Diem Co-Founder Emma Bates on Human-Centered Technology and The Power of Female Communication
ABOUT THE EPISODE
In today's episode of WorkParty, Jaclyn is joined by Emma Bates, founder & CEO of Diem. If you attended Create & Cultivate's Austin Pop-Up event earlier this year, you might've already heard from Emma on one of our panels where she spoke about women paving the way with blockchain technology.
If you're not familiar with Diem, it's a community-powered search engine designed for women. Diem is a Techstars NYC portfolio brand backed by leading investors like Flybridge, Acrew, & Sellation. By trade, Emma is a marketer and a community builder. Her entry into marketing was somewhat untraditional–in that she started out by growing her personal blog to 100K+ readers at age 19, and later transitioned into corporate marketing roles at some of the fastest-growing consumer brands in NYC and the UK. Prior to founding Diem, she worked as the Head of Global Marketing at the direct-to-consumer luggage brand, Away, where she found her passion for connecting with consumers through brand partnerships.
When she's not sidestepping her way into another entrepreneurial endeavor, she works to create social change as a lifelong advocate for gender equality. Emma has also been featured in Forbes, HuffPost, Entrepreneur, and The Cut for her unique approach to marketing, community building, and partnerships.
In this episode, she shares the importance of adding a human element to technology and product design, the power of female communication, and how she's working to bring inclusive, reliable information to people all over the world.
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C&C Pro Tip: How to Get Paid as a Freelancer (and Know Your Worth)
And communicate your value with confidence.
Photo: Smith House Photography
Why does talking about money make people uncomfortable? It’s something we all need. We spend it on a daily basis. We always want more of it. So why is it that talking about it is seen as taboo?
When it comes to your professional career, the first thing you’ll want to get over is any fear or discomfort you have when it comes to talking about money because guess what? Your boss or client is only going to pay you what they think you think you’re worth. They didn’t teach you that at university, did they?
When you’re a freelancer, how much you get paid is up to you and the only way you’re going to continue to put money in the bank is if you’re comfortable talking about it. For today’s Pro Tip, I’m going to share tips for how to communicate your value.
Why It’s Important
Understanding your value is important because it helps you enter into conversations knowing what you and your potential client should work towards together.
Remember, freelancers and clients create a circle: You should be getting as much value out of the relationship from working with them as they are getting from hiring you.
Beyond the quantitative factors in establishing value, qualitative factors like expertise, convenience, and reliability also play a vital role.
Consider adding to your value if any of the following apply to you:
You specialize in a high-demand field or in a particular area not many people are experts in
You can provide something to the client no one else can (i.e. You have a direct line of contact to a company they’ve been trying to pitch, you can translate copy into different languages saving them money on additional services, etc.)
You create convenience by knowing exactly what to do and getting the job done quickly
When it comes to the quantitative aspect of value, research what full-time employees who do what you do get paid annually. Then take the added value you provide and use this hourly rate calculator to determine a rate that embodies the value you know you can bring and that makes you excited to do good work.
The Scenario
(For this post, I’ll create a common scenario and break down the best way to communicate a clear and effective message.)
You’re on a call with a potential client and have decided this is a project you’d like to work on. It’s perfect for your expertise and it would help progress you and your business forward. The scope of work is challenging but you’re up for the work ahead. The client expresses she would love to work with you and asks you how much it would cost to complete the tasks she’s outlined.
Say this:
“This is a project I’m excited to work with you on. I would need to take time to evaluate everything we discussed to determine how many hours I’d need to complete these tasks. With that in mind, is there a particular budget you have for this project?”
Don’t say:
“I can do this for $X-amount and have it to you by next Tuesday.”
The Breakdown
While it’s always nice to show enthusiasm, the last thing you want to do is be quick to commit yourself to a number or deadline without knowing all of the details. It’s important to determine your client’s budget so you can realistically state whether this is an opportunity you’re able to take on.
When I’m on a call like this, I’m adding hours up in my mind as the scope is discussed so at the very least I’ll have a ballpark of how much time it the project will take. If I know that a project will take at least $2,500 of my time to complete but they only have a $1,000 budget, I can confidently communicate on the call that the budget they have isn’t enough to support the value I can bring.
If you find yourself in this situation but still want to work with the client, try communicating the following:
“That budget may not be able to support the amount of time I’d need to dedicate to this project but I’d still love to work together. Would you be willing to add more for the right person or consider reducing the scope of work? I can put together what I’d be able to accomplish for that amount if it would be helpful.”
If you find yourself in this situation but the budget they have isn’t something you’re willing to work with, say this:
“I’ve really enjoyed learning more about this project but that budget isn’t enough to support my value and the amount of time I’d need to complete this project. I’d be happy to look into my network and recommend someone else who may be a good fit and hope there’s an opportunity for us to work together soon.”
Turning down an opportunity might seem like a hard concept but the jobs you turn down are just as important as the ones you take on. This messaging establishes your value in a professional way and if the client really wants to work with you, they’ll either find more budget or reach back out for something bigger and better in the future. This also keeps you available for an opportunity that will be able to afford what you can bring to the table.
What financial situations have you found yourself in that you wish you had communicated better?
About the Author: Audrey Adair is a seasoned freelance communications professional and founder of The Scope—a platform providing resources and community to freelancers and the self-employed. Connect with The Scope on Instagram and join their email list to receive your free resource, The Freelancer Starter Kit.
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This post was originally published on April 9, 2019, and has since been updated.
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3 Unexpected Ways Self-Expression Can Help You Achieve Your Career Dreams
It’s all about communication.
Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels
As we move further into the 21st century, communication is becoming more diluted, reliant on technology, and devoid of actual human interaction. Whether in personal relationships or in the job atmosphere, nowadays we often communicate using the evolved version of AOL Messenger: relying heavily on emojis, text messages, and assumptions. But all of these are inefficient ways of conveying a clear message.
Though communicating through emojis may be acceptable with your BFFs, in the workplace, it’s a bit different. Your career persona is the direct result of the words you use. Maybe you’re seeking a raise that will truly make you feel valued at the job you love, or you’re ready to take your big idea to the next level and want to secure an investment from a venture capital firm. Whatever your current career goal, the result you desire is on the other side of powerful, efficient, and effective communication.
Implement the following tips into your conversational conversation at work to make your career dreams a reality.
Speak with authenticity.
Speaking authentically is the most powerful way to communicate, because there’s no conflict with our intrinsic being. In your most authentic state, you will be able to clearly communicate why you deserve a raise, why your idea will fulfill your purpose as a human being, and get others to see the potential of your dream.
Ask yourself the following questions to reveal the authentic answers that will support you in moving powerfully in your conversation:
“What do I want to accomplish through this conversation?”
“What is my purpose?”
“Is this idea in alignment with my beliefs and the organization's goals?”
Be vulnerable with your ideas.
By choosing vulnerability, the message you communicate is not colored by the thoughts and opinions of others. You’re able to confidently expose your ideas and beliefs, which in turn gives others on your team the permission to contribute and expand upon them.
Through your vulnerability, other people feel empowered to act on what fulfills them and is consistent with who they truly are. This creates a connection that will lead to tangible results that grow the organization and accomplishes the greater goal.
Ask yourself the following questions to remain vulnerable in your communication:
“What am I firm believer in?”
“Why does this matter to me?”
“How can the contribution of others help me win?”
Get curious.
By choosing curiosity, you allow listening to be a major part of your communication. Through listening, you allow others to share their valuable ideas, thought processes, and opinions while giving yourself the opportunity to learn something new. Curiosity is the place where a feeling of empathy becomes alive, results become possible, ideas become tangible, and success becomes inevitable.
Ask yourself the following questions in order to expand your knowledge and develop your ideas:
“How can my idea become better?”
“What don’t I know that others may know?”
“If this idea is to become successful, what is the possible overarching impact on me, my team, and the world?”
What’s possible when communication is clear, concise, and curious?
Everything that you have in life is the result of your communication. The things you dream of, the ideas you cultivate, and the tangible results you create become real through the profound ability to express yourself, make clear requests and convey a concise, yet powerful message. When used effectively, you can enroll others in your ideas and create the relationships that will take your businesses to the next level.
“Communication - the human connection - is the key to personal and career success.” - Paul J. Meyer
About the Author: Sarah Harrigan is a Confidence & Relationship Expert and the founder of Design My Vibe, an international life coaching & events service that helps individuals accomplish their personal & business goals through mindset transformation. Through one-on-one & group events, she helps aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs get off the beliefs that are preventing them from reaching higher heights. She frequently writes about confidence, relationships and effective communication for today’s leaders.
This post was published on March 24, 2019, and has since been updated.
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