Are Those Your Beliefs or Are They Mine??

Today I mainly worked on emails for the apprenticeship program. We've got 15 interested participants and now it's a matter of lining up emails for each of the tasks. We'll see who makes it! It will be a terrific learning tool for me and for them.

I also tweaked the OTO for the web site so we could finish it and get it off our plates. It's time to move on to other paying gigs.

After those tasks I spent some time reading about negotiating because I know so little. I don't do it consistently but I have done it in the past. I've negotiated for better paying gigs, for the price I determined for my car and on other smaller scales.

Part of that negotiation entailed figuring out exactly what I need and exactly what I want. Right now my need is a different pay rate/salary than my need. This morning I met with a Paychex rep so I could better educate myself as far as taxes, fees, etc. I also emailed my CPA to make sure my salary was what the IRS would consider "reasonable".

Our email exchange (between me and the CPA) was a bit disconcerting initially. An entry-level copywriter in the Denver area makes a median salary of $36K. That's about $8K more than I've ever made so of course that looks good to me.

My CPA however encouraged me to aim lower and start at $1500 a month. He doesn't think my business can handle a higher salary yet.

While I understand his viewpoint, I felt discouraged by that. I felt like he was stifling my goal. And I felt that for a few minutes til I realized that was simply his reflection..his belief system..his thoughts. It had nothing to do with me personally and I respect his opinion. I hired him for a reason: he's a good CPA.

Now in his defense, I can always increase my salary take at any time and trust me, I fully intend to...to the tune of at least $5K a month by December 2007.

So that's where we stand with that. It's completely reasonable for me to aim for $5K by the end of the year and to aim for $10K a month by April of 2008.

I believe it's possible. I believe we will make it happen.

And it will be so fun when I have my own payroll! I like to think about that feeling and focus on it. It feels great!!!! A heckuva lot better than focusing on how I'm going to make that amount. I know I can do it and I'm moving in that direction so the how will simply unfold.

That's it for me for the day. I ran 4.5 miles tonight, I'm tired!!!

Til tomorrow...