The free webinar, “The Business of Me,” on being an entrepreneurial journalist, originally took place June 4-6, 2013. | The Reynolds Center also sponsored a three-hour session at the NABJ Conference in Orlando, July 31, and at the Excellence in Journalism Conference in Anaheim, Aug. 24. Check out that conference-specific presentation below. Whether you’re working in a mainstream news organization or striking out on your own with a blog, news site or freelance business, we’re all media entrepreneurs these days. In this three-part webinar, learn how to brand and market yourself and to pitch your ideas, plus understand the basics of financial and time management. Identify five next steps to advance your career as an entrepreneur. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN How to: Turn your idea into a business Brand yourself and project your worth Pitch your idea Build a community of followers Find funding Manage your time and finances AGENDA: The Business of Me DAY ONE: What’s your brand and your business idea Who are some journalists who have made the leap to being entrepreneurs? How to turn your idea into a business — What IS my idea? Is this a “business”? What resources exist to develop a business plan? Branding yourself — What is my expertise? How can I use the Web and social media to establish myself as an expert? Determining and projecting your worth — How to use Web analytics to track your reach online. DAY TWO: How to pitch your idea How to pitch your idea — Perfecting the elevator pitch, finding contacts and how to connect with others. Exercise: Volunteers practice pitching followed by group critique. DAY THREE: Nuts and bolts of building your business Building a community/following online Financing your business: How do ad networks, crowdsourced funding and alternative ideas work? Managing your time and money — How do you balance a full-time job with outside work, plus keep up with the records for your business? Discussion: Identify five things to do to advance your career as an entrepreneur. YOUR INSTRUCTOR Mark S. Luckie started a new job in June 2012 as Twitter’s creative content manager for journalism and the media. He left a position as the social media editor for The Washington Post. He founded the 10,000 Words blog in 2007 and sold it to Mediabistro in 2010. SELF-GUIDED LESSON Check out the session materials below for helpful tips on charting your entrepreneurial path — from pitching and branding to selling and funding. PowerPoint presentations The Business of Me at EIJ The Business of Me at NABJ Day One: What’s your brand and your business idea? Day Two: How to pitch your idea Day Three: Nuts and bolts of building your business For more information about training for business journalists, please visit businessjournalism.org.