Podcast Sneak Peek! Discussing How To Thrive
It’s another Monday! To gear you up for diving back into the grind again, we’re dropping in with OBA’s weekly newsletter! In this edition you’ll find:
Podcast episode sneak peek
A word from OBA’s founder
Articles published in OBA Magazine with pro tips and insights on how to deal with clients who make your life hell
A brief explanation of “SEO” and a crash course on how to use it to boost your content
Job listings we have hand-picked for you
Polls and more fun stuff!
Let’s go!
This Week’s Podcast Episode
As an OBA newsletter subscriber, you get a sneak peek at our upcoming podcast episode! Here it is:
Or drop us a follow and check out past episodes of the show on Spotify:
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A Word From Our Founder
Why Nobody Cares (And Why That’s Awesome): A Look at Imposter Syndrome
Have you been there? You’re at a networking event, prepping for a big client meeting, or, like me, gearing up to send out your first—or 99th—cold email. You obsess over your elevator pitch, have about 30 heart-to-hearts with yourself, and agonize over finding just the right words to get the results you want. You walk up to a fellow networker, deliver your best pitch, or send that email like the professional ninja you are, and…(insert airplane nose dive noise) you get nothing.
We all experience this disappointment. We all bomb. We all miss the mark. But the hardest thing to avoid is taking it personally. It’s easy to look at yourself in the throes of imposter syndrome and think, “God, I suck,” “No one likes me,” “I’m failing,” or “I’m clearly not cut out for this.” But let me offer a different perspective.
One of my mentors gave me a blunt piece of advice, which became a mantra of mine, which I’m now going to share with you. It’s going to sound insanely simple, but deceptively so: “No one thinks about you as much as you think about you.” I’ll say it louder for the folks in the back: “NO ONE THINKS ABOUT YOU AS MUCH AS YOU THINK ABOUT YOU.”
What does that mean? It means that at the end of the day, between everyone’s shopping lists, bills to pay, kids to pick up from school, next Netflix binge, and new TikTok trend, you rank probably at the bottom of their priorities. Most of the time, you’re just not a major worry for other people. We’re all obsessed with our own goals, aspirations, and pursuits, lacking the bandwidth to obsess over anything outside our immediate orbit.
Now, my mildly self-absorbed brain found this offensive. “What do you mean I’m not the focus of everyone’s universe?!” But as I thought about it, this thought is actually quite liberating. See, the world is not all about you. Which means that the client who turned you down, that fellow networker who dismissed you with a business card and a stealthy back-away to the snack table, that business owner who opened your email but completely ignored it—most likely, their rejections have nothing to do with you at all. While your imposter syndrome might be in full effect, most people aren’t obsessed enough with you to try to prove that you aren’t worthy.
This isn’t an article to cure your imposter syndrome. Rather, it’s a friendly reminder that whoever you’re worried other people think you are, they don’t worry enough about you to form a judgment against you. So get out there and be whoever you want to be. As long as you’re thinking about you, focused on improving you, and being the best version of you, then you’re winning at this entrepreneurial life. You got this! Remember, you are seen, you are heard, and you are validated.
Jared Moses
Founder of OBA
The Mentally Fit Creative
Jared@obaconnect.com
OBA’s Weekly Article Roundup
Freelancers can deal with a lot of abuse from clients and big corporations who take advantage of them or kick them around just because they can. Even though we may be seen as “little guys,” these articles will give you some key insights and pro tips on how to stand up for yourself.
5 Signs Your Client is a Bully
Being a freelancer means that you are your own business owner. Once in a while, you’ll deal with a client who makes your life hell. Those clients go by many names — Karens, Kens, jerks, bullies — but their goal is the same. They want to get a rise out of you by hurting you, berating you, and extracting as much work out of you as possible while paying you the bare minimum.
Bully clients are not clients you should ever keep. Unfortunately, assuming you are overreacting is an easy trap to fall into.
So how can you tell if you’re actually dealing with a bully client? These are the signs that suggest it’s time to re-evaluate your working relationship.
Exposing the AI Industry: 7 Warnings to Gig Workers from My Experience
When I got an offer from an AI company to work part-time, flexible hours training AI models at an hourly rate higher than I’ve ever been paid before, I thought it was a perfect solution to my dilemma.
I was in for some unpleasant surprises. These are the lessons I learned, and my warnings, for those considering gig work for AI companies:
When Creative Freedom Clashes with Client Demands
As artists, we need to make a living. But that living sometimes comes at the expense of our mental health and self-respect–not to mention our sanity–when we’re forced to work with a persnickety client just to pay this month’s rent.
You’ve most likely heard the cardinal rule quoted often: “The customer is always right.” But this rule is honestly just satire, and workers are the punchline. As a professional, you know that there are plenty of times when the customer is dead wrong. You just have to master the delicate art of not offending them while you correct their misguided ideals.
Any knowledge or experiences you could share? OBA Magazine is looking for contributors!
Word of the Day
SEO: Search Engine Optimization
With all the content on the internet, your newest blog article is probably buried way down there where no one is likely to see it. Search engine optimized writing simply means using keywords, links, and formatting that clue search engines (like Google) in that you are an authoritative source. This means your articles and blog posts will have a better chance of being listed near the top of search results when someone Googles a term that you write about. A lot of content writers get trained on this extensively. Here is a crash course on basic SEO best practices:
Have a proper introduction and conclusion paragraph, summarizing the content of your article. Break up the body of your article with several descriptive subheadings.
Choose a keyword related to the theme of your article (preferably a term that a lot of people type into search engines—there are data sites to help you find these) and use it in the title of your article. Also use this keyword in your URL (if you can), in your introduction and conclusion, and once or twice more within your article.
Use hyperlinks throughout your post (called “backlinks”) linking to other relevant resources. It is helpful to include both related articles that you have written as well as other popular, credible sources. This associates your writing with sources that Google already sees as leading voices and builds your audience.
If your article includes images, use your keyword in a proper caption of the image or in the “alt text” box.
If applicable, add an FAQ section at the bottom of your article utilizing relevant keywords and questions to the current topic. This expands your content to catch any related search terms people might be using and also offers an opportunity to plug in those backlinks.
Update your articles periodically with links to new articles you write or new information that you come across. This lets Google know that your writing is up to date and therefore credible and relevant.
As always, the best advice is to write content that is truly helpful, valuable, and easy for people to read. Hopefully, some of these SEO methods will also make your content easy for people to find!
CONTENT CREATOR FOR CONTRA—If you are up for working with a fun team in a fast-paced startup company environment, check out this job listing for content creators: https://contra.com/opportunity/WL3eFmYB-content-creators-for-contra
FREELANCE STOCK ANALYSIS WRITER—The Motley Fool is a company committed to demystifying finance for the average person. They are hiring for a few remote writing and editing positions right now, offering contract pay, benefits, and a vibrant and respectful work environment. If you have a strong understanding of finance or stocks and a solid background in writing, check out their job postings on Indeed: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/The-Motley-Fool?from=mobviewjob&tk=1i7tdab54l539801&fromjk=3005d201f407a226&attributionid=mobvjcmp
LAYOUT DESIGNER WITH BACKGROUND IN GRAPHIC DESIGN WANTED FOR PRINT AND DIGITAL SUNTANNING MAGAZINE—Possibility for work extending to other publications if Editor-in-Chief likes your work. Must be able to follow directions and be open to modifications. (Direct samples and questions to @ossiana.makes.content on Instagram.)
What We’re Obsessed With This Week:
Ceylan: “My husband and I watched A Few Good Men the other night and were blown away by what a good movie it is. I was left speechless and in deep appreciation of older, classic films!”