Portrait of a freelancer - Michel Bouchard
<p>Portrait of a freelancer - Meet inspiring self-employed people who chose to make a living out of independent work. Through a very human perspective, discover their story, and the uniqueness of their lifestyle & challenges.</p>
<p><img alt="Image blog Momenteo" class="aligncenter size-full" src="http://blogmanagement.momenteo.com/Content/blog-img/20190312122550105pigiste.png" /></p>
<h3><strong>Who are you and what do you do?</strong></h3>
<p>My name is Michel Bouchard and I am an SEO specialist at REmédia. I help my customers create their brand content and improve their results on the internet. Our agency main tasks are to build and create content for websites, blog articles, product descriptions, as well as managing Google tools such as My Business and Analytics.</p>
<h3><strong>How did you become self-employed?</strong></h3>
<p>In 2014, my partner and I have had to go through an important mourning period. Since I had left my Ph.D. studies a few months earlier and teaching opportunities were scarce, I wanted to try entrepreneurship. I wanted to create something positive. REmédia then became the project where I gathered all my writing, web and creativity skills. I like to believe that we are the geekiest SEO team located on the east side of the province of Quebec (or of the universe, depending on whom I am talking to!)</p>
<h3><strong>What is the most challenging part of self-employment?</strong></h3>
<p>The biggest challenge I am dealing with is the lack of time for our own projects. Work never really stops! Fortunately, it is better now. I am currently learning to keep me some time to work on my agency own content. </p>
<h3><strong>Which aspects do you prefer as a self-employed person?</strong></h3>
<p>Discover my customers' projects and meet other self-employed people. The Thursday morning Rimouski BNI meetings are also a good example of what motivates me in business. I also like to think that our success depends on the success of the people around us. All these amazing collaborations with other businesses from our region help me be more self-confident.</p>
<h3><strong>Describe your daily work routine.</strong></h3>
<p>I am, maybe even too much, a routine person. I wake up, I prepare coffee, I turn on my computer, and my day begins. Before I go to bed, I make a to-do list for the next day and send my last e-mails. The only things that break up my routine are meetings and my trips to the grocery store. Since my main office is at home, I provide myself with a change of scenery by going from times to times to La Station, the coworking place in Rimouski. Most of my meetings with customers take place there or at a coffee shop.</p>
<h3><strong>What are the online tools you could not live without?</strong></h3>
<p>I obviously use Momenteo for my accounting. My main management tasks go through Podio. Regarding my work tools, I use LinkAssistant’s SEO Powersuite for my SEO analysis and follow-ups, as well as Microsoft Office Suite for my regular tasks. I certainly use Google tools like Trends, Ads, and Analytics too. If I have a community management project, I mostly use Trello in order to create a publication calendar. Social media are also regular work tools.</p>
<h3><strong>How did you hear about </strong><strong>Momenteo</strong><strong>?</strong></h3>
<p>I started using Momenteo in 2016. I was then looking for a Quebec solution for my accounting when I found Momenteo on a Facebook group. After trying it, I liked its simplicity and its effectiveness. The possibility to receive online payments also helped me to gain precious time.</p>
<h3><strong>What makes </strong><strong>Momenteo</strong><strong> unique?</strong></h3>
<p>It is its simplicity. Everything is easy and accessible, there are even functionalities I have not explored yet. Its price is attractive considering all the included tools.</p>
<h3><strong>How do you find new customers?</strong></h3>
<p>Rimouski BNI helped me a lot with my business. Besides being in contact with motivated business people (to wake up at 6 am all Thursdays for a business meeting makes me a more disciplined person!), the group helped me evolve as an entrepreneur. Otherwise, web marketing is also a good way to find new customers. As I work in inbound marketing, I try to be a good example.</p>
<h3><strong>What would you say to someone who would like to become a freelancer?</strong></h3>
<p>Don’t think about it too much. According to projects, you do not always need a complete business plan, a sophisticated market study, an astronomical capital outlay or grandiose ideas. However, it is no good dreaming: self-employment and entrepreneurship are unstable, bewildering, and sometimes very stressful. It never stops, even when we sleep! Some say that you need to have an appetite for risk but I would rather say that you need to have an appetite for being on your chair, work and develop a project, and then deliver it. As we say, ‘’under promise and over deliver’’. I think it is the best philosophy to have as a business person in order to meet lasting success. You need to become essential for the good reasons to a certain extent.</p>
<h3><strong>Any projects for 2019?</strong></h3>
<p>As always! Our new website should finally emerge soon (we need to take some time for us!) and many of our customers have projects that are evolving too. I also hope to continue to consolidate the business relationships I have with my partners. The collaborative approach has been very fruitful up to now and I would like to continue this way. It happens more and more to help students write their university application or their resumé so they can find a job. I admit that as a former teacher it is something I would like to develop more.</p>
<h3><strong>How can we contact you?</strong></h3>
<p>I can be easily reached by e-mail at <a href="mailto:michel@remediasolutions.com">michel@remediasolutions.com</a> or by phone at 418 725-0270. You can visit our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/remediaseo" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/remediaseo" target="_blank">our Twitter</a> or our website: <a href="https://www.remediasolutions.com" target="_blank">https://www.remediasolutions.com</a>.</p>
<p><br />
</p>