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LIVING ONLINE Series By Corey Aldrich

February 9, 2021 By Corey Aldrich Leave a Comment

The Loss of the In Person LIVE Performance on CapNY Creatives

For the better part of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021 we have been in a public event apocalypse. Now with the distribution of a vaccine and the onset of summer it looks like we may be cautiously moving forward with LIVE music and performance based events. This has been a difficult time, to say the least, for creatives. Many of us are dependent on LIVE events for an important part of our income, and for keeping a sharp edge on our craft.

Personally, this has been a mixed bag of emotions and vocational direction evaluation. While I do enjoy the time to focus on passion based endeavors, I missed the interaction that spurs my creative ideas and energy. I am fortunate that my years as a freelance professional have helped me develop skills. As a result, I’ve been able to pivot and keep things rolling.

In the spirit of collaboration and best practices, I thought I’d share with you a number of perspectives from our fellow creatives to see how folks are getting along, as we all discover new ways to practice in the ever changing tapestry of the new normal.

Be on the lookout in the upcoming weeks for additional perspectives from a variety of creative disciplinary backgrounds.

One of my most recent projects: self-portraits, to hone my photography skills.

LIVING ONLINE SERIES: Performer Ryder Cooley

LIVING ONLINE SERIES: Liam Singer, Composer | Musician | Venue Owner

LIVING ONLINE SERIES: Raya Malcolm, Actor | Musician | Devising Artist

LIVING ONLINE SERIES: SIRSY, Indie Pop Rock Duo

MORE ON COREY ALDRICH

A longtime ACE Contributor, Corey works out of Troy, New York. He runs a freelance consultancy for all aspects of brand development and business process management / development. Current projects include cash flow analysis, strategic market planning, 3rd party project oversight, public relations, event planning and front end visual brand design / design-build projects. He has a focus in not-for-profit arts and mission oriented organizations. In his free time he works on honing his craft as a photographer and guitarist. (corey@2440designstudio.com)

Freelancers Are Investing in Training to Prepare for Future Economic Downturns

October 28, 2020 By wordpress

The Covid-19 pandemic has unquestionably overturned the economy and financial stability for many professionals. Many remain un- or under-employed, and the future remains uncertain.

Conversations with local freelancers and entrepreneurs have shown us that many of them are working to diversify their skillsets to become more marketable in the current pandemic and in any future downturns.

That 77% are partaking in additional skill training or development to build an updated skill portfolio and planning to transition careers to a more in-demand industry.

Mind you, these stats come from a 2019 report, before the pandemic started.

As we await the 2020 report, one can imagine that the number of freelancers currently taking these steps will be greater due to current circumstances.

Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) has developed a flexible and affordable program to meet these needs.

The HVCC Career Launchpad has fast-track options to provide the education necessary to enhance skills or develop new ones. They provide non-credit and credit courses which can prove vital to preparing for an extended, or future economic downturn.

Invest in marketplace and financial stability. Let’s launch! Get started HERE.

Freelancers Need Flexible, Affordable Skill Development Options

October 12, 2020 By wordpress

By: Gabby Fisher, Senior Producer

Let’s jump straight to the numbers…

Yes, you read that right.

More than half of freelancers do not take skill training trainings or courses they want or need because they cannot afford it.

Also…though freelancers largely attribute positive value to their college education, freelancers find skill-related training more useful to the work they do now when asked to compare the two.

The HVCC Career Launchpad is right on the mark with what freelancers are looking for…flexible, affordable, non-degree education options. The goal: to enhance skills, learn new ones, and to increase earning power and marketability.

How the Program Started

Penny Hill, HVCC’s Dean of Economic Development and Workforce Initiatives and her team have been offering professional development and training for people, businesses and organizations throughout the Cap Region for a long time.

When the pandemic hit, they jumped into action to develop the HVCC Career Launchpad.

Flexibility

Penny said one of the main priorities of the program was flexibility. A lot is uncertain at the moment. People don’t necessarily want to commit to or pay for college degrees. The Launchpad offers credit and non-credit courses, a first for the college.

HVCC knew this program had to allow all required work to be done digitally and on the individual’s own time, within one year max.

They understood that many of the individual’s would have other responsibilities – jobs, kids, etc. so all of the flexible program attributes were important in its development.

Affordability

Affordability was also a main priority for Penny and her team. The program was intended to be an option for those unemployed due to COVID-19. The idea was to get them trained and/or industry-certified and back out into the job market quickly.

If you’re a freelancer like me, chances are you relate to some of these circumstances and like most freelancers, value professional development.

Get in Touch with HVCC today!

Opportunities for tuition funding may be available. Invest in yourself. Invest in marketplace stability. Let’s launch!

Freelancers Training Up During Covid and Beyond

September 30, 2020 By wordpress

By: Gabby Fisher, ACE Digital Media Manager & Entrepreneur, in conjunction with Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) Career Launchpad.

We freelancers are versatile, hardworking and known for their ability to adapt to dynamic work environments and demands. To remain marketable and relevant in their fields, we prioritize professional development and and constantly engage in training and courses geared toward building modern skills. Over the past six months, more than 50% of freelancers have participated in skill-related education or training.

As mentioned in last week’s article, I’ve heard firsthand from many local freelancer’s and entrepreneur’s who have been using this period of uncertainty to “train up” and sharpen their professional tools. Kirsten Voege, Marketing & Communications Consultant and Owner of KiRated Communications, is one of those individuals.

Last week, Kirsten held her own Professional Development Day, where she blocked out her schedule – no calls or meetings – allowing her to hyper-focus on searching for online trainings and courses, setting goals, and looking for other new types of learning opportunities. She usually has two webinar trainings on her calendar each week.

I asked her why it’s so important for her to invest in professional development and she said “As actress Helen Hayes said, “if you rest, you rust,” I’m always trying to learn something new. I’m constantly finding new trainings/courses on LinkedIn, through podcasts, Eventbrite and in digital newsletters. It seems like many of the newsletters end up in my spam folder, so when I run out of new ideas, I check there too.”

Just a few of the books Kirsten’s read throughout the pandemic. Follow her on social media for her extensive book, podcast, & study music recommendations! FB / IG / Twitter

Freelancers spend a lot of time searching for worthwhile professional development opportunities…programs, courses, and experts that they trust.

We know a better way. Hudson Valley Community College’s (HVCC) Career Launchpad has fast-track options to provide you the education necessary to enhance skills or develop new ones. Their training sectors include the following:

Get in touch with HVCC today. Opportunities for tuition funding may be available. Yes, 50% of freelancers have engaged in some training over the past six months, but that number should be higher. Invest in yourself. Invest in your career. Invest in marketplace stability. Get started in less than a minute by filling out the form of the bottom of the website page. Let’s launch!

Check out “Training Up With Gabby: Build Your Skills, Knowledge & Earning Power!” here!

CapNY Black-Owned Business Highlight: Ada Harper

June 24, 2020 By wordpress Leave a Comment

Ada Harper is the force behind 518Blk, a site for the Black community to discover events and information across the Cap Region. Ada created 518Blk in 2015 as an outlet to celebrate cultural, educational, social, cultural things happening in the Black community.

Prior to the creation of 518Blk, were there other media outlets highlighting local social opportunities for the Black community?

No. The media outlets were not featuring content about events happening in the community of color. There was one beloved newsletter that was geared toward the Black community when I was a kid. The granddaughter of its creator recently created CNYS Black Expo. This event has been put on for the past two years and is growing. Its main function is to celebrate Black entrepreneurship.

How did 518Blk evolve?

When I first started 518Blk, I was working on my master’s degree and got a certificate in social media management. I decided it was time to contribute to the social climate by creating my own events. A lot of people would travel to NYC for different experiences that we could have right here at home. I hosted brunches and collaborated with others on various community events. It was uplifting and positive, but I became a caretaker after a family member was involved in a car accident. Soon, the role became overwhelming and I stepped back from 518Blk.

What has inspired you to activate the mission of 518Blk again?

The social unrest of police brutality and the injustices happening to Black people. Recent events caused me to sit quietly and process this reality. Some people were reaching out to me asking why I wasn’t posting anything. They were asking me to promote protests, etc. I just had to stop. I had to figure out the “why” behind 518Blk – I was at a crossroads.

Finally, I had a clearer vision of what I wanted. I want to put on bigger and better events, find sponsors, and collaborate with Black-owned businesses. My vision is for a rebrand. I need to reach out to find people who can work on my team.

In order for 518Blk to get additional exposure, horrible things had to happen to Black people. I was plugging along, but not getting much visibility. Due to recent events, white people are asking “how can we help Black people?” I will take this as an opportunity to challenge myself and elevate my brand because what I’m doing with 518Blk is valid and deserves visibility. As Black people, we have to control our narrative and celebrate each other.

What actions should people take after reading this interview?

Put your money where your mouth is. Support Black business – use the ACE crowdsourced Black-owned business list.

Connect with Ada

Ada is looking for people/businesses to collaborate with. She invites you to reach out with any marketing and/or branding freelance opportunities.

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