Being Freelance

Bhavini didn't want to be freelance. When she came back from maternity,  her role was no longer available and so she had a choice: retrain or take voluntary redundancy.Bhavini took the redundancy and started out with one freelance client. When the work kept coming in - mostly through friends and family on Facebook - she soon fell in love with the flexibility.She chats to Steve about finding clients, building a website and social media presence, protecting her family time and learning to say no to the work she doesn’t enjoy. This episode is kindly supported by With Jack!With Jack help keep you in business by supporting you financially or legally if you have problems with a client.Get the freelance insurance you deserve.Visit withjack.co.uk and be a confident freelancer. Love learning from other freelancers like this? Check out the website beingfreelance.com, be part of the Being Freelance Community!You'll also find useful links for this episode. That's beingfreelance.comLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freela

Previous podcast guest John Espirian (friend of the show), joined us for a Live Q&A in the Being Freelance community in May.John is widely known for his “Relentlessly Helpful” approach and he was indeed very generous during this chat. As a content marketing expert and self-confessed LinkedIn nerd, John answered questions from the community around building a personal brand, making quality connections on LinkedIn, and finding ways to do more with the content you’ve already spent time and energy creating.John’s book, Content DNA, contains a handful of building blocks that will help you define the unique “shape” of your business and then build an online presence around it. It’s available now.Huge thanks to John for his time and generosity! JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get

Sarah’s been freelance for more than twenty years now and she says it’s taken her “a damn long time” to get to where she is. She’s gone from saying yes to everything and trying to do it all herself - including raising two children as a single parent - to taking herself seriously as a business owner and finding boundaries, balance and a way to do more than just survive.These days, after turning fifty, Sarah gives herself Fridays off and outsources the jobs she doesn’t enjoy. She works from the gym (when we’re not in lockdown), where she breaks up her day with exercise and feels energised by the buzz of people around her.In her book, Survival Skills for Freelancers, released recently in June 2020, Sarah shares the biggest lessons she’s learnt about working for yourself without burning out.The book has been voted as the next Being Freelance Book Club read for summer 2020, so come and join us in the community to read along. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Gold Stag Accounts.Plain talki

Ross started freelancing on the side of a full-time agency job back in 2013. Fast-forward to today and he’s running his own agency that employs over a dozen people.Ross was living in his parents’ basement in Nova Scotia when he began building up a roster of small, local clients. Over time, Ross’s portfolio grew to include Fortune 500 companies and some of the fastest-growing startups in the world.He chats to Steve about how he found clients in the early days, how he’s built his reputation and business, and how he manages his personal brand alongside that of his agency. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Gold Stag Accounts.Plain talking, friendly, freelance accountants. Masters of Xero, FreeAgent and Quickbooks, they love to help freelancers get their finances sorted.Set up a free chat today at goldstagaccounts.co.uk/beingfreelanceLove learning from other freelancers like this? Check out the website beingfreelance.com, be part of the Being Freelance Community!You'll also find useful li

After she hit the ten-year mark in her freelance career, Marge took a step back to reassess. She hired a business coach and began reflecting on her values, her ideal clients and the way she structures her time.In the process, she discovered the power of choice. The choice to work with clients who share her values. To take a month off every summer. To start a second business that fills a creative hole.Marge chats to Steve about what she learned from that period of reflection and the changes it brought it about. She also talks about her joint side project, Museum Freelance, and the work they’re doing to support and lobby for freelancers in the Arts and Heritage sector. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Gold Stag Accounts.Plain talking, friendly, freelance accountants. Masters of Xero, FreeAgent and Quickbooks, they love to help freelancers get their finances sorted.Set up a free chat today at goldstagaccounts.co.uk/beingfreelanceLove learning from other freelancers like this? Check out

Steve began learning his craft in 2008 and took it professional in 2011. His ambition, back then, was to build a name for himself as an action sports photographer in the world of Parkour (freerunning).Depsite knowing there wouldn’t be much money in it, Steve gave it a go anyway.And he invested his time into a second niche, too. Calling on his background and contacts within the food industry, he began shooting for restaurants and then built his portfolio as a food photographer from there.He explains how he presents the two sides of his work online in a way that appeals to both types of client. He also talks about finding work, figuring out what to charge and trying to move on from Instagram and YouTube. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Gold Stag Accounts.Plain talking, friendly, freelance accountants. Masters of Xero, FreeAgent and Quickbooks, they love to help freelancers get their finances sorted.Set up a free chat today at goldstagaccounts.co.uk/beingfreelanceLove learning from ot

Rafal taught himself design and started freelancing around his schoolwork at age 16. When he moved from Poland to the United States at 18, and with zero contacts and no design qualification, he landed a full-time job as a developer.Rafal progressed within the company, designing for some of the biggest websites and blogs out there, all while continuing with freelance work on the side. Until, eventually, he left the job to focus on his business and his personal brand full time.He formed a small agency with friends later, before leaving because his days were filling up with project management tasks rather than design work.These days, Rafal’s running a one-person design studio (with help from assistants and other specialists) and selling digital products and courses. “It’s not for everyone,” he says. “But don’t quit too soon. Give yourself a chance to see what’s really out there.” This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Gold Stag Accounts.Plain talking, friendly, freelance accountants. Masters

Eman was working as a production assistant at a local TV station when she realised she wanted to write. She began applying for jobs while at the same time setting up her business and brand.Eman took a job offer and became the communications manager at a charity. A necessary experience, she says now, even though the commute was a killer and she barely saw her young son.These days, Eman’s found her own version of work-life balance after leaving the 12-hour days behind. She’s building on the skills she picked up in that first writing job and investing in herself with courses, mentorships and a mastermind.She chats to Steve about how her freelance career has developed so far, sharing plenty of practical tips along the way. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Gold Stag Accounts.Plain talking, friendly, freelance accountants. Masters of Xero, FreeAgent and Quickbooks, they love to help freelancers get their finances sorted.Set up a free chat today at goldstagaccounts.co.uk/beingfreelance Lov

Christian spent the best part of two decades working in agencies before eventually going freelance. He’d had a couple of trial runs before but this time he wanted to do it properly.To Christian, that meant bringing in his own clients rather than setting up in the corner of an agency.And it’s working.These days, Christian gets most of his work via social media or word of mouth. He talks about taking a slow approach where the focus is on building relationships.He also chats to Steve about working at home with his wife (a fellow freelancer), collaborating on projects, and finding balance (by riding around on tractors every Friday when he volunteers at the local nature reserve). This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Gold Stag Accounts.Plain talking, friendly, freelance accountants. Masters of Xero, FreeAgent and Quickbooks, they love to help freelancers get their finances sorted.Set up a free chat today at goldstagaccounts.co.uk/beingfreelance Love learning from other freelancers like this?

Lina spent a year working at an agency before going to design college. When she did, the agency offered her a first freelance client - the United Nations, Sweden.She picked up other freelance work while studying and soon founded a feminist communications agency with a friend, bringing together a network of freelancers for shared projects.A year out of college, Lina went freelance full-time on her own. “I like having my freelance life and to be free,” she says, though she still manages team projects now, as and when it suits her.She chats to Steve about the speaking gigs that make her anxious for weeks, the time she nearly hit a wall from working too much, and the community she created for women and non-binaries within the creative industry.  Love learning from other freelancers like this? Check out the website beingfreelance.com, be part of the Being Freelance Community!You'll also find useful links for this episode. That's beingfreelance.comLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance vlog - YouTube.com/Steve

Reuben left the life of full-time employment behind when he jumped in a van and started chasing athletes around. He’d graduated from photography school during the 2008 financial crash and, with no apprenticeship or staff job, he was finding his own way, meeting new people as he went along.He talks in detail about how he found work and clients at the beginning and now, including through networking, pitching, making a film and forming a production company with other freelancers.Reuben also talks about managing the seasonality of his business given that skiing, his specialist area, is a winter sport, and how he manages his cashflow and boosts his income as a result. Love learning from other freelancers like this? Check out the website beingfreelance.com, be part of the Being Freelance Community!You'll also find useful links for this episode. That's beingfreelance.comLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance vlog - YouTube.com/SteveFollandWho the hell is Steve Folland?You know how everyone bangs on about how po

When Kingsley landed a job as a creative director, he learned the business skills he’d need to make full-time freelancing work the next time around.After two and a half years, the freelance work he’d continued to do on the side was taking over.The second time Kingsley freelanced for Nike, a dream client, he realised “I can’t stay in this job any longer. I just want to be home, focusing all my energy on creating the best artwork I can for things like this.”Kingsley talks about the organic way his business grew through Instagram and word of mouth, the solo exhibition he hosted in 2017 that got him the gig with Nike, and how he landed the BBC as a client.He chats about enjoying client relationships, working from home, making time for his own work, and shares his personal motto: to give 100% on everything he’s working on and “double the outcome” each time he does something new. Love learning from other freelancers like this? Check out the website beingfreelance.com, be part of the Being Freelance Community!You'll

After the agency she worked for lost its major client, Helen took her first business full time. Later, when she found herself “slogging away not making enough money”, it was time for something new.Next, she set up her second business, a marketing and PR consultancy, and since then, she’s found a niche in coaching entrepreneurs to write authority-building books.Helen does some ghostwriting, too. She says she always dreamed of living a portfolio lifestyle. She enjoys the variety.She chats to Steve about finding success with LinkedIn marketing and reflects on her experience of making the “classic freelancer mistake” of undercharging. Love learning from other freelancers like this? Check out the website beingfreelance.com, be part of the Being Freelance Community!You'll also find useful links for this episode. That's beingfreelance.comLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance vlog - YouTube.com/SteveFollandWho the hell is Steve Folland?You know how everyone bangs on about how powerful video and audio content ca

Paul finally took the plunge and went freelance five years ago, with a solid 18-month gig lined up but no savings. With a young family to think about, it was a big decision.These days, alongside his consultancy work, Paul produces a weekly podcast, runs an annual conference and hosts a Slack group. He talks to Steve about how each drives new business for him and how he manages his time with so much going on.This is Paul’s second time around in business. The first left him with a sense that no matter what happens, everything will be okay. Tune in to hear what he’s learning this time around. Love learning from other freelancers like this? Check out the website beingfreelance.com, be part of the Being Freelance Community!You'll also find useful links for this episode. That's beingfreelance.comLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance vlog - YouTube.com/SteveFollandWho the hell is Steve Folland?You know how everyone bangs on about how powerful video and audio content can be? Yeah, well Steve helps businesses ma

Nadieh was working full-time when she launched a personal project with a friend. They documented the process closely, sharing in-depth blog posts that explained the hows and whys behind their decisions. Six months later, Google reached out to them and became a first client. And so Nadieh’s freelance story begins.She talked to friends, read books, got an accountant and started putting herself out there. She kept sharing those in-depth blog posts and soon started speaking at events.“I’m not a person that does sales,” Nadia says. Instead, she shows what she can do and hopes that people who like it will get in touch.And it’s working for her this far. Tune in to hear her story.Love learning from other freelancers like this? Check out the website beingfreelance.com, be part of the Being Freelance Community!You'll also find useful links for this episode. That's beingfreelance.comLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance vlog - YouTube.com/SteveFollandWho the hell is Steve Folland?You know how everyone bangs on abo

Iain’s in his fifth decade now and freelancing for the second time around. During his first stint, he painted blackboards for pubs, restaurants and shops. He started from scratch with a small portfolio and went door-to-door until he’d built a full-time business. And then, in 1996, Iain moved to Copenhagen with his Danish girlfriend.These days, he’s designing graphics, websites and illustrations for clients who usually find him via Google. He runs a couple of side projects around his business and tries to enjoy the Danish culture of “working very hard but also making sure they take time off.”For Iain, that means no work on Monday mornings. “It reminds me that I have a choice,” he says.Iain chats to Steve about how he taught himself on Lynda.com, built up his website, learned to work better with clients and found time for personal projects. This episode of Being Freelance is supported by Coconut.Coconut is the ultimate accounting and tax tool for self-employed people.  With expense tracking, receipt capture, in

Hash landed his first freelance gig by accident while he was still a student at uni. It’s seven years later now and he’s never looked back. He got some studio space from that first client in return for the odd bit of work, and through word of mouth and meeting people, he was able to build up his contact list and bring in a steady flow of work.Hash has learnt as he’s gone along, bouncing back from mistakes to keep pushing forward. “When it comes to freelancing,” he says, “It’s a marathon, not a race.”He’s worked on plenty of side projects during his time freelancing, including a guide for new freelancers, and he says “You’re only as good as your portfolio. Putting stuff out there that you believe in and that you want to create is so important.” This episode of Being Freelance is supported by Coconut.Coconut is the ultimate accounting and tax tool for self-employed people.  With expense tracking, receipt capture, invoicing and tax all in one easy-to-use app, Coconut gives you the power of a finance team in your

Sara started freelancing in 2018 after she was laid off from a VP of Marketing role in Silicon Valley. Since then, she’s relied on her network and word of mouth referrals to keep the work coming in.When she’s not working for clients, Sara spends her time doing standup comedy. As well as gigging regularly, she’s spoken at the SXSW conference about the links between standup and marketing and how practising standup comedy can make you a better marketer.She chats to Steve about finding balance, working from home, managing her time, and how she combines both of her ventures - comedy and marketing - on just one website. This episode of Being Freelance is supported by Coconut.Coconut is the ultimate accounting and tax tool for self-employed people.  With expense tracking, receipt capture, invoicing and tax all in one easy-to-use app, Coconut gives you the power of a finance team in your pocket. Free yourself from business admin at getcoconut.comLove learning from other freelancers like this? Check out the website be

Matthew left uni in 2009, right after the financial crash. Ready to find a way to combine his love for music and games, he started freelancing immediately, picking up small projects and commissions, getting involved with whatever he could outside of his full-time job. But it wasn’t until 2016, after he was made redundant, that Matthew went freelance full-time. He had plenty of good contacts and some work in the pipeline, and things snowballed from there. As his clients grew so did he, and he began picking up referrals the more he got his name out there.He doesn’t have plans to grow his business to be any bigger than him. He simply wants to be a good craftsman, he says, and he’s very happy that he’s able to provide for his family while doing work he loves. This episode of Being Freelance is supported by Coconut.Coconut is the ultimate accounting and tax tool for self-employed people.  With expense tracking, receipt capture, invoicing and tax all in one easy-to-use app, Coconut gives you the power of a finance

What if you could find a mentor who’d teach you everything they know for free?That’s exactly what happened for Melinda when she connected with Chris Do, founder of online education platform, The Futur.After talking one on one and realising they could learn from each other, Chris invited Melinda to co-host a series on his YouTube channel, where they’d talk about the real-life issues she was having as she tried to build her freelance graphic design business.Melinda realised that she needed a brand just like the clients she was designing for, and through her on-camera coaching sessions with Chris, she learned how to grow that brand and her business along with it.She found community, got confident with social media, launched a newsletter, started a mastermind group, and began teaching what she knows through content, workshops and coaching sessions. This episode of Being Freelance is supported by Coconut.Coconut is the ultimate accounting and tax tool for self-employed people. With expense tracking, receipt captur