Category Archives: Inspiration

Friday is Why Day, addendum.

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Kim Opitz| Leave a comment

That was kind of bullshit.

It’s time for an addendum. While it’s all well and good for me to share my epiphanies about how healthcare costs factored into my decision to work – or not work – for someone else, it’s still just my experience. My purpose was to inspire hopeful entrepreneurs to consider what’s really bonding them to their current job, and whether those bonds are truly unbreakable.

Disclaimer:  I wrote that the cost of healthcare benefits was one reason I never wanted to work for myself all those years – when I was 20-something. At that time I was a junior creative. Meaning a junior creative salary, junior creative portfolio, and oh I don’t know – say, $500 in a pension fund?

Healthcare premiums were less of a factor when I started Rribbitz: I’d been eliminating debt and investing funds for nearly 18 years. I had a career portfolio and professional network to support my rates. All factors that weren’t available to me when I was 25 – or even 30.

Even more relevant: I’d never been diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, or any other chronic condition besides juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. My only blip in “qualifying” for healthcare had been my use of prescription contraceptives — yep, I was turned down for an individual policy in my late 20s because I was on the pill*. Funny, isn’t it?

So don’t let me get away with making it look so easy. It takes research, planning, financial flexibility, and a hell of a lot more to make the leap to an independent career.

Planning your healthcare coverage is just one aspect.

That’s why I want to make this a more valuable discussion: I’m calling on you, creative entrepreneurs. Whether you’ve been in business 6 weeks or 6 years – how did you handle health care? Your feedback might help someone else take the leap – or it might help someone like me discover a better way to do healthcare coverage.

If you post on the Rribbitz Facebook page, I’ll assume you’re giving me permission to ask you more questions and/or use your name on this blog. If you want to share your story anonymously, please email me directly or via Facebook. I’ll include your insights but not your name. Let us know:

  1. What did you do for healthcare coverage when you started your business?
  2. Did you continue coverage via a spouse, or COBRA?
  3. Share any details about the coverage you got – provider, deductible, number of people on the policy.
  4. How long have you been on the coverage and did you ever switch or change it?
  5. Looking back, what would you do different, if anything?
  6. What advice would you share with other hopeful entrepreneurs about starting an independent business and leaving the haven of group healthcare?

Look for an update this Friday.

*For my complexion, of course. I was working for an agency that didn’t provide group health coverage, but offered to pay the insurance premiums if we found individual coverage.

 

Posted in Inspiration, WhyDay

Friday is Why Day: first in a series.

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Kim Opitz| Leave a comment

Why I never wanted to work for myself:
“I need the benefits.”

Can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this from people in the past month, citing why they have no options outside of full-time employment with another company. And each time I hear it, a little song plays in my head… I remember thinking that!

If you know me, I hesitate from presuming to understand someone else’s situation – so if you say, “I have to get a job because I need the benefits,” I’ll listen. But if you admit to an inkling of desire to work for yourself, I’ll offer why that same reason held me back for almost 18 years.

“I’ll never work for myself — I need the benefits.”

I used to say that, too. When I was single, childless, and shall we say, dewy with youth. Free-wheeling and roaming about the Twin Cities, going to the gym 6 days a week and living a healthy, blessedly health-problem-free life. (translation: insanely affordable coverage, compared to what I carry now.)

Fast forward to 2010. I’m married, with two mortgages, a family of 4, and a stay-at-home husband who cares for our children. In other words, I’m the breadwinner with a LOT of fiscal responsibilities on my shoulders. Including… our healthcare premium. (let’s take a break so I can laugh hysterically again in order to fend off the panic)

Taking that leap to work for myself was a pretty gigantic transition. But luckily, I DID have 17 years of agency experience and – I admit – some savings to help us manage the financial inconsistencies of starting a business.

If you’re reluctant to go out on your own because you “need the healthcare benefits” – I challenge you to look at the whole picture:

* Do you know what your health coverage would actually cost? Whatever it is, all of your health care costs plus the policy premium would be a business expense for your LLC.

* What other benefits do you think you’d miss out on? If you’re still in your 20s or 30s, and if you even have a small nest egg started, you’re not in dire straits (my opinion) if you miss a few years of that company-matched contribution – if you’re lucky enough to get one.

* So, your company did X for you – sent you to grad school or something else? Look at the whole picture of your life and consider whether it’s worth putting your dreams on hold. I can guarantee your boss isn’t sitting up at night thinking about your dreams.

“I’ll always work for an agency – I need the benefits!”

There’s nothing like a surprise pregnancy to make you was to run screaming for better health coverage. HA – just ask me about it!  Go back a few paragraphs and read that list of responsibilities again, I’ll wait.

Ok, now figure in a new baby – including a c-section, hospital stay – and an extremely high deductible because we didn’t account for another child in our original plan. My gut instinct was, “Holy crap, I have to get a job. I need the benefits!” But that didn’t last long.

In the first two years of working for myself, I learned where there’s a will, there’s a way. And I was Not. Going. To. Fail. Myself or My Family.

In the third year of working for myself, I learned how to dig deeper: because I had to. I learned how to manage self-employment and morning sickness. I learned how to manage client expectations, project deadlines, new business and pregnancy. Our little surprise became a great blessing. I barely took an official maternity leave because I already had such freedom and flexibility in my schedule. Rribbitz Bbaby even joined me at work, where we were warmly welcomed by the coolest of clients.

Don’t get me wrong, we’re still paying the hospital bills. And making payments on a new car. And breadwinning for a family of 5 makes things even more interesting these days. But the thing is – today, I know more than ever:

I love working for myself.
Because I absolutely love the benefits.

Friday is Why Day. So I’m asking: why are you waiting to do what you love – and are the barriers truly insurmountable? Consider the other benefits that could be awaiting you – after the leap.

Note from my 6-year old: "I love you. You are love. I'm your love. You are mine."

 

 

First in a series of “Friday is Why Day.” By yours truly: independent writer and consultant for creative, web, PR and social media content; with 20 years of ad agency experience. Hopelessly eternal optimist.
 
 

Posted in Inspiration, WhyDay, Writing

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Well, what do you know?

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Kim Opitz| Leave a comment

2012 is a leap year.

I’m proud to have accomplished my main business goal in 2011: fewer clients, more business. I’m 6 months into a new initiative of focusing on agency work, while working with a select amount of individual businesses. Considering that the first half of the year was spent gestating, and the second half of the year we welcomed a newborn at home, it feels like a particularly mighty feat.

So what’s next? For one, I hate making grand New Year’s proclamations. But I will say this: it’s pretty tempting to raise the bar again. By honing my client services. Giving my own website more love. And practicing what I preach about providing useful, interesting content online.

In 2012, Rribbitz will celebrate three full years in business. What are you going to celebrate?

See you after the leap. Now here’s a video just because I like it:

Posted in Inspiration

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Retro Rribbitz: the @JoelECarlson Interview

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Kim Opitz| Leave a comment

In honor of Joel’s latest ink…..here’s the exclusive interview he granted me in March 2010. Way to go, Joel!

Joel E Carlson: the man behind the Twitterview from Rribbitz Creative Communications on Vimeo.

You’ve followed his Twitterviews, now see the guy IRL (sort of). I cornered Joel and asked him to share his ideas and goals around Twitterview – be sure to check out his blog to read them all and learn more. He’s @JoelECarlson on twitter! (C) Rribbitz 2010

Posted in Inspiration, Introductions

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Smashburger, redux

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Kim Opitz| Leave a comment

Just because… my sister finally got a Smashburger in Chicago.
Enjoy this vid from my first trip to Smashburger in the Twin Cities,
where I also met the lovely Aimee Cheek!

Posted in Inspiration

Agency client: SixSpeed

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Kim Opitz| Leave a comment

One of the agencies I work with is SixSpeed… the relationship started in 2006, when Andi Dickson was the Field Marketing Manager for Red Bull, and he hired my (then) agency for project management of Art of the Can.

Fast forward 5 years later and I’m still working with him – this time as a contract creative, for SixSpeed – the agency he owns, along with Thomas Cusciotta and Grant Johnson.

They’re a great crew, and right now everyone is busting balls to get a lot of work out for a new client, plus Red Bull’s Mississippi Grind – an event that kicks off in St. Paul over Labor Day weekend.

To get a look at how busy these guys are, check out their Facebook page and look at their website to see even more.

When it comes to event marketing and brand-building, this is one amazing group to work with!

Account manager Chris Hergott, getting it done.

Posted in Inspiration, Introductions, QuickCase

“Yielding to the glory of the gnarled…”

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Kim Opitz| Leave a comment

And now, on a personal note:

The 3-sentence memoir that I submitted for a Flash NonFiction contest—sponsored by Paper Darts Magazine on Facebook—won by collecting the most ‘likes’. As a result, they posted it on their website and it will be published in their next magazine, along with a short bio of yours truly.

Click the graphic below to reach the page with my memoir… the next time you see me, I may be wearing a t-shirt with this on it:

Posted in Inspiration, Writing

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Writing copy is like giving birth.

Posted on November 16, 2010 by Kim Opitz| 1 Comment

Remember this past September, when I taught a social media session at the AABC Birth Institute in California? It’s been two and a half months since I spent that weekend immersed in the messaging and mission of birth centers, midwives, and amazing people who tirelessly lead the charge for better women’s health care.

That September presentation was developed and produced in conjunction with two other fabulous women —Rosemary Senjem and Cyndi Caughron. Today, we’re working with three different birth centers to hone and implement their marketing strategies – from web sites to social media to public relations. Such an honor, and such a humbling role in each unique case: to be entrusted with their mission, and given the opportunity to work in an area that means so much to so many people.

My first major task is taking existing content and turning it into search-optimized copy that is true to the birth center’s unique position, goals and character.

Now please forgive me for being so trite – but in doing so, I’m reminded just how much writing copy is like giving birth:

Oh, baby.

• I study the objective for days, weeks, sometimes months. And then I wait for the messaging and tone to tell me when it’s developed enough that it’s ready to come out.
• When it doesn’t happen soon enough — when I think it should be starting — I get impatient. Frustrated. Cranky. Sometimes I try to force it, do things to get myself in just the right mental state. But it doesn’t work.
• The copy doesn’t come until it’s ready. And when the words find their own life, begin stirring and pushing themselves into my brain, I can’t stop it.
• I need to get to a safe place where I can let the words flow and re-arrange themselves, and take their rightful place on the page.
• When I feel supported and empowered and respected, I do my best work. (who doesn’t?!)
• If you interrupt me when things are really moving, or try to bend me to do it your way — I get REALLY angry.
• And when all things come together just they way they should, and when I sit back and look at the final result…. I think it’s beautiful. Because it’s mine, and I know what it took to get it here.

And then we move onto editing… HA!

Ok, no, but seriously. It’s a dream: applying my marketing experience to the issue of maternal health care in the United States. Because it’s time to start paying attention to what’s not working, and  it’s way past time we start raising our daughters to know and trust the strength and wisdom they carry in their own bodies. You might even say… the time for that is WAY overdue.

So just watch me. My client is the birth center, my role is marketing expert, and together we have a lot to accomplish. But I’ve been training for this for 18 years, and I’m on a mission, too.

And now … back to work.

Posted in Inspiration, Writing

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Today I am 41.

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Kim Opitz| 7 Comments

Today I am 41.

When I was 13, I couldn’t imagine being alive at 15. I couldn’t imagine being alive at 18. Or 20. Or even 41. It’s not that it seemed so far away, or so OLD, but it just seemed impossible.

Oh sure, it seems a little silly now. But I honestly thought that the agony of the teenage years would kill me. I’m talking about that gut-wrenching, soul-twisting self-hatred and doubt that tears us to pieces when we’re too young and inexperienced to know that life is more than the things that happen to us. When we’re young, we exist in the moment, because it’s all we really know – and for me, I started to believe that there was no existence beyond the hell of teenage years – I would simply drop dead from the agony of it all. Probably in homeroom. Or better yet, in front of a really cute guy who didn’t even know I existed anyway. Or maybe he did, but he also knew enough to tease and embarrass me at every chance.

Things changed when I went away for college — I was handed that proverbial blank canvas on which to create a new life. So I decorated it with everything I wanted. And long story short, that is largely why I have the life I do today. And I am grateful for every minute of it.

I am still learning to be patient, and the greatest lesson of all happened when I had my first child. It’s not what you think, either.

When I was 2 years old, I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The next 16 years were filled with a lot of pain: medications, hospital visits, special doctors, braces and splints, more medications. Sitting on the sidelines during gym class – and hundreds of other activities my peers enjoyed without me. The pain that filled my joints, twisted my hands and feet, and throbbed throughout my body was accompanied by the relentless emotional turmoil of feeling different, KNOWING I was different, being laughed at or teased, and utterly hating myself for it. And always, ALWAYS wondering, as children do- “Why ME?”

The question was unanswered, and eventually I stopped asking it. I even stopped caring, when the arthritis had calmed down enough in my 20s to be declared in remission.

My first daughter was born when I was 36 years old. And along with her entry came the greatest clarity of my life – a double gift. Because you see, my daughter has a physical difference. It’s nothing that threatens her health or mental capacities in any way, but she will have it for her entire life. Regardless of what my husband and I hope, it will always be the first thing people notice about her. When we’re long gone, and she is an old woman, it will still be the feature that others use to define her.

In the first hour I held her, I realized the answer to my long-forgotten question, the one that still whispered deep inside me.

The pain of my own childhood had been for her. My childhood had been spent with medical treatments and specialists — as hers will. I knew what it was like to look different, to always be different, to be questioned about it — as she will. I will never claim to know exactly what she is going through — but if she ever feels alone, or ashamed, or hurt — if she ever asks, “Why ME?” I can sit beside her and help her carry those feelings.

41 years ago, I arrived. But 5 years ago, I figured out why I was given that twisted and painful path to walk as a child.

Today is another happy birthday, and they do keep getting better, because I keep painting that canvas. I am strong for both of my daughters, I am strong because of my husband, and I am strong because life is NOT what happens to me. It is exactly what I make of it.

What have you made of your life? And what have you made it for someone else? I would love to know.

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Social media, according to Show Tunes.

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Kim Opitz| 1 Comment

Strength doesn’t lie in numbers.
Strength doesn’t lie in wealth.
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers…. when you wake up, WAKE UP!
It’s healthy!

— “I have confidence,” by Rodgers and Hammerstein for The Sound of Music


There’s a lot of talk and rumbling and praise for Twitter rankings and influence lately. And you know, I’ll be the first one to admit that being in Joel Carlson’s Top 10 list makes me giggle and clap my hands with glee. (See how I added that link? Even I’m not immune. Shameless, you could say.)

Also? We’d be nothing without lists and rankings! Where would we be without Nielsen? Where would we be without baseline numbers to measure our progress? So in other words… most recently, we have to give kudos to @Jenkaneco and @Karyd and recognize the value of work like this.

However…. I’d like to offer another view on what matters in social media.

Let’s take a lesson from Maria, er… I mean, Rodgers and Hammerstein. In one of the glorious songs from Sound of Music, Maria gives herself a pep talk as she leaves the abbey and heads out into the world. The tempo and choreography escalate as she describes her longing for:

The courage to serve them with reliance
Face my mistakes without defiance
Show them I’m worthy
And while I show them
I’ll show me! So!

We must serve our audiences with reliance – show up! Face mistakes without defiance…. and show them that we’re here to listen and respond.

Strength doesn’t lie in numbers.
Strength doesn’t lie in wealth.
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers.

Yes – you can gobble up followers and pat yourself on the back for big numbers and rankings. But how does “peaceful slumbers” translate to strength? It reminds us to stay calm, define our goals, and approach social media tactics with a plan rather than frantic and desperate cries for attention and instant results.

When you wake up, WAKE UP! It’s healthy!

If you’re going to bring social media into your marketing mix, WAKE UP! Pay attention to what you’re doing, the conversations around you, the way you’re engaging with customers and communities — be alert, awake, and enjoy it!

In yet another classic, Maria tells us:

When you know the notes to sing,
you can sing most anything.

By looking at our work, setting goals, and tracking numbers, we learn the notes. And by sharing them with each other, we share the tools to accomplish even more. Thank you, Rodgers and Hammerstein, for these timeless lessons.

For your own inspiration – watch this, sing along if you must, and tell me what it imparts to you.

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