Kevin O'Connell
My 2021 Goal: Mental Health - My Story of ...

Because the last several months have been some of the most difficult for me. I truly would describe it as surviving instead of thriving.

My main goal for 2021 isn’t to train for some brand new Ironman race or achieve some lofty professional or financial goal. While I have set some fitness and financial goals for myself, they are the top of the priority list.

To get it out there in the open my main goal and top priority next to being a husband and father: my mental health.

Right before the holidays I was officially diagnosed with depression with a side of anxiety and mounting, overwhelming life stressors.

Just how bad was it?

My 2021 Goal: Mental Health - My Story of Depression and Anxiety 
Kevin O'Connell, small business, Entrepreneurship, life advice
Kevin O'Connell
Goodbye 2020: My Year of Changes, Transitions, ...

As we take time to reflect on this past year, with all its ups and downs, we want to thank you for continuing to support us and for showing up for your community. Because of you, we were able to fund our first ever scholarship program, and we awarded four Black Creative Students scholarships to students from all over the country. This year, we were also able to publish 26 new blog posts, had 10,400 page views, added and featured 4 new contributing editors, hired and on-boarded a super creative new social media, Greer Blount, and offered our first writing internship to Maggie Barbour who created and published 10 posts in less than 12 weeks.

It's been an eventful year for out team, and to close it all off, TNM founder Kevin O'Connell is sharing his thoughts on 2020, dealing with change and transitions as a new dad and entrepreneur, and finding new approaches for 2021. Keep reading for Kevin’s end-of-the-year message!

Goodbye 2020: My Year of Changes, Transitions, and Identity
Entrepreneurship, Jaylene Perez, Kevin O'Connell, Maggie Barbour, small business, career advice
Maggie Barbour
Best Tools and Resources for New Freelancers

Working freelance may sound glamorous at first, but those who've been doing it for a while know it takes hard work. Getting your business off the ground isn't easy and sometimes it means juggling various projects all at once, but it also has it's benefits - I mean you are your own boss after all!


This week, writing intern Maggie Barbour asks The Niche Movement's Editor-in-Chief Jaylene Perez and founder Kevin O'Connell, both of whom have experience in freelancing, what it really takes to make it work.

Read on for Jaylene and Kevin's best practices when it comes to finding clients, marketing your services, settings rates, and more!

Best Tools and Resources for New Freelancers
career advice, Maggie Barbour, Kevin O'Connell
Maggie Barbour
Top Skills Every Creative Needs

For all those in pursuit of professional development, this week we're taking a look at which skills you'll want to brush up on depending on your specific industry. Whether you're a freelancer, marketer, entrepreneur, or work in another creative role, you'll want to read up on what will make you and your work really shine.

Tap below for the full post!

Top Skills Every Creative Needs
Maggie Barbour, Greer Blount
Maggie Barbour
How to Job Search During a Pandemic

Job searching is a tough task on its own, and job searching during a pandemic... well we know it's not easy. You'll have to be flexible, know how to network and market yourself, and really hone in on what it is your looking for as you search for the right fit.

To find out what can help you land your dream job, keep reading!

How to Job Search During a Pandemic

new year

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Prioritizing Growth and Taking Risks in the New Year

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Prioritizing Growth and Taking Risks in the New Year

As we prepare to enter 2019, The Niche Movement team took some time to reflect. We give you tips and tricks for finding your niche all year long, but the New Year is a special time to celebrate accomplishments, to goal set, and above all to relax. Our Social Media Intern Jaylene Perez took the time to write about taking risks. Jaylene urges the Niche community to pause in the hubbub of the holidays. Take a beat. Use the extra time to consider how far you've come in 2018—even if the growth is hard to see right now.

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Goal Setting Guide: How to Make and Keep Goals in 2019 (Podcast)

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Goal Setting Guide: How to Make and Keep Goals in 2019 (Podcast)

According to U.S. News & World Report, 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by the second week of February. (We know, not exactly what you wanted to hear). In this podcast episode, we confronted the 80% statistic head-on and broke down what successful goal setting looks like. The Niche Movement Social Media Intern Jaylene Perez and The Niche Movement Founder Kevin O’Connell got together to talk through their fumbles and triumphs when it came to personal goals, career goals, and even mental health.

In-Demand Careers for 2018

In-Demand Careers for 2018

In the last three months, I have given a lot of thought about what trends and in-demand skill sets will be needed to succeed in 2018. Working for myself, I constantly think about new ways to innovate, stay ahead of the competition and understand the critical skills that I need to learn to stay relevant.So, here are five in-demand skills that you may want to consider to help you make a career pivot, become an asset in your current job, or add a new skill to our portfolio. Each skill is presented in why it’s important, what brands or organizations are investing in this skill, where you can learn it, and what type of jobs/salaries you can expect.

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New Year, New You, New Niche

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New Year, New You, New Niche

What is it about New Year’s resolutions? The mark of “Day 1” on a fresh, empty 365-day calendar seems to evoke a sense of newness and possibility within us. We chart out the New Year with high hopes of finally losing those ten stubborn pounds, tucking away 10% of our paychecks into a savings account, and adapting a healthier, more well-rounded lifestyle.   

- Rachel Tulipano