I've been doing Ypulse full time since September where I left my job at Current TV to try to put my all into promoting Totally Wired and to try to make it on my own. A lot of people have asked me how I like working for myself. I tell them, parts of it I love, like not having to deal with office politics, and parts of it, not so much, like waiting for checks to show up in the mail. I've thought about different models: Creating a subscription version of Ypulse, writing insight oriented reports and selling them, becoming a consultant, expanding events, etc. I have expanded the events (more on that Friday), promoted the book as much as I can, and have dabbled in consulting. I've also never worked so hard in my life. The boundary between office and home has all but disappeared. Work/life balance is gone for me (I often forget to eat), and my business checking account balance is not too far behind.

They say it takes money to make money, and I believe the money I've spent traveling and promoting myself at conferences has been worthwhile, but the "make money" part just isn't happening in a big enough way to justify me burning myself out and going into debt, which is what's beginning to happen. I'm a writer, a creative at heart, with loads of great ideas and a nack for implementing them, but I'm not a money person.

I just read this Mediabistro interview with fellow blogger/entrepreneur Rafat Ali, who said:

'Make sure you get a financial person, even if you have to pay for him through the nose.' Make sure all the business stuff is in order because that will save you so much heartbreak and worry. That was what I had no clue about when I started in 2002. These days, bloggers start with the idea of being a business, but I started [my blog] just to raise my own profile.

This is exactly why I started Ypulse -- I didn't know what would come of it, and many wonderful things have happened to me because of this site. I know Ypulse has value. People email me everyday and thank me for helping them do their jobs better. People I meet feel like they know me, and I like it -- it doesn't freak me out. I've been told several times I should be charging more for my ads or that I should be producing expensive research.

It's early in the morning, I'm in the most bizarre town I've ever been in -- Frankenmuth, MI -- a faux Bavarian village, preparing to give a keynote address to a crowd of youth librarians (my favorite people in the world). I guess I'm feeling the early pangs of heartbreak Rafat alluded to. I just got my tax bill. It's not pretty. Unless I can find a partner who is "a money person" or backer who really believes in Ypulse and wants to invest either money or time or both to grow it into a successful company that can support at least the two of us and maybe a paid freelance writer to help blog, I just don't know how sustainable doing this full time is for me in the long run. If you are that person or know that person, please get in touch. I'm not giving up, it just means I may need to work part time or possibly find another job in the next few months and return Ypulse to its side project status.

Posted by anastasia