color red signifies that the store follows the Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year’s holiday calendar, and it also allows those particular hours to stand out visually alongside its normal business hours.

Need help with your holiday promotions or signage? E-mail me.

Season’s Greetings,

Carla

facebook.com/saidandsung

In my last post, I discussed the importance of speaking up about all facets of your business life, especially if you own your own business and have another side gig, or if you’re an independent contractor who wears many hats. Keeping such information to yourself only hampers your ability to truly connect with others, in terms of potential customers, business partners or referrals.

Today, I’d like to emphasize how important it is for business owners and corporations to ensure that pockets of information do not go out the door when an employee leaves the company. I’m not just talking trade secrets here; those can be protected during exit interviews and with the proper paperwork. I’m talking about those little-known tricks, workarounds, resources and systems that a savvy staff member develops while in your employ.

When employees pack their bags, be sure valuable info doesn't go with them.

For example, Joe in Marketing is the only one in the company who uses that frustratingly antiquated back-end such-and-such tool, simply because he’s the only one who knows how. It’s your job to make sure that when he leaves the company, his successor knows precisely how to operate that tool, even if it is an old way of doing things, because necessary files or information may be stored there that can later be analyzed for statistics or trends. At the very least, the successor should know that the particular process exists, if only to recommend more user-friendly software to accomplish the same task. This may require that Joe either train his successor, brief his manager or draw up a func spec to serve as a reference guide.

I realize, however, that what I am describing is an ideal knowledge transfer, which isn’t always attainable. Not every resignation or termination situation carries with it the standard two weeks’ notice. Some happen abruptly, with a later-that-day departure that leaves no opportunity for file transfers, copying of client contacts or hand-offs of any kind.

To avoid future situations in which leave you in the dark, I suggest that managers, directors and owners start early:

1) Try to instill regular documentation habits early on in the process. Asking employees to keep regular reports is an effective way to keep tabs on where systems need to be implemented, or even to spot where systems exist in the first place. If you see that an employee is approving customer comments on the company blog, then ask that employee to draw up a simple how-to guide that includes login credentials and step-by-step instructions so that any co-worker can cover that task in the case of illness or departure. While employees don’t enjoy the process of daily or even weekly reports, it truly is one of the best ways that you can see productivity and the big picture.

2) Encourage managers to hold regular team meetings, or even a team meal. The more a team gets together as a unit, the more opportunities for open dialogue to occur. And when co-workers talk shop, processes are shared, ideas emerge and operational flaws are discovered (and often solved). At one company I worked for, a close-knit department got together once a week for lunch in the conference room. It wasn’t catered or anything; rather, teammates would either bring their lunch, order in or get it to go and then gather around the table for an informative, casual discussion. That department operated like a well-oiled machine, and I’m sure the bonding and sharing of information that occurred at those lunches had a great deal to do with that.

3) Start. Organizing. Now. It’s never too late to start documenting processes or even just keeping tidy files. Don’t wait until things get chaotic (the office is moving, there is a merger or acquisition, a new leader implements a system overhaul, etc.) to organize files and develop systems for the smooth transfer of how things are done. You will only make an incredibly tedious assignment even more of an uphill struggle. For myself, I regularly pick a portion of my hard drive to organize every week or so: On any given day, I’ll tackle photo files; the next time around, I’ll handle music files; and all along I’ll make sure that client folders are categorized and up to date. It’s such a rewarding feeling to get a request for a specific file and to be able to locate it right away with no problems. I want that for all of you.

What’s one way you ensure knowledge-transfer ease?

In organization,

Carla

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