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

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"If you live for weekends & vacations, your shit is broken" Interview w. Gary Vaynerchuck

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Skip Your Career Fair Blog post 4 or 4

Wow! On Monday night Feb 25th I finally got a chance to do a phone interview with Gary Vaynerchuck for his 1 day interviews he is doing. I only came across him just shy of a year ago but after reading both his books, watching countless keynotes and videos and reading all his posts, he has changed the trajectory of my career, the way I create social media marketing strategies and why I started the Niche Movement.

Now this is my final post in the Skip Your Career Fair series and college students LISTEN UP - this is the core of innovative career exploration and what the Niche Movement is all about. I'm keeping this post short because the 12 minute interview backs up everything 18-25 years olds need to hear and DO! Here are 3 highlights from Gary's interview:

1. “If a place doesn’t make you happy, start looking. They’re going to be working more than anything else in their life, be happy while you’re doing it.” - This is exactly why I started the Niche Movement - the average American is going to work more than 98,000 hours in your lifetime. Find your niche and be happy.

2. “Between the age of 16-22 take 2 summers working for the person they most want to be like and work for free” - This is Gary's response to how college students and recent grads can stand out from their peers and set themselves apart from the pack of applicants.

3. “You don’t have to settle, find the right place for you” -I've said this in 2 other blog posts, but it is 2013 - go out and do what makes you happy. Whether you create your own niche in your current company, pave a way in your internship or follow your own dreams and ideas go do it and don't settle.

Without further adieu, here is my talk with Gary - enjoy!

Kevin O’Connell, Founder – The Niche Movement

Bring the Niche Movement to Campus or to your company to help train your students, interns or new hires and staff. We work with you to host your next workshop, keynote or training.

Engage with the Niche Movement - Facebook - Twitter

I'm a student leader graduating soon.

If you are reading this and are a college student or a recent graduate within the last two years think about the type of company culture you want to be a part of. Apply to be part of the first Niche Movement Cohort where we will work with your niche and discover employers that have jobs that you want. Applications due March 3rd.  

I work with student leaders.

If you are reading this and work with student leaders that you want to help land a job they love then share The Niche Movement with them.

I already found my niche, am part of a great company want to tell my story.

We are in the process of matching up a curated young talent pool with featured curated jobs and internships. If you want to host your job, help us recruit and place new hires, let's talk. And if you happen to stumble upon The Niche Movement and you already found your niche then share your story. Or we can help you recruit top, talented college who by helping you create appealing job description, screen candidates and host internships or jobs on our website.