Freelancer Lifeline is a resource destination where FX members can find grant opportunities, loan information, digital events, creative tools, and more. We hope it serves as a source of comfort, inspiration, and support as we navigate the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic together.
Are you feeling lucky? Our March coffee meetup will be at Rochester Brewing and Roasting Co. If you haven’t had a chance to check this one out, you are in for a treat. Grab yourself a cup and look for the FX of KC banner. Start your morning meeting new friends and connecting with old ones.
Members and nonmembers welcome.
Questions? Contact [email protected].
About this event:
Danyel Harrison, President of Business Navigators LLC, will present on timely tax topics for time-strapped freelancers. Come with questions about all things business tax. Part talk, part Q&A, all FX of KC.
Buffet-style lunch from Joe’s Kansas City includes Pulled Pork, Smoked Turkey, Burnt Ends, Ribs, Fries, and BBQ Beans. Vegetarian options include Portabello Mushroom Z-man and Side Salad. Contact [email protected] with any dietary needs or questions about the luncheon.
Members and nonmembers are welcome.
Networking starts at 11:30 a.m. with the presentation at noon. For virtual attendees, the presentation starts at noon via Zoom. The virtual luncheon will not include a networking portion.
To participate in the in-person luncheon, you must RSVP by February 22.
In Person – Members: $25 / Guests: $35
Virtual – Members: FREE / Guests: $10
Be sure to register in advance on Eventbrite in order to gain access to the Zoom link.
Questions? Contact [email protected]
Disclaimer: You understand that by attending this in-person event hosted by The Freelance Exchange of Kansas City that you’re doing so voluntarily and that it could result in illness, personal injury, or death. If any such event does occur, you agree not to hold The Freelance Exchange liable and not sue the organization, its board members, members, or sponsors.
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About the speaker:
At Business Navigators, we understand the pressures facing small businesses. Requirements to maintain a competitive advantage in quality and price while increasing innovation and decreasing cost is a daunting task for any business owner. You are continuously improving, 5S’ing and ensuring your production processes are Just-In-Time, but are your efforts shining through in the financial reports? Do you have the information to make the best decisions when it comes to material procurement, direct labor, and overhead management? Your financial statements appease the tax accountant and financial reporting requirements, but do they make sense to you, the owner, and to your management team?
My goal when working with you is to help you organize and streamline your processes for efficiency, increase income, decrease costs and ensure your pathway for growth. Best of all, I want to provide you with decision-making information that makes sense!
Grab a drink, try a small plate and meet new friends. (The location is a little hard to find … on purpose. Look for the payphone sign outside.) Once inside, look for the FX of KC banner to find us. We cannot wait to reconnect and find out how your 2023 is going!
Have questions? Contact [email protected].
It was a pivotal moment in early January: literally freelancers supporting freelancers. The Freelance Exchange (FX) of Kansas City presented a significant donation to the Freelancers Union in New York City. With a large Publisher’s Clearinghouse-type check, our member-at-large, Jeremy Lips, hand-delivered this surprise in person. You may have seen the picture or video on social media.
What is the Freelancers Union?
Freelancers Union is the largest organization representing the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. workforce: independent workers. It offers a powerful support system and voice through policy advocacy, benefits, resources, and community. Its goal is to secure a better future for freelancers as a whole.
Since it was founded in 1995, the organization has:
How is FX Working with Freelancers Union?
In the spring of 2022, our founder and president, Julie Cortés, was invited to speak at and sit on a panel at a regional conference in western New York. Sitting alongside her on the panel was Freelancers Union’s president and executive director Rafael Espinal. Since meeting, the two have been Zooming regularly to discuss the different ways FX and the Union can work together.
As it’s always been a dream to take FX national, this seemed like a good place to start. If you look around, you’ll see that other industry-related organizations such as Ad Club, AIGA, PRSA, BMA, Social Media Club, etc., all have a national presence … chapters in other cities as well as a national umbrella for club management and national benefits. There are no national professional organizations just for freelancers. Now celebrating our 20-year anniversary, and knowing we’ve got a successful business model, what better time than the present to see this dream come true?
The second part of this partnership is to introduce and help pass the Freelance Isn’t Free (FIF) Law here in Kansas City, if not statewide in Missouri and Kansas as well. This groundbreaking law is designed to protect freelancers from nonpayment. How many of you have received late payments from clients … or no payments at all? Unfortunately, it happens all too often. This is exactly what the legislation aims to combat.
This law would apply to both sole proprietors and those incorporated as either an independent LLC, S-Corp, or C-Corp. Since its inception in 2017, FIF has passed already in New York City, Minneapolis, and Seattle. Los Angeles is currently under review. While a national law would be ideal, these baby steps will help move us toward that pie in the sky. Our goal is to bring it to the Midwest to help protect freelancers here, as well as to set an example and encourage those in other smaller to midsize cities to do the same. To learn more, visit the law’s plain language guide here.
Couldn’t We Do This on Our Own?
We could, but why reinvent the wheel?
Freelancers Union has the national connections to help us reach our goal of taking FX national. While the concept ought to be easily replicated in other cities, the problem lies in finding the movers and shakers (the volunteers) in those other cities to run the organization. Between its national (free) membership and community events, Freelancers Union has those connections.
Additionally, Freelancers Union has literally written the playbook and put together the toolkit to help introduce, advocate, and pass the Freelance Isn’t Free law. They’ve already been helping us in identifying and contacting the appropriate local representatives and have provided guidance with the language of the proposed Law for the Missouri state legislature.
This donation was approved unanimously amongst The Freelance Exchange Board, as we feel it will help strengthen our bond with the Freelancers Union, show a vested interest, and help us continue to give back to the freelance community.
We are excited for what the future holds and cannot wait to see our dreams come to fruition!
If you have any questions or want to get involved with any of these efforts, please contact us. If you’d like to make a donation as well to the Freelancers Union, you can do that here.
About this event:
This virtual presentation will provide the knowledge and tools necessary to create and grow a successful YouTube channel.
You’ll learn:
Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your channel to the next level, this event will have something for you.
Grab your lunch and join us on Zoom:
11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Networking
12 to 1 p.m. – Presentation
Members: Free / Guests: $10. Be sure to register in advance on Eventbrite in order to gain access to the Zoom link.
Questions? Contact [email protected]
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About the presenter:
Michelle Schneider has 15 years of experience in the marketing and design field, with a primary focus on email marketing and web design. Before going full-time as a freelancer, she worked in-house on marketing teams at Sporting KC, AMC Theatres, & Airshare. She launched her YouTube channel @Michelle.The.Creator in June 2021 and grew it to be eligible for monetization in 18 months. On her channel, she teaches tech tutorials and discusses various marketing and freelancing topics. Michelle also currently serves as the VP for The Freelance Exchange.