Finance and Accounting
Kristine Breckenridge, EA is the founder of Avant TaxWorks and a fellow Unrealer. As an Enrolled Agent, she provides tax and bookkeeping services with a modern and proactive approach. Avant TaxWorks focuses on entrepreneurs that provide professional and creative services. She is passionate about empowering and supporting business owners so they can hustle less and grow more.
Eric Bisignano, CPA is the founder of Charitax LLC. He provides accounting services including tax prep, bookkeeping help, consulting, and payroll. He built his business over 4 years while working full time as a federal auditor and raising a family, so he knows what it's like to have a side hustle and grow it to a full-time job. He loves to work with entrepreneurs, particularly those just getting started. Charitax clients enjoy working with Eric because he understand creative businesses and makes it easy for them to understand the accounting stuff of their business. Plus they feel protected with his auditing background and appreciate the giveback component of the business (why the word "charity" is embedded in the name).
QuickBooks Self-Employed is my go-to for managing your own income and expense bookkeeping.
This is especially great for sole proprietors and single member LLCs. Perfect for the freelancer or service provider. After you categorize each of your expenses, QuickBooks will create reports you can use to guide your own tax prep or you can share them with your accountant directly. I use this with Eric (above) and it's fantastic.
Do you wonder if you are pricing yourself well? Are you sure your finances are on solid footing? Have you considered 'productizing' your service offerings?
If so, Eric Ralph will get you started on the journey, sharing his years of experience in pricing and financial analysis of service businesses.
In this webinar, you will learn:
- How to structure your pricing for both the value you deliver and the value of your time
- How to manage your time to avoid the 'peaks and valleys' of project income
- How to create products from your service portfolio to reduce risk to you and your clients
As small business owners, staying on top of your cash flow isn’t optional. IT’S A MUST. But, many of us don’t have a clear understanding or the tools to feel confident. As a result, we feel stuck and unsure. It shouldn’t be this hard!
If you can relate, this is the webinar for you. Mike Albert, a freelance CFO that helps small businesses understand their finances, is sharing the exact process and model that he’s used to help dozens of small businesses improve their cash flow.
Click here to watch the webinar
Click here for the spreadsheet (Please make a copy or download the .xls)
Mike Albert, a freelance CFO that helps small businesses understand their finances, is sharing the exact process and model that he’s used for his own cash allocations on a weekly basis.
Click here for his weekly cash allocations video
Click here for how Mike determines his quarterly allocation percentages
Click here for the spreadsheet (Please make a copy or download the .xls)
Stock options, RSUs, job offers, and taxes—a detailed reference, including hundreds of resources, explained from the ground up and made to be improved over time.
I've partnered with Grant Mosher and Patrick Beal of Launchpad Planning to offer 25% off their courses (including their bundled price).
Coures:
- Spend and Save Smarter
- Destroy Your Debt
- Invest Like the Pros
- Adulting With Your Money Bundle (all three)
Click here to check out their courses, and use code UNREAL25 to save 25%
I manage my money and plan for my finances with Wealthfront. Wealthfront offers proven investment strategies, tailored advice, and premium financial services – all powered by technology.
I invest in the market, contribute to a Roth IRA, and more with Wealthfront.
Sign up with my invite and we’ll both get $5,000 managed for free.
This is the small business card (and bank) that I personally use for Unreal Collective. It has a great sign up bonus, and in full disclosure, using the link below will earn me 20,000 points.
Click here to apply for the card
More information below:
Haven't checked Slack in a while? Click here to log in.
Questions about Slack? Learn more here.
Legal
AND CO created a free suite of tools from Fiverr. They partnered with Freelancers Union to create this awesome proposal and contract tool that you can use for free.
It doesn't seem like it's easily exported into a PDF, but sort of forces you to send through the platform itself. You can likely copy/paste a proposal or contract you like into your own document using their verbiage, however.
As a freelancer or entrepreneur, you're already taking risks. You may be taking additional risks you don't need in the way of contracts with clients, employees, or contractors.
This webinar will cover:
- Why having a written contract is important
- Time you will wish you had a written contract
- The top 6 thing you need to know about contracts
- The 9 essentials for every freelancer/entrepreneur contract
Bio from Brad:
I practice exclusively in the area of business law, focusing on small business M&A and franchisees. I feel this is an underserved group of business owners: too small for the large corporate firms, yet too specialized for the general practitioner. As a small business owner myself, I understand your unique needs and challenges as well as the importance of creativity. As a lawyer that only practices business law, I can provide you with confidence and peace of mind throughout the transaction, whether you are selling your company, purchasing an existing business, or buying into a franchise.
"I practice exclusively in the area of business law, focusing on small business M&A and franchisees. I feel this is an underserved group of business owners: too small for the large corporate firms, yet too specialized for the general practitioner. As a small business owner myself, I understand your unique needs and challenges as well as the importance of creativity. As a lawyer that only practices business law, I can provide you with confidence and peace of mind throughout the transaction, whether you are selling your company, purchasing an existing business, or buying into a franchise."
Email: brad@bradleymillerlaw.com
The OSU EBLC is looking for the clinic to take on clients pro-bono that meet certain criteria. Namely, the clinic is looking for Ohio-based startups and early-stage businesses in need of transactional legal services (e.g., initial organization, employment agreements, and day-to-day corporate governance).
Filling out the form is no guarantee, but this could be a great service for someone just getting started who doesn't have a lot of funding available for legal fees.
The clinic will accept clients on a rolling basis. The clinic runs each semester but she may help fill in the gaps during breaks (and she's got some stellar entrepreneurial law experience). The bulk of the work for clients will be done while school is in session though. As applications come in, Paige will review them and contact applicants to see if the clinic is a fit for their needs/timeline. She said the clinic is likely to move a bit slower than a law firm, and some people may need their work done more urgently than that.
Chances are, filing for an LLC is much easier than you think. Filing for an LLC will provide you some basic protection against liability, and will allow you to separate your work and personal income + expenses.
In many states, this can be done electronically online for a very small fee (no need for the LegalZoom fees).
Need another state? Try a search for "file an LLC online in [STATE]"
An employer identification number (EIN) is a nine-digit number the IRS assigns to business for tax filing and reporting purposes.
If you’re self-employed and have no employees, you don’t technically need an EIN. You can simply use your Social Security number on your tax returns and other IRS filings like tax deductions.
However, registering an EIN is free, and some banks require it to open an account.
Enroll in Freelancing School or any course for 50% off
Click here to enroll
(or use promo code unreal50)
Sales
This template provides you with the basics of a Customer Relationship Management or CRM system.
It's the perfect place to start if you aren't quite ready for a full-blown CRM with advanced features. This mini-CRM automatically saves changes so you will never lose data.
To get started, just enter your contacts manually or copy and paste existing data into this sheet.
Don't Just Roll The Dice: a short guide to software pricing (PDF)
The Dollars and Sense of Freelancing: Pricing Your Services for Time and Value
Do you wonder if you are pricing yourself well? Are you sure your finances are on solid footing? Have you considered 'productizing' your service offerings?
If so, Eric Ralph will get you started on the journey, sharing his years of experience in pricing and financial analysis of service businesses.
In this webinar, you will learn:
- How to structure your pricing for both the value you deliver and the value of your time
- How to manage your time to avoid the 'peaks and valleys' of project income
- How to create products from your service portfolio to reduce risk to you and your clients
Want to learn more about other members of Unreal Collective? Click here to check out the Member Directory.
Product Development
Big Kitty Labs builds digital products and services for startups and leading brands. Big Kitty is known for being a partner who is easy to work with, quick in understanding and developing products based upon your needs, and all-around startup friendly.
Capabilities include:
- Concept development
- Full stack web development
- iOS/Android development
- UI/UX design
- Startup strategy
- Rapid development
Click here to learn more about Big Kitty Labs
To get in touch with Big Kitty and get your free consult, email their team and mention Unreal Collective or ask Jay for a warm introduction!
Book 25 minutes of feedback with Anna to do a live walkthrough and feedback of your website.
Want an expert second set of eyes on your website? Get a live breakdown with me. Not sure you want to commit to working with me yet? Think of this as a first date.
Use promo code UNREAL for 50% off
Design, Branding, Strategy
One of our resident designers, Molli Ross, put this guide together for starter resources for folks looking to learn or do some of their own design work.
Val is an email marketing strategist and copywriter for B2C SaaS and membership-based businesses.
She's currently creating a workshop for email strategy for freelance copywriters who want to add that skill to their list of services.
For Unrealists, Val has offered a 45 minute consultation on email strategy as well.
Email: val@valgeisler.com
Molli is a strategic graphic designer who wants to partner with you to create impactful designs to boost your brand.
"My business revolves around being real. One-on-one conversations where we can connect on a personal level are important for us to dig in to the details, get to the heart of a problem, and work together to create exactly what you need. I believe that those who vibe together, tribe together. If you're looking for someone to format your resume, maybe we're not a good fit. If you're interested in a design partner who understands you and knows how to get to the heart of a problem..."
Email: molli.ross@gmail.com
Writing for business is hard.
You agonize over that email or website for hours, or even days. Maybe you’ve even moved a few from “to-do” to “backlog” just so you felt less guilty about it.
Your missing tool is your brand voice. When you understand your voice writing will stop being torture once and for all.
In an intensive 60 minute session, we'll roll up our sleeves and find your:
- Copy hierarchy
- Your first draft of your benefits, features, and value proposition
- Beginning brand guidelines for all future decisions
- The framework for all your messaging going forward.
- After the hour, I'll send you over a nice pretty document that you can print out and share with your team.
Contact Anna to schedule your Branding Power Hour. Use promo code “UNREAL” for 30% off
Clay Hills is an interior decorating service designed to infuse your style into your home, on your budget.
Have you ever walked into a space that struck you not only because of how it looked, but how it made you feel? Elyse will help you discover and understand your personal style to infuse it into your own home to create the look and feeling you want.
Consultation includes: 1 hour meeting discussing your biggest interior hurdles and questions with personalized tips to improve the space.
Email: elyse@clayhillscreative.com
Click here to see Elyse's Webinar
Death to Stock is a subscription service for artists that produces premium photo, video, graphic and media downloads. The media is exclusive to members and is updated every month. Sign up for free media and inspiration in your inbox, or go premium and access our entire archive.
With each subscription, we offer a variety of content that gets delivered to you at different intervals, starting with immediate access to our existing database of over 2,000 assets. With your premium membership, you’ll always have something new to look forward to.
By going premium, you’ll instantly access our existing library of 2,000+ killer photos and 7+ video packs. These sit in our intuitive web app that makes searching through our media a breeze.
Click here to learn more about DTS
To redeem (bear with me):
- Click here to create an account
- This will require an upfront payment for the first month (select $15 for month to month)
- Let Jay know the email used and he will wrangle a refund.
Your pitch deck is a huge part of explaining your idea and opportunity to an audience -- both investors and customers. Here are a couple resources for how to create a concise, clear pitch deck to give you a good shot.
Effectively connecting with your audience through social media is imperative to see success online, whether success means growing your presence or selling products / services. Despite the fact most know this, more often than not brands (both personal and commercial) have the wrong approach. I want to help you think about social media in the right light and give insights into how you can connect and engage with your audience to build a loyal community around what you do.
In this workshop we cover:
- An overview of how people interact and engage on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter
- Mistakes brands and people make when approaching social media and creating / publishing content
- Tips on how to approach social media the right way, create great content, and make lasting connections to your audience
Email: conor@muditacreative.com
Bio from Conor:
Conor has spent the last five years immersed in digital culture. During that time he has led content and digital strategies for multiple brands, worked on strategy teams on projects for both Fortune 50 companies and emerging brands, and grew a fashion brand’s Instagram account over 200% in 8 months. Conor has experience in content strategy, content creation, campaign strategy, branding, social media management, amongst other things.
As 2018 approaches a thrilling conclusion, it’s time to look to the year ahead. At the end of 2017, more than any year previous, I took the time to lay out my priorities, deadlines, and goals for 2018. Because of that, I had a more successful and prolific year than I even expected.
I’m doing the same this year. This video will not only walk you through how to use the free planning sheet (you can download the sheet here), but also give a full behind-the-scenes look at my own goal planning sheet, thought process, and goals for 2019.
Today's social media saturated world is inundated with GIFs. Whether they're used to emphasize someone's side of the argument, get a group amped for summer, or show someone how much you love someone, GIFs are the right thing at the right time.
Too bad there aren't any of YOU though. That would be so cool, wouldn't it?
Well, 301 Original can help you create a package of BRANDED GIFS for you and your company. they're the most underutilized tool that a marketing team doesn't know they need.
Together we'll sit down with your team and talk about where GIFs could be utilized throughout your brand, then we'll knock em out!
The only rule: anything goes.
- Deliverables: up to 5 GIFs shot in the 301 Original photo studio
- Deliverables: up to 12 GIFs shot in the 301 Original photo studio
- Deliverables: up to 20 GIFs shot in the 301 Original photo studio or on-location
Misc. tools and offers
A new self-coaching methodology grounded in neuroscience, mysticism, motivational interviewing techniques, positive psychology, strategy, and adventure.
Originally designed to help life coaches develop mastery of their craft, Compass Cards found new life as a self-coaching tool when the founder's friends wanted in.
Inspired by the Co-Active coaching methodology, Compass Cards is a simple self-coaching system to help you see where you are on life's map – and move forward.
Created by Unrealer Cady Macon.
Use promo code UNREAL to save 20%
Take time for yourself for once. Say bye bye to clients and tasks for a week and say hello to new cultures, people, and places around the world.
Life Nomading Adventures keeps group sizes small and itineraries loose so that no matter what country you visit with them, you can experience what makes travel great; the vulnerable and coincidental moments with others.
- Small group sizes (8-10 people)
- Unique living spaces (lodges, treehouses, boats, and more)
- One-of-a-kind adventures at a fraction of traditional costs
- New friendships (not guaranteed, but likely if you’re not a jerk!)
How to Redeem:
- Find a destination that gets you excited
- Apply & Checkout
- Enter 'UNREAL' in the coupon code section to receive your discount
- Prepare for an epic trip with awesome people
or email ian@lifenomading.com with any questions!
Get fresh perspective, from your resident psychic! <------- File under, "Things Jay Clouse Never Thought He'd Type. // Giving new meaning to 'UNREAL'...
The Akashic Records are the subtle energetic imprint of anything that ever was, is, or could be. Some call it the Book of Life. Many like to think of your records as the Universe's file on you. I prefer, "Google God". Whether you're stuck, adrift, confused, or otherwise interested in exploring the realms beyond what's visible, an Akashic Records reading illuminates perspectives and possibilities beyond conscious awareness. (Fun fact: I can open the records for your business!)
In my most popular reading (60 minutes), we can explore....
- Past lives
- Your purpose
- Relationships
- Physical locations
Your relationship with money - What's holding you back
- Whether or not the ending of Inception was a dream or not a dream
- ...and oh, so much more!
Playfulness aside, my background's in Co-Active life coaching. What this means for you is this: I am here to sow seeds of possibility – not to disempower you by engaging with divination. (Example: If you ask when you'll meet your one true love, I'll ask the Records, "How can Sleeping Beauty align with her soul's path?" or "What does Hopeless Romantic need to know about love?" or "What's the root of Copernicus' doubt?" or "How can I find the woman who left the glass slipper? or "What do I need to know about our connection?" All of these are empowering, practical questions to guide you back to your power. It's less weird, more affordable, and more fun than you think.
Unreal Collective accelerator is now partnered with Hubspot for Startups.
Our partnership gives you access to startup friendly pricing on HubSpot’s platform, dedicated sales and marketing strategy consulting, and a community of founders like you.
(Here's a primer on that Startup deal -- it's more than most people need. Before you commit to this, please reach out to me).
More info from Hubspot below:
--
For those not familiar, here’s an Introduction to HubSpot: The All-in-One Growth Platform. Additionally, you can learn how to take advantage of HubSpot’s program with:
Weekly HubSpot Demos: Meet their global team for a live HubSpot demo to understand how thousands of startups grow and scale with HubSpot. Register here
Partner Network: Join the exclusive HubSpot for Startups Partner Slack Channel for access to marketing and sales best practices, growth resources, and to network with the startup ecosystem globally. Join here
Education: Take advantage of HubSpot Academy courses and certifications to continue learning best practices in sales, marketing, and services. See here
If you want to join some of the fastest-growing startups in the world and grow your business using HubSpot. Apply here
For those thinking about a CRM or interested in trying HubSpot for free, here’s a link to review and download their Free CRM
More than ever we need leaders who excel at the intersection of 2 realities:
1. Courageous enough to be their most strategic self, and...
2. Kind enough to be trustworthy with the power
Chris McAlister (my personal coach) can train you in both. With 6 courses teaching 70 skills, the Leadership Academy is all of Chris's experience and insight in one place.
He's offering Unrealists 25% for three months of the Sightshift Academy (including a 7 day free trial).
- Click here to learn more and access the gateway
- Select the "buy monthly" option under streaming access
- After you set up password there will be an option to enter a coupon code
- Enter the code "unreal"
Host your next pitch, team meeting, or workshop at The Perch — a Columbus coworking space. Unreal Collective members are get 10% off for the first six month of membership.
Email: work@theperchshortnorth.com with the subject “Unreal Collective” to schedule.
This is a private reading and book recommendation list for members of Unreal Collective.
Teachery allows you to build and sell your online course with zero fees.
There are a lot of course creation platforms out there, and at the end of the day, most of them suck. Teachery was created by someone who knew this reality all-too-well (Jason Zook), and so he made the platform that he was looking for.
Teachery has a lot of great aspects that should be attractive to any would-be instructor. With templates made out of the box, you really just need to worry about the course content itself -- not the design of the page. The checkout page is optimized for conversion for you, so you don't need to worry about that either.
Your course can live on your own domain, making Teachery blend right in to your already-existing website. The ease of use and seamless nature of Teachery makes this an awesome platform for course creation.
Crowdcast is my go-to webinar tool. There are a ton of tools in this space (Webinar Ninja, GoToWebinar, on and on) and none of them stack up to Crowdcast.
Crowdcast is super functional, saves videos in HD, allows you to capture email before and after the webinar, has Zapier integrations, and more.
Not to mention, the team is working hard to make constant improvements. It's what I use, and I highly recommend it.
Click here to see my Crowdcast page
Click here to make your own account (affiliate)
G Suite is what I use to manage my business's files within Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar, and more.
G Suite can cost as low as $5/user/mo (what I use) or as much as $10/user/mo (unlimited storage).
The first 14 days are free.
Click here to sign up for G Suite (affiliate)
We use Transistor.fm to host our podcast, upside. I love it -- I think it's superior to anything else out there.
Click here for a 14-day free trial (affiliate)