I hope your year started off with a bang! My first month of 2013 was both awesome and inspiring — it was even more awesome because January is my birthday month!
As I anticipated, 2013 looks like it’s going to be a fantastic year. This month was…insightful to say the least. Full of big projects, big dreams and big growth. But with all growth comes growing pains.
Which means it’s time for changes both personally and professionally.
Big Change #1
I officially told my boss that I have to cut back my hours at work, so now I can focus on my side-hustles and freelance jobs. It was hard explaining them why, but I really want this year to be about creating work around my life and not a life around my work.
Hopefully by year-end I will have ramped up this blog and my freelance business, and kick it into high gear. Which brings me to my next point.
Big Change #2
As I hinted in a recent post, over the next few months I’ll be adding some more entrepreneurs to the Careful Cents team.
I’m not an expert at everything that takes to run my online business (nor do I want to be), so I’ve hired a few experts who will guide me and teach me the ropes.
So while I’ll still be doing all the same things I’m doing now, there will be more projects in the future (like a webinar about making an extra $1,000 with freelancing).
Hopefully with a bit more expert advice at my disposal, the outcome of my work will improve and with it, my blog and business will change for the better!
Big Change #3
I have officially taken the plunge: I made a big investment into myself and my biz by hiring a business coach – or more specifically a side-hustle coach and my first session starts in just a few days. Woohoo!
Top 4 Favorite Posts
8 Tips for Launching Your Side Hustle like a Rock Star - Brazen Careerist. If you’ve wanted to start a side job or just anything on the side, this is the resource for you! Awesome tips that I wish I had when I was starting out.
5 Lessons Learned from Freelancing - Young Adult Money. Being a freelancer isn’t always easy. Stretching yourself too thin and feeling underpaid and unappreciated. This post has 5 things anyone would find useful about getting over that slump and getting to where you really want to be.
10 Reasons Why 2013 Will Be The Year You Quit Your Job - Tech Crunch. This is just an awesome post. It has some cool facts with a bit a shock value — it might just turn a few heads and open a few eyes.
The Truth About Side Hustling – Budget Blonde. This is a great piece for motivating you to get up and do something. Along with great tips about how to be relentless and gain the confidence you need to start your side hustle.
Popular Guest Posts I’ve Written
7 Actions to Take in 2013 to be a Financial Rock Star - Kickstart Kitchen.
14 Must-Read Personal Finance Blogs for Young Professionals - Brazen Careerist.
How to Build Wealth for the Future Without Thinking – Betterment.
Books I’m Reading Now
I’m currently taking a break between reading books to spend time working on growing my business.
Plus my book club has yet to announce our next book, so until then I’ll be spending my time reading iPad magazines! 
How was your first month of 2013? What’s one way you’re planning to invest in yourself or your business this year?
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I'm an ex-small business accountant who aims to help freelancers get out of debt and organize their life. And through the recently launched 
