Ep #127 Navigating Self-Employment and Personal Promotion with Trevor Nielsen -Founding Designer at Kleo

Hey Listener,I'm excited to share my latest conversation with Trevor Nielsen, the design mind behind the popular Chrome plugin for LinkedIn: Kleo. Listen now on Apple and Spotify.Trevor's journey from a traditional nine-to-five job to successful self-employment is inspiring. This episode dives deep into the nuances of personal branding on LinkedIn, designing a fractional design career, and being a founding designer for Kleo, which just launched its pro plan. **Trevor’s LinkedIn**Building Kleo - Fueling Success for LinkedIn Content CreatorsIn our discussion, Trevor shares his experiences of replacing his previous income post-layoff and nearly doubling it with strategic client work. He's also developing Kleo, a tool designed to assist regular LinkedIn users to get more active on LinkedIn.Highlights:00:00 Starting Content Creation for Personal Branding00:44 Transition to Freelance and Building Kleo01:36 LinkedIn Personal Branding and Self-Employment Wins02:42 Journey from Layoff to Self-Sustaining Business04:16 Challenges and Epiphanies in Freelance Work08:31 Consistency and Strategy in LinkedIn Posting19:26 The Importance of Content Creation and Overcoming Barriers23:47 The Myth of Creativity24:37 Connecting Ideas for Niche Markets25:34 Content Creation and Audience Engagement26:26 The Power of Video Content27:36 Building a Personal Brand31:34 Leveraging Community and Feedback41:29 Final Thoughts and TakeawaysListen now on Apple and Spotify.Building a Sustainable Career PathTrevor has created a blueprint for freelancers who aspire to build a sustainable and rewarding career path by diversifying income streams while working on passion projects. His insights into balancing side hustles and main gigs highlight the importance of planning and perseverance.Highlights include:💪 Trevor’s tactical steps in creating a stable income stream post-layoff🔥 The exponential benefits of engaging consistently and meaningfully on LinkedIn✌️ The vision behind Kleo and its potential to transform how creators interact and grow on LinkedInActionable Takeaways1. Embrace Client Work as a Core Commodity: "Client work should not be viewed as supplementary to a full-time job but can be structured to be full-time through strategic partnerships." - Trevor Nielsen Action Tip: Methodically assess part-time opportunities to ensure a stable recurring income, equating to a traditional full-time salary. Prioritize recurring partnerships for stability.2. Utilize LinkedIn for Personal Branding: LinkedIn isn't just a job board. Developing your personal brand through consistent posting and interaction can open doors you never expected. - Trevor NielsenAction Tip: Start posting regularly. Begin by sharing insights from your professional journey, and gradually engage with your network by commenting on posts and joining relevant conversations. The highest impact is providing relevant comments on the people’s posts you follow. Post for exposure and comment for opportunities. 4. Transform Setbacks into Opportunities: “Following the layoff, I turned to freelancing, redefining my career and turning what could have been a setback into a successful voyage of self-employment.” – Trevor Nielsen Action Tip: In career transition or upheaval, view unexpected changes as opportunities to pivot and innovate rather than setbacks.Thank you for tuning in, and I hope you glean as much insight from Trevor’s journey as I did. Best,Caden [email protected] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wayofproduct.com