This issue of Link Love consist articles and posts around the web that I found useful and interesting.

(1) Looking for a easy way to send out text based email newsletters? Read up on TinyLetter from the creators of MailChimp.

(2) Doing something you are passionate about but not making a profit? Read What if the business you love is not making money? by Melinda “SmallBiz Lady” Emerson.

(3) Learn from other people Side Hustle success – 10 Rockstar Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Best Side Hustle Success Strategies.

(4) Spending too much time on Facebook? Here’s are a few free time tracking Apps.

(5) Are you a freelance writer? Then check out this article on how you can grown your business and possible work less doing so.

(6) Are you a budding entrepreneur? Learn early from this entrepreneur’s lessons.

(7) Can this new trend be helpful – Pinterest and your Freelancing Business.

According to WordPress.org, WordPress is a web software that you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. The keyword in that sentence is “software” and just like other software we used in lives on a daily basis, there comes a time when they must be updated.

Picture this, your WP powered site/blog is running perfectly. Then one day you login to see a notification at the top about the new WordPress version that just release but you ignore it. Another update comes out and you ignore that as well.

There are two possible outcomes and I see this happen too often:
(A) You see that a plug-in you use needs to be update and you figure do that update instead but it break your site. You get a white screen when you go to your page and can’t even get to the login page. Or (B) Hackers take down your site.

Now with either outcome, there’s a possibility you may loose everything because you fail to keep your WordPress software updated. I also seen where people do keep their WP update but fail to backup before doing a major upgrade and something goes wrong. I can’t stress enough that you need to may sure that you are not only updating your WP software but doing regular backs up as well. When I talk about doing regular backups, I referring to everything – pages, posts, images, plugins, theme files, and most importantly your database. Also please don’t solely rely on the WP-DBManager Plugin and your hosting provider, although they should be backing their entire server on a regular basis.

A little while ago this very blog was attacked by malware and I totally freak out because I am usually on top of everything and didn’t see how this could have happen. I was using the latest WP but recently updated a few plugins. Could that have been the culprit? I still haven’t figure out how someone was able to inset some nasty code into my blog, giving any who came to my blog the red screen of death. What I do know that I was able to clean up the mess in one weekend because I had a clean back up of the entire blog. Once it was re-uploaded, I was able to ask Google to review my blog and all I had to do is sit back and wait for the green light. What could have be a totally disaster was avoided.

So here are two reasons why you should update your WordPress today:

1) Hackers need sleep. They are out there and always look to find a way to make our online lives horrible. Why make it easy, make them work for it.

2) Technology is always changing. With the major WordPress updates come not only security fixes but also new features that may help you run your site more smoothly.

I hate to see read about those who loose everything because either they got hacked or plugin crash their site. Also here’s a very important note: If you have been on WordPress for a while and are still running WP 2 or earlier, you cannot just jump to WP 3.3.1. WordPress have certain steps that you must go through to make sure you don’t have any problems.

If you are in need of technical help with your WordPress powered site/blog, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am now offering three different Virtual WordPress Assistant packages. Whether you hire me or choose to do it on your own, please remember to BACK UP before your do anything.

I am a web designer. Majority of the design work I do is for the web. I say this because not only do I have a web portfolio but a printed portfolio as well, which I haven’t used or updated in over a year. I remember back in school it was always stress that we have a physical portfolio and the web version came secondary. That was years ago and nowadays you hear people saying print is dead, and digital is the wave of the present/future. It is really?

Last night I was thinking about updating my printed portfolios and questioning should I even invest the money to do so? Other questions that came to mind where – Should I even have a book when the majority of my work is web based? What if I get an opportunity to be an in-house freelancer in the future? What if my local clientele picks this year? Either way I will be totally unprepared because both of my books are outdated. I have my “professional book”, an aluminum book that I’ve used for interviews and another that I refer to as my design deck.

The design deck is a binder filled with every job I have done. I got the idea to create my own because I was in charge of keeping one updated at my previous job. We had a binder which stayed with the VP of the Marketing Department and it consisted of every job for the entire year that was done from Billboards to Press Kits to Corporate Promotional items by all of the internal departments of the company. So I am at a crossroads. Should I go ahead an update my books or just focus on my web portfolio? Or maybe I can just take what I would’ve done for the print portfolio and turn it into a downloadable PDF document? That way if I ever need to print it, I will already have it done already.

Now I would like to hear from you, especially my non-designers readers? I know web/graphic/fashion designers and photographers need portfolios, but what about other professions?

If you a Web Woman Entrepreneur (or know of one) who live in or around the Raleigh, NC area, you need to check out this next event. LaShanda Henry aka SistaSense is hosting another one of her fabulous SistaSense Socials next month. On February 11, 2012 (a day before my birthday) the Relax.Relate.Release Networking Event will be taking place from 11am-4pm at the Community Room in the Crab Tree Valley Mall. It a day full of networking and learning about tips and tools to grow your business.

For full details and to register visit http://socials.sistasense.com.

After my wonderful experience last week, I learn one thing that I need to start incorporating into Operation CoWork. I should give each location on my list at minimum two days, whether it’s back-to-back or spread out. This way I can give more of an informed opinion. So this week I headed out to another local library on my list – the Macon Branch.

Photo credit: Brooklynpubliclibrary.org

I didn’t know what to expect, just hope that I could get some work done in a quiet place and have access to an outlet. I haven’t been to the Macon Branch in years, probably sometime back in Junior High. It was the closest to the school, so whenever I had to any type of school assignment to be done, you can be certain that were I was. Well it has change just a little bit. It looks more spacious from what I could remember. I don’t even remember it having more than one level, let along a quiet room and elevator (one day I will take it to see where it goes).

On the first day, upon entering I asked if there was a place where I could work with my laptop and the polite librarian pointed to the quite room as well as a table near the elevator which is set aside for laptop users only. Also next to there, is a build-in bench area that has outlets on each side, so at the most a total of 6 people (with one device each) can juice up at a time. I should mention that all of this is the children area.

I opted for the benches because my laptop wasn’t 100% charged but kept an eye for when a seat at the laptop table freed up. After two hours my laptop was all charged and in I was able to move to the table. Thank goodness because working with my laptop on my lap was become a pain and getting a little hot. I can’t seem to get use to noisy libraries though.

I so dislike those who don’t use headphones when listening or watching music/videos on their phones. It’s one thing to do it on the bus/train but in the library its just…sigh. As it got closer to the end of the school day, the noise level increased. It was at that moment I wish I had three batteries because maybe then I could have stay in the quiet room for my entire stay. I was however able to put in 5 hours, which isn’t bad. My second visit went better. For one I arrived before they opened. It was a little noisy in the beginning but pretty good until school let out. At one point they got real wild and I tried to stick it out as long as possible. Maybe its because I am getting older but I don’t think me and my friends weren’t that bad (well Jr High not so much but HS maybe – aha the memories). I will work again at the Macon Branch, mainly because I like the fact I can work on a sturdily table.

I am so glad that I am visiting libraries now because come spring/summer, they will be off limits for me. Besides actually coworking locations, I am already looking at cafes and outdoor areas where there’s free wifi. I will go from dealing with school kids to working adults taking their lunch break outside (can’t wait to go to Bryant Park).

Cost of Coworking at Macon Library Branch: $0

Cost of running Operation CoWork (as of 1/27/12): $18.00

Dear friend,

We can all follow our dreams. It may seem impossible or extremely difficult at times, but it’s doable. We may fall several times before we figure out how not to though. I know you are working at that 9-5 job/building your business and hating every minute of it, wishing you could just bust out and live the life you want. You may know a few people who’re already on their dream path and say, “That will be me one day!”

You know that saying “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”, don’t you know there’s someone who thinks your grass is greener than theirs. It’s the nature of the beast – competition and constant comparing your situation to others. When will it all end? Or better yet – when will we stop beating ourselves up and be grateful for what we do have?

Today’s job market and economy is different than what it was 5 years ago and it will continue to change. Gone are the days of having guarantee security. Not only do we need a plan A but plan B, C and maybe even D. Why? When one fail or doesn’t go the way we envision it, then we must stop figure out what didn’t work and did, then duplicate the right stuff.

I know you have some talents, something you are passionate about, something you love doing. Why can’t you take just 15 minutes a day to explore your options to start transitioning to having a different kind of life? You know one where you are happy to wake up everyday and even happier because you are doing something that you love doing.

PLEASE don’t quite your day job. Start a side hustle in your spare time and yes you do have spare time. Watch a lot of TV, work on your side hustle during commercial break. Have a long commute to and from work, then use that time to work on your side hustle. One day soon that side hustle will go from putting an extra penny in your pocket to being able to live off that hustle. How do I know? I know actual living/breathing human beings who are doing it as I type this. I am sure they may have their not so good days but they have the determination and will to keep pushing on. That’s probably why they are so successful, plus they have been at it for awhile. So let’s take a page out of their books and give ourselves a shift kick in the ass and start follow your dreams. As Lamar Tyler say – The Gatekeepers are Gone.

All the best and much success from your friend,
Artiatesia

Over the course of two years, my television habits have changed a lot. I found myself craving more and more scripted drama over Reality TV. It seems like it just one show with a ton of spin offs – the Kardashian Clan and their many shows, Housewives of X (pick a location/sport) and so on. Yes I am going to admit that I watch a few and was obsessed with them for a while but after figuring out their formula they got boring. For example I used to be a huge fan of MTV’s The Real World (the 1st reality show) but after a couple of seasons you figure that every cast is going to have at least one minority – whether its race, sexual orientation or religion. Just the right ingredients to stir up fights and lots of drama, then add alcohol to the mix and the main course is ready to serve.

There were a few shows that capture my attention and I am sad that most of them don’t last very long. This past weekend Centric (sister channel to BET) aired a marathon of Daddy Girl’s a spin off of Run’s House, which followed the lives of Vanessa and Angela Simmons (oldest daughters of Rev Run). I liked the show especially when we got to see how they grown their business Pastry from just a sneaker line but to include fashion as well. Why can’t see more reality shows that depict small business and entrepreneurship, you know something to give us a break from the catfights while learning something at the same time.

Although I didn’t get into it, I know that Shark Tank was pretty popular and Kells on Earth was great in my opinion. On one hand you had individuals looking for investors and the other following the PR company People Revolution. I guess having a cameras following you around all in your business’ business can become a pain at some point and maybe that’s another reason why these shows don’t return. I think when done right they can be helpful especially to those of us building our own business solo.

That’s why I have now fall in love with two new shows and hope they stick around for a while. The first is Party at Tiffany’s on Oprah’s OWN, which follows Tiffany Young, Party planner and owner of Pink Pastry Parlor in Atlanta, Georgia. I think its super cute how they sell cupcakes in the front and also thrown parties where you can pick from the different theme rooms. The second is Bravo’s Chef Roble and Co., which follow a young catering business, started by Chef Roble after he quit his job. They are both young and ambitious and I think is beyond great and wish them nothing but successful and air time.

Since people watch a lot of television, it would be great to get more shows around entrepreneurship. I think for some people make “entrepreneurship” out to be a dirty word. I am sick and tired of people treating me like I am Tommy from the show Martin. I have a job, it may not fit your definition of what a job is but without entrepreneurs and small business owners who have come before me, a lot of the things I have and use in my life I wouldn’t have and nether would they. Give me some fresh Reality TV without the nasty sides.

I am really excited for these next few entries in my Operation Cowork experiment. Last week I was thinking to myself that it was time for another one especially before it get extremely cold here in New York. I decided to hit up two more local libraries and that when I came across news about JellyWeek 2012. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, Jelly is a casual work space everywhere everyone’s invited. Some meetups may take place in someone’s home, local coffee shops or in as the case is this week at CoWorking space worldwide.

Photo credit: Loosecubes.com

This post is coming to you live from Bitmap Creative Labs in the East Williamsburg area of Brooklyn. They held three FREE days as part of JellyWeek (Monday 16th – Wednesday 18th). I only been to Bitmap once before for a meetup and bookmark it as a place that I must return to. JellyWeek gave me that reason. I moved my “office” to Bitmap for two days (Tuesday & Wednesday). It was a vast difference from working at a library. For one it was quieter and it gave me that feeling that I think I been missing – working around others like me. Working from home is great but at some point you miss just being around other people.

Bitmap is pretty cool and a nice size. There’re desks, tables and conference rooms and unlike a library there is a kitchen (there is one library that has a cafe, I was there is past weekend and will feature it soon). You have pretty much everything you would need to get your work done. The internet connection was good so I could put in couple of solid hours of work with no problems. Despite the delays from “construction work” being done by the MTA, the total travel time isn’t too mad – just about 44 minutes for me on a normal day.

I wish I knew about JellyWeek earlier so I could have scouted out more places but I would definitely recommend checking out Bitmap if you live in Brooklyn or not far from East Williamsburg. If you feel like I do, traveling into the city can be a hassle and you only go if you must. So having a place in Brooklyn (other than home) to work from is great, especially when you need a grownup place. Bitmap Creative Labs is located at 300 Graham Ave. and the B43 and the L train are close by.

Cost of Coworking at Bitmap Creative Labs*: $9

Cost of running Operation CoWork (as of 1/18/12): $13.50

*Since the days I work from Bitmap were free the cost only includes transportation.