What is Your New Reality?

Just a little over a year ago, I lost my job. For months I tried to figure out what I was going to do, where I wanted to work and ran up credit card debt all the while to put food on the table. Last July, I decided to throw up a virtual shingle as a marketing consultant. But I really didn’t want to be a consultant; I wanted a steady income. Do you have a similar story?

With layoffs happening left and right and hundreds of thousands of people finding themselves in a new reality they may not have ever faced before, we all have to get a little creative.

I did land a job shortly after I threw up that virtual shingle; but if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have been so worried about getting a traditional job. Because you know what? I would SO much rather be my own boss. What about you?

Last year, I became passionate about social media. Since then, I have devoured everything I could get my hands on about the topic. And now I’m carving a niche for myself here. But you don’t have to be a social media expert to start your own company and start making money by hanging out a virtual shingle. In fact, I still have a LOT to learn when you compare me to most of the folks in the social media field. Don’t get me wrong; I know my stuff, but I’m no Chris Brogan (he’s my social media/marketing “idol”).

Well, thanks to Chris Brogan, I learned about Third Tribe Marketing (affiliate link). Boy did I put off signing up, because, well, $47/month is a big investment for someone without a steady income (and I don’t anymore since I quit my job recently to start my own business). But my subscription has been worth its weight in gold! I’ve already learned a lot about how to make that virtual shingle profitable. And in this 2-week series of blog posts, I’m going to share some of those secrets to success.

So if you’re a blogger looking to make some extra money or a savvy businessperson who wants their new reality to be the freedom to be their own boss (like me), stay tuned. Regardless of your passion, you can use social media tools to further your goals.