$30 off During Our Annual Pro Sale. View Details »

Getting Serious with remote

Getting Serious with remote

How to better position yourself in the remote work force

Thanos Polychronakis

June 23, 2015
Tweet

More Decks by Thanos Polychronakis

Other Decks in Business

Transcript

  1. Getting Serious
    Getting Serious
    with Remote

    View Slide

  2. Hi, I'm Thanasis
    Hi, I'm Thanasis
    Working remotely for 3y
    Working remotely for 3y

    View Slide

  3. Work Marketplaces
    Work Marketplaces
    They connect us to a world of job offerings
    They connect us to a world of job offerings
    Customers Marketplace Remote Worker

    View Slide

  4. Work Marketplaces
    Work Marketplaces
    How they work
    How they work
    1. A Customer posts a job
    2. Freelancers make bids (pitch & price)
    3. Customer makes a shortlist
    4. Customer interviews you
    5. Customer selects you
    6. You deliver the job
    7. You get paid

    View Slide

  5. Work Marketplaces
    Work Marketplaces
    How they work
    How they work
    Marketplace keeps a small fee
    You get a review
    Better do a good job!
    Transaction is guaranteed for both
    parties

    View Slide

  6. Work Marketplaces
    Work Marketplaces
    Pros and Cons
    Pros and Cons
    Pros
    Pros
    Safe environment
    Huge Market
    Easy usage
    Best when starting
    Cons
    Cons
    The Fees
    Big Competition
    Easy to enter
    Platform lock

    View Slide

  7. Remote work is ... work!
    Remote work is ... work!
    Be serious about it
    It's a career
    You are building a brand
    Your brand!

    View Slide

  8. Getting Started is Tough
    Getting Started is Tough
    You start at the lowest tier
    Lots of burger flipping
    Lots of small jobs
    You charge for 1 hour and work 3
    Get's better after 6-12 months
    The point is to discover what you're good at and
    understand how the market works

    View Slide

  9. Virtual Assistant
    Merchant
    Translator
    Educator
    Production
    How to Start
    How to Start
    Choose your domain
    Choose your domain

    View Slide

  10. How to Start
    How to Start
    Be Industrious
    Be Industrious
    Dedicate time to find work
    50+ bids / week (~6h work)
    Multiple Marketplaces
    Try different pitches
    ​Save and reuse pitches

    View Slide

  11. How to Start
    How to Start
    Be Persistent!

    View Slide

  12. How to Pitch
    How to Pitch
    Start with a personal message about the job
    Explain why you are the best candidate for the job
    Talk a little bit about yourself (1 paragraph)
    [Opt] Provide any previous work samples
    Close with your contact details and an actionable
    “ My Skype id is 'thanpolas' I would be delighted if we
    could arrange for a time to talk

    View Slide

  13. Tools of the Trade
    Tools of the Trade
    Gmail
    ​gmail matters, calendar, Gdrive, etc
    Skype
    ​Communication
    Dropbox / Google Drive
    ​Collaboration (file sharing services)
    ​Paypal
    ​Get paid

    View Slide

  14. Hourly vs Fixed
    Hourly vs Fixed
    Always prefer Hourly
    Hourly can easily extend
    Fixed price is easier for customer to
    understand
    With Fixed price someone always looses
    Two ways to charge:
    Per Hour (Hourly)
    Per Project (Fixed)

    View Slide

  15. Rates
    Rates
    We always talk in USD
    Entry VA $3 $1 - $3
    Expert VA $5 $4 - $7
    Specialist $10 $8+
    ...per hour

    View Slide

  16. Rates
    Rates
    Monthly income assuming 30hours / week
    Entry VA $3 ~320€
    Expert VA $5 ~500€
    Specialist $10 ~1.000€
    ...per month

    View Slide

  17. Etiquette
    Etiquette
    Never directly ask to get paid
    Protect your work (when possible)
    Credit as much as you can lose
    You can ask to get paid on time
    Getting paid on time is the token
    of appreciation for your timely
    and hard work

    View Slide

  18. How to Business
    How to Business

    View Slide

  19. DISCLAIMER
    DISCLAIMER
    I am not an accountant, this is not
    accounting advice!
    This is just my experience.
    Please consult with an accountant before
    you make any move

    View Slide

  20. No need to start a business
    No need to start a business
    Up to 10.000€ / year
    Article 51 §6
    Ν. 4172/2013

    View Slide

  21. Starting a Business in
    Starting a Business in
    Greece
    Greece
    Don't do it
    Costs too much to start
    Costs too much to maintain
    Taxes and healthcare are extreme (55%+)

    View Slide

  22. Starting in Greece
    Starting in Greece
    Start Up Costs
    Start Up Costs
    ~500€ to Setup
    Start a personal business
    Declare your house as office
    If on rent requires special
    authorization by owner

    View Slide

  23. Starting in Greece
    Starting in Greece
    Upkeep Costs
    Upkeep Costs
    ~300€ yearly upkeep by accountant
    2.700€ yearly for healthcare
    26% Tax
    55% of Tax Advance Payment
    2% Solidarity Tax

    View Slide

  24. Starting in Greece
    Starting in Greece
    Let's lol together
    Let's lol together
    10.000€ Income
    - 2.700€ HealthCare
    = 7.300€ Pre Taxes
    * 26% Tax: -1.898€
    * 55% of Tax: -1.043€
    * 2% Solidarity: -146€
    = 4.213€ Net Income
    (58% in taxes & healthcare)
    20.000€ Income
    - 2.700€ HealthCare
    = 17.300€ Pre Taxes
    * 26% Tax: -4.498€
    * 55% of Tax: -2.473€
    * 2% Solidarity: -346€
    = 9.983€ Net Income
    (51% in taxes & healthcare)

    View Slide

  25. Paypal
    Paypal

    View Slide

  26. Paypal
    Paypal
    The Internet Bank
    The Internet Bank
    It's not really a bank...
    Requires a Bank Account and a Credit /
    Debit Card
    You can withdraw money to your bank
    Limitations apply if unverified
    Can verify relatively easy
    ​You can pay directly from Paypal
    ​https://euros.gr

    View Slide

  27. Start Up Abroad
    Start Up Abroad
    As Service Providers that's easy and convenient
    Small tax
    Initial and upkeep costs can be significant
    But lower taxes make up for it
    Consider it for income that exceed 20k / year

    View Slide

  28. Thank you
    (here is where you applaud)
    Thanasis Polychronakis
    @thanpolas

    View Slide

  29. Questions?
    Thanasis Polychronakis
    @thanpolas
    Slides: https://speakerdeck.com/thanpolas

    View Slide