Because I Can Do The Job, Not Because I Need A Job

​Since I announced my intention of seeking a seat on Princeton Town Council I haven’t had much in the way of negative feedback. So far, most everyone I have come in contact with since my January 1st announcement has been supportive. Clearly they feel I can do the job. But there are a few who don’t quite understand my motivation and I hope to clear that up here.
 
I Am Already Working Full-Time
 
Just over two years before we closed our newspaper office I started a home-based business. I thought I could make an extra income with part-time freelance writing. It’s a pretty common choice for those of us who have worked in the Media because it is a natural transition. I started writing for a couple of clients in Australia and the United States in January 2014.  
 
The work I started doing online was basic. I was providing product descriptions for eCommerce sites as well as blog posts for bloggers. Yes, you can get paid for this kind of work and it didn’t take long for me to build a small stable of regular clients. But because we still had the newspaper (Similkameen News Leader) in operation, I kept my freelance work quiet and small scale.
 
When my wife, Brenda, and I decided to cease publication of the paper in July 2016, she had already established a home-based business of her own. It is called JamBusters! and many locals have seen us vending Brenda’s home-made canning and preserves in and around the region. We started vending JamBusters! seriously in the Summer of 2016 after our paper closed.
 
The Job I Have Is A Work-From-Home Employment Opportunity
 
My freelance writing had grown to the place where I was ready to expand into full-time ghostwriting and did so in September 2016. I gained several more clients and was hired on to write for two different digital marketing firms. Between JamBusters! and my freelance work we were probably going to be able to continue to enjoy the lifestyle we had created here.
 
Both Home-Based Businesses Boomed
 
In 2017, both of our hobbies had finally transitioned into full-time employment. JamBusters! vending dates increased to where we spent over 50 days of the year selling Brenda’s products. By year end we had sold in excess of 1,300 jars of jams, jellies, salsas, relishes, chutney and assorted other preserves that Brenda created under the JamBusters! brand name.
 
My ghostwriting saw a shift in clients with some dropping out and many new ones coming on board. By early 2018 I had clients I wrote for on a regular basis in 40 different countries in the world. My workload had ballooned to between 80 and 100 writing jobs completed per month. That’s about 100,000 words of copy monthly for websites and blogs all over the world.
 
Why Am I Running For Town Council?
 
Well, it’s most certainly not because I need a job. In fact, that is the furthest thing from my mind. My freelance work and the vending business that I help Brenda with pay all our bills. That was what we were hoping was going to happen when we converted our hobbies into full-time home-based businesses. We feel very fortunate to have had such success with our ventures.
 
I am running for Princeton Town Council because I believe I can use some of my business sense – and common sense – to help with pushing Princeton into the future. Don’t get me wrong, I have no preconceived notions. We need a team of individuals sitting on Town Council who are like-minded and have skills to bring to the table to forge a future for the community.
 
If you think I have the skills that you believe the next Town Council requires, then I would be happy if you supported me on Election Day. I already have a full-time job. But it is from that full-time job I have learned many skills that have enhanced my 40-years of Media Marketing and Advertising experience. On October 20th, you get to pick who you want to move Princeton forward. That is a fact. The Election results are completely controlled by you. The choice is yours. If you feel I can contribute in some way, then thank you for your support.