I used to go broke every year. To stay out of the red, I had to stop ignoring money. Being a sound engineer or a freelancer of any kind can make budgeting difficult. Fortunately, difficult does not mean impossible! I've learned several powerful strategies in the last year that have completely changed my game. The Big Shift In March of last year I attended the Big Shift Experience seminar. It was my first real business seminar and I was struggling to keep up with all of the new ideas. They had … [Read more...]
Learn from the Sound Engineers for Tori Amos, Prodigy, and The White Stripes Online
Subscribe on iTunes or SoundCloud. Support Sound Design Live on Patreon. There's one obvious way to fix live audio education, and Darryn De La Soul figured it out. In this episode of the Sound Design Live Podcast I talk to the owner of SoulSound, Darryn De La Soul, about her life's mission to help sound engineers improve employability and find work. We also discuss emotional intelligence for audio engineers, the difference between a career ladder and a career web, why universities … [Read more...]
Be Your Own Attorney: The Smart Business Guide For Freelancers
You may be an amazing sound engineer. You probably are, since you read Sound Design Live. ;) But: are you in line with the law? Are you handling your business in a professional manner, protecting yourself from loss and planning for the future? Are you sure? Reading Stephen Fishman's Working For Yourself is one of the best ways to make sure that you are. I've read this book twice and I use it as an ongoing resource. Fishman has talked to a lot of contractors like you and me, and he explains … [Read more...]
The Sound Engineer’s Pain-Free Guide To TurboTax
Are you a sound engineer? Do you hate taxes? As sound engineers, taxes can be really complicated. We often have multiple sources of income, business expenses, and lots of paperwork. I'm not an expert and I make mistakes every year. In fact, this year I accidentally submitted erroneous information, so now I'm waiting for my 2013 return to get kicked back to me so I can submit it again. Hooray. Don't do what I did. Use TurboTax to make the process easier on yourself. Follow these … [Read more...]
Save $500 On Your Taxes This Year
Are you leaving $500 on the table? You might be. In my recent interview with Stephen Fishman, I asked him about the most common tax deductions that independent contractors get wrong. He said, "One great deduction that people don't take or are afraid to take is the home office deduction, which if you are a renter can be worth a great deal because ordinarily you can't deduct your rent at all. If you live in an expensive area like the bay area, that can be a lot of money." So let's take a look … [Read more...]