Episode 127 - Entrepreneurship and Leveraging Freelance Talent with Sandra Reimer

In this episode of "The Real Bottom Line," host Wendy welcomes Sandra Reimer, an experienced entrepreneur and founder of CoLabourNation. The discussion delves into the nuances of entrepreneurship, storytelling in marketing, and the burgeoning world of freelance talent.  

Key Points:

• The Evolution of Storytelling: Sandra discusses how storytelling in marketing has evolved with new tools, stressing the need for authenticity and considering the audience's perspective.
• Launching CoLabourNation: Sandra explains her motivation for starting CoLabourNation in 2020, driven by her desire to help others leverage their strengths in entrepreneurship. The platform focuses on connecting freelancers with business owners.
• Challenges in Hiring Freelancers: The conversation shifts to the challenges business owners face in hiring freelancers, such as finding trustworthy talent and understanding their own needs.
• Vetting Freelancers: Sandra details her process for vetting freelancers, looking for continuous learners with aligned personal and professional interests to ensure a perfect match with business owners.
• The Rise of Freelancing: The discussion touches on the increasing trend of freelancing, attributed to individual desires for meaningful work and the challenges businesses face in hiring full-time employees.
• Final Advice: Sandra advises entrepreneurs to understand their strengths, identify energy-draining tasks, and consider hiring freelancers to focus on high-value activities.

About Sandra Reimer:

Bio:

Sandra Reimer is a dynamic Marketing Matchmaker, adept at connecting overwhelmed business owners with top-tier Canadian freelancers. Her venture, CoLabourNation, is pivotal in accelerating success for entrepreneurs by facilitating outsourcing in marketing and administration. With a rich experience spanning two decades, Sandra has carved a niche in helping world-changers articulate their narratives as a freelance communication strategist. Her influence extends to her roles in co-organizing Communitech’s Future of Work & Learning Peer-to-Peer Group and serving on the Conestoga College Entrepreneurship Collective Advisory Board as a Freelancer Evangelist. Her work with startup founders through Boundless Accelerator and Innovate Niagara showcases her commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial talent.

Her Story:

Sandra's entrepreneurial journey began 20 years ago as a writer, editor, and communication strategist. Initially handling both content creation and design, she soon realized that her strength lay in storytelling, not design. This epiphany led her to collaborate with a graphic designer, enhancing the quality of her services, client satisfaction, and her ability to sell these services. This experience was Sandra's first lesson in identifying and focusing on her highest value activities - tasks where passion, performance, and pay intersect.

As she honed her skills, Sandra expanded her collaboration with professionals like website designers and other writers, embodying the essence of technicians collaborating to boost revenue. Gradually, she shifted towards higher-value work, embracing the roles of manager and CEO by hiring virtual assistants for administrative tasks. This evolution in her professional identity was crucial in freeing her to focus on areas where she excelled.

Three years ago, Sandra embarked on a new venture with CoLabourNation, leveraging her expertise to match business owners with freelancers skilled in marketing and administration. She understands the challenges entrepreneurs face, such as being trapped in technician roles or needing skills outside their expertise, particularly in the increasingly complex field of mark