My mentee, as a journalism student, is about to take over the world. To publish stories, to get known. I wish I had someone to mentor me as I started, I might have made better informed decisions.

From help with selling an article, to setting up a business plan and designing a website. I’ll be keeping track of my mentee on a monthly basis. Hopefully at the end of this mentoring programme, which is in October, she will be able to start her own business in journalism. With a list of publications to proof.

EvN Media believes in entrepreneurs, people who are willing to take a chance and are not going to wait for a job and get stuck in an office. Adventure awaits. EvN Media promises to mentor at least one student a year who wants to grow his or her entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. They might one day make for good, healthy competition!

How do you set up, create and sustain a professional network? How do you pitch a story, find new clients and keep in touch?

Other topics involve the Chamber of Commerce, paying tax and insurances. The students also make a number of assignments, they have to write a freelancer profile, make a business plan and visit a media cafe to network with fellow journalist.

Its necessary to teach students about being a freelancer in these financially messy times and to be able to survive on their own.

Guest speakers

We also have a number of guest speakers and so far we welcomed: Tom van der Leij, Bas Maliepaard, Sander Zurhake, Herman Spinhof and Ilvy Njiokiktjien who all shared their experiences in the freelance world.

Take a look at the slideshows of the first 2 lectures here and here. Please note that there are in Dutch.

Awesome book

Also, without the ‘Handboek Freelancen 2008-2009‘ from Tijs van den Boomen and Wilma van Hoeflaken it would have been impossible to explain tax and administrative issues. The book is now required for each Freelance student in my class.