Going Solo Lausanne '08

Though the value in conferences for many is the networking, we at Going Far refuse to use this as an excuse for providing low-quality content or a sloppy programme. The Going Solo speakers all have first-hand experience with the world of freelancing and solid presentation skills. Meet those who will be the focus of your attention on the big day. This list is of course not final, but presents our confirmed speakers as of writing.

The session descriptions and agenda are on a separate page.

You should really listen to this 30-minute podcast episode with interviews of our six main speakers, where they talk about their experience as freelancers, by our media partner SmallBizPod.

Stowe Boyd

Stowe Boyd has been a blogger since 1991. He’s best known for his writing and coining the the term “social tools” back in 1999. His name is deeply associated with the so-called “social revolution” of the web, working as a freelance consultant in social media. Stowe will share his vast experience on what it is to be a freelancer, discussing the inevitable issues every freelancer has to face along the way. Stowe sees three sides to a freelancer’s job: doing the work, networking and marketing, and closing the deal to get paid for it; the latter being, he thinks, most freelancers’ greatest weakness. At Going Solo, he’ll give priceless advice on the nitty gritty to getting contracts, setting prices, negotiating and managing financial transactions to actually get paid.

Where he lives: San Francisco, USA (which regularly stretches all the way to Europe)
Online: /Message

Suw Charman-Anderson

Suw Charman-Anderson has been self-employed for ten years, first as a music journalist, then as a web designer. Four years ago she moved into the new field of social media consulting, and is now one of the world’s leading European experts. The turning point of her professional career, she says, is when she found her professional peer group through social media, like her blog. Social media has shaped her consulting business, helping companies large and small, from the UK and America to worldwide, to understand how they can benefit from using social tools. At Going Solo, Suw will talk about work-life balance, a difficult thing for freelancers working on the web who don’t know when–or how–to turn off their computer. She’ll give precious advice based on understanding one’s own relationship with the environment and with time.

Where she lives: London, soon in an eco- and cat-friendly house
Online: Strange Attractor

Laura Fitton

Laura Fitton, aka @pistachio, has been a freelance presentations consultant and speaker since 2002 after losing her job. An influential blogger, her thorough analysis and use of the Twitter messaging service thrust her into blogosphere fame and the circle of successful and influential web freelancers about about a year ago. Noting that Twitter was a revolutionary way to get business going, Laura thinks networking and taking care of one’s peer group is of the greatest importance. Laura will share her experience and tips for doing so at Going Solo, using online services such as Yahoo! Live, Qik or Seesmic to help freelancers keep in touch with their clients and peers, and of course, the importance of going to IRL events like conferences.

She plays ice hockey, practices Ashtanga yoga and is also a stroke survivor interested in raising awareness. In previous lives she has been a rock climber, blue-water sailor, freelance journalist, world traveler and environmental researcher/activist.

Where she lives: Greater Boston, with two toddler daughters and two very large Leonberger dogs
Online: Pistachio Consulting

Dennis Howlett

Dennis Howlett is a full-time blogger on enterprise software and a former international tax IT partner for a British firm of Chartered Accountants. An expert on tax and financial issues, he has been working as a freelancer for most of his life which allows him to live in Spain and enjoy the sunshine, even if his clients are elsewhere. At Going Solo, Dennis will discuss the complexities of accounting and money management facing the international soloist (taxes, pension). He’ll explain the European taxation system and how to managing billing across countries, considering terms of invoicing and tax rules. Dennis will also provide information on different online services that can be of great help to managing your freelance business.

Where he lives: Spain, where there are 300 days of sun a year
Online: AccMan

Martin Roell

Martin Roell runs a one-person consultancy helping organisations, groups and people become more effective and innovative. His first consulting gig was at age 17, when he advised American companies on optimising websites for European users. After going to university, founding (and failing with) an Internet Startup and working as an employed IT project manager, he went solo in 2001. In Germany, many people know him as “the business weblogging guy” as he was one of the early people talking and consulting about using blogs in business.

As a professional speaker, he talks about the impact of the Internet on management, business and life.
He advises and coaches entrepreneurs, other consultants and people starting up as freelancers. He gives seminars on consulting and selling consulting services.

Where he lives: Dresden, Germany
Online: roell.net

And, it seems I should also include a few words about myself here (as I shall be speaking a bit, after all):

Stephanie Booth

Stephanie Booth, Going Solo organizer, is a full-time social media consultant and speaker specialized in topics such as teenagers’ safety and multilinguism on the web, corporate blogging and social networking. Having worked as a soloist for a couple of years, Stephanie Booth has realized that technical abilities aren’t all it takes to be successful as a freelancer: in fact, a freelancer must learn how to be efficient, to fix realistic rates, to deal with stress and to acquire administrative skills.

With Going Solo, Stephanie takes her career a step further: organizing an international conference on a topic that’s close to her heart. This one day conference emphasizes many problems that a freelancer has to solve and the knowledge one must have in order to become a sucessful soloist. In addition to organizing the conference, she will also moderate a panel.

Where she lives: Lausanne, Switzerland
Online: Climb to the Stars

Stephanie Troeth

Stephanie is a strategist in the fuzzy realm where interaction and technology overlaps, and often a cat herder of multiple-talented teams across different cultures and disciplines. Currently, she works at Further Ahead, a web development and accessibility consultancy based in Ottawa, Canada. She is also the interaction technical lead for the Wuntoo Project, where she heads up a team of freelancers. As a part-time freelancer herself, and also someone who is responsible for hiring other freelancers according to project needs, she has a lot to share on the world of the soloist — from the inside and outside. For almost a decade, she has been actively involved in grassroots organizations for advocating best web practices through community leadership, education and public speaking — most notably through the Web Standards Project. She is invited at Going Solo to take part in the panel dedicated to the community oriented dimension of a freelancer’s work.

While it seems unlikely, her true passions are for music and the arts, poetry, literature, good food, good wine, good scotch and all such other things that make life worthwhile.

Where she lives: Montreal, Canada
Online: unadorned

Linda Broughton

Linda Broughton works for Leeds Metropolitan University as Head of NTI, working with digital and creative companies in and around her region to provide specialist vendor training including Apple, Adobe Red Hat and Zend courses. In 2006 NTI moved in to a newly renovated building, Old Broadcasting House, formerly the home of the BBC and now home to Leeds’ first coworking space. The opening was marked by the hosting of Leeds’ first Barcamp, and now hosts twelve members who use the space regularly. Linda has worked with local groups including GeekUp and Open Coffee to develop the offer which complements other services available to freelancers and startups in and around the city, with fantastic technology and social spaces which give it the wow! factor.

At Going Solo, Linda will be invited as a panelist to share her experience growing a coworking community, and other offline initiatives which bring soloists together.

Where she lives: Leeds, UK