An online community is only as good as its members, and thanks to all the great folks who have joined Blellow our community is shaping up spectacularly. Each month we want to highlight some of the best and brightest of our community members.
This month, we’d like to introduce you to Matt Harwood. Matt was not only one of the very first members of Blellow, but also participated in our focus group before the site even launched!
Name: Matt Harwood
Location: Luton, quite a big town just North of London, England
Skills: XHTML/CSS, Interface Design, Caffeine Indulgence, Marketing (from a design and style perspective)
Current Status: Very happily freelancing with a comfortable client book, though am free for one or two more interesting projects!
What are you currently working on?
I’ve just completed a project for a market research company based in London, who needed a system for participants to record their experiences and opinions when using their kitchens. What made it exciting was the time scale - I was hired one week before launch! After dedicating over 110hrs in that week we finally had the system operational. After catching up on a few nights’ sleep, I now have a few site and blog designs in development, and of course my soon to be released project management tool for freelancers! (http://updatewith.me)
Favorite part of freelancing/entrepreneurship?
The freedom of freelancing is often shown as the biggest plus-side - and I would agree. Though it can be dangerous, as you do have total control, if you have your act together the flexibility can bring talents and skills out of you that would stay hidden in a 9-5. You don’t have to ask permission to flirt with ideas you’ve had for ages, and you can’t technically be “fired”!
Biggest challenge working as a freelancer/entrepreneur?
At the outset, it can be hard not to see a client as a boss. If you start off very passively, the client may naturally assume a managerial style, and you can begin to wonder what the difference really is when you freelance. The key is to keep a balance between exceptional customer service, and making sure you are in control of your own work (after all, once the project is over, it is a reflection of your talents - do you want it to be 100% directed by the client?).
Where can you find Matt?
You can find me at mattharwood.com (which, as with so many freelancers, has been sadly neglected due to the whole so little time thing). My newest venture can be found at http://updatewith.me!
Want to get in contact with Matt? Here’s how:
Website: http://updatewith.me
Blellow: http://blellow.com/matt
Email: matt@mattharwood.co.uk
Skype: mjharwood
Google Talk: matt@mattharwood.co.uk
