Deliberate Freelancer

Today’s guest is Kelly McSweeney, a content marketing writer. Kelly works from her home office in Massachusetts with a small dog by her side. She has been a self-employed writer for nearly eight years, with clients that include research institutions, big tech companies and marketing agencies. Kelly explains cutting-edge science and emerging technology to intelligent, curious audiences. In recent years, she has added writing video scripts and moderating webinars to her services, which is today’s topic. In this episode, we talk about:  The micro services freelancers can provide as a part of the video creation package.  How Kelly learned the unique style of writing video scripts.  How script writing is more collaborative and creative than writing articles. The length of projects and time involved.  The different types of videos.  Working with a video producer (whether freelance or from an agency).  How to charge and the challenge with a longer pay cycle.  What to consider when creating the scope of work.  How t

Today’s guest is Annemie Tonken. Annemie lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She has been a professional photographer since 2010 and is the owner of Megapixie Photography. She also teaches creative entrepreneurs how to run profitable, sustainable businesses they love, by focusing on how they can develop helpful business systems and strategies. And, she’s the host of a business podcast for photographers called This Can’t Be That Hard and the creator of the Simple Sales System, which is used by thousands of photographers worldwide to create in-person sales-level income and service in an automated way.  In this episode, we talk about:  How she became a photographer and later focused on family photography.  How a surgery left her income and business vulnerable — and she vowed to change that.  Her lightbulb moment that led to her membership program.  Why we should think creatively about the business side — and not just the creative services we provide.  The importance of listening to the challenges many of your

Today’s guest is Abby Nieten. Abby lives in the Indianapolis, Indiana, area, with her husband and three sons. A year ago she launched her freelance business, Shining Waters Editorial, where she is a copy editor and proofreader specializing in business content and nonfiction manuscripts.  Abby also recently launched a monthly newsletter called Stream of Confidence, which is for authors, writers and other business professionals who want to create and publish content that impacts other humans. It offers a steady stream of encouragement, inspiration, connection and quality assurance tips to help you publish your work with confidence.  In today’s episode, Abby and I talk about: How a layoff led to her freelancing career.  Feeling undervalued and burnt out in the corporate world.  How she prepared for freelancing while still working full time.  How she’s getting clients. Trying to figure out pricing.  Four pivotal lessons she’s learned over the past year.  Why she wishes she had taken a break between

Today’s guest is Brionna Ned, a former big-law lawyer and in-house counsel for tech companies. She is now a legal educator and a writer. Her company, The Everyday Lawyer, is a legal education and consulting service for small business owners that provides you with the legal knowledge you need to create solid foundations in your business. She also has a course: Contract Foundations for Freelancers. In this episode, we talk about:  How Brionna went from lawyer to owning a legal education business.  What she loves about her business. The basics of contracts. Why all service providers need a contract — and the reason is probably not what you think.  How to put boundaries in your contract.  Why it’s important to customize your contract and be sure you understand what it says.  What to do if you — or your client — doesn’t want to use a contract.  What to look for in a contract that a client sends you.  How to explain to a client (and really, their lawyer) why certain contract provisions don’t apply to you and shou

On today’s show, I discuss the current state of freelancing, which includes massive layoffs and shuttered clients in the media and tech world. But even if that isn’t affecting you — maybe you’re even having your best year yet — you need to be prepared for the lean times and to set up your business to lessen the risk of feast-or-famine. That includes setting yourself apart, diversifying, always marketing, and more.  Here’s what I share with you in this episode: The number of layoffs in the media industry in the past year.  The hits in the tech industry.  The number of freelancers in the U.S. — the highest number in history.  Should you panic — or investigate and embrace opportunities?  How to be a “futurist” for your industry and why that’s important.  Reflecting on whether your skills need to improve.  How to set yourself apart from the competition.  How to “bridge” to new projects and services.  Why setting and tracking monthly income goals is crucial.  At least 10 marketing ideas to try right now.  When to

Today’s guest is Jenni Gritters, from Oregon. She is a business coach for freelancers and creators. She’s also a former journalist, and a current writer who runs a small content and community agency called The Riverwoods Media Group. Jenni is the former co-host of The Writer’s Co-op podcast and workshops.  Be sure to check out Jenni’s group coaching program for freelancers, called SUSTAIN. In today’s episode, Jenni shares how she made a massive shift in her business, going from a freelancer; then part-time freelancer while raising two young kids, while her husband was a critical care nurse; then being the primary income earner while her husband took on the primary household and kid duties (and joined Jenni’s business). We talk about all that, but we also talk a lot about building a successful business, from Jenni’s coaching perspective, which I really appreciated and learned from.  In this episode, we talk about:  The many pivots and iterations of Jenni’s business. How, as a freelancer, she carried over the

In today’s episode, I am turning the microphone over to some of you, the listeners. Last fall I asked listeners to share their successful marketing tactics that landed them new clients. Today, eight listeners share their marketing wins with you.  While each unique to the freelancer, there are a few themes. Often, the win originated from something simple, something that might not even have felt like marketing … and yet it paid off.  Building relationships — which I talk about all the time — is also a theme here, as are staying curious and always looking for the opportunities in front of you.  Here are the eight listeners sharing their success stories: Randy Ford Jonna Michelle Anja Lordanić Mustać Cat DiStasio Angela Myers Belinda Grace Fischer Nancy Keaton Pete Croatto Biz Bite: Do an energy audit The Bookshelf: “Northwoods” by Amy Pease Resources: Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee Episode #180 of Deliberate Freelancer: How to Crush Your Fear of Self-Promotion and Get Clients Now, with C.J.

Today’s guest is business coach and author C.J. Hayden, who lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  C.J. Hayden is the author of seven books and hundreds of blog posts, articles, and courses on marketing, self-employment, and productivity. Her bestselling book “Get Clients Now! A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals, Consultants and Coaches” has become the marketing bible for thousands of self-employed professionals and freelancers.  C.J. has been a business coach for several decades now, helping self-employed professionals and creatives thrive. Her newest book is “Overcoming the Fear of Self-Promotion.” Other books include “The One-Person Marketing Plan Workbook” and “50 Ways Coaches Can Change the World.” In this episode, we talk about:  How C.J. helps her coaching clients by being a “thinking partner” How the pandemic changed how we connect with clients Why referrals are the best way to land clients — and how to cultivate a referral network How introverts and shy people can prepare for networking conv

As we wrap up 2023, please consider donating $25 to this podcast. With more than 175 episodes and almost five years of content, I’m sure you’ve received at least one nugget of information or tactic that has helped your business. If so, please consider donating at Buy Me a Coffee. It really helps offset the costs of producing this show. In today’s episode, I’m counting down my top 10 books of the year — 8 were published in 2023. I’ll start with a few of my reading statistics, share my top 10 and a few superlatives, and give you a heads-up about a few books coming out in 2024. Please enjoy, my fellow bookworms!  And join us in the Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group, where we’ll be talking about our best and worst books of 2023!  I don’t want to spoil where my top 10 books fell in the list, so the following books are ones I recommended during this episode, plus superlatives and upcoming releases. Books mentioned in this episode: Nonfiction: What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Inves

It’s the end of the year! On today’s show, I give a recap of my fourth quarter (hint: things are looking up!) and then a recap of my entire 2023. What goals are you setting for yourself? Do you set an annual income goal or a word of the year? What are you most excited about for 2024 in your business? And what do you need to work on? Join me and fellow listeners in the Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group to share your plans and ideas with each other!  This is the last business-focused episode of 2023. Next week will be my Top 10 books of the year for all you bookworms. I’ll also give a few superlative awards to books I read this year and list some fiction and business books coming out in 2024.  Then, I’ll be on hiatus in January. I plan to return with new episodes in February.  Here’s what I share with you in this episode: How much I earned in Q4 My big win for Q4 How many hours I worked each week on average in Q4 How much I earned in 2023, compared to my goal The surprises I discovered when I evaluated who

On today’s show I share my thoughts and answers to commonly asked questions I hear from freelancers of all levels and in all industries. These are questions that seem to come up time and time again. There is no one right answer, and each question may have different answers depending on the service, the client and so many other variables.  That said, I hope my answers to the following questions help you and allow you to make a decision that is supportive of you as a freelance business owner.  In this episode, I address these seven questions: How do I get steady clients? Do I need headshots? Do I need a website? (Do I need XYZ for my business?) How do I figure out a day rate? I have a client who is so critical of my work! They have tons of edits and comments. This can cause multiple rounds of editing. What do I do?  My client owes me several thousand dollars. How do I get them to pay me?  My client included XYZ in their contract. How do I push back?  How many hours should I be working each week as a full-time

Listeners, I need your help! Please contribute to an upcoming episode: Email me a voice memo of you describing a specific marketing tactic you did that landed you a client. Provide your name and helpful details of what you did that might have been unique or persistent that worked in securing new work. Email it to me at melanie@meledits.com to be considered for a future episode that will include tips from other listeners. Thank you! Today’s episode is from my other podcast, Association Station, where I interview people who work at and with membership associations about a topic related to content, publishing and media.  Many of the Association Station episodes may be relevant to your work too since the main focus is creating strong content. But today’s episode, in particular, is relevant for anyone who creates content — this conversation can help us both in the content we create for our freelance business and the content we create for our clients. We can also learn how to be advocates for less harmful, mo

Listeners, I need your help! Please contribute to an upcoming episode: Email me a voice memo of you describing a specific marketing tactic you did that landed you a client. Provide your name and helpful details of what you did that might have been unique or persistent that worked in securing new work. Email it to me at melanie@meledits.com to be considered for a future episode that will include tips from other listeners. Thank you! Today’s guest is Ericka Andersen, a freelance writer living in Indianapolis. She is the author of two books and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Good Housekeeping, Christianity Today, and more. Ericka coaches writers on how to make a living as freelancers and also how to improve their article pitches to land big bylines.  In this episode, we talk about:  Why Ericka became a freelance writer. Lessons Ericka learned as she improved her freelance business. How Ericka balances higher-paying anchor clients versus the more crea

Listeners, I would love your help! Please contribute to an upcoming episode: Email me a voice memo of you describing a specific marketing tactic you did that landed you a client. Provide your name and helpful details of what you did that might have been unique or persistent that worked in securing new work. Email it to me at melanie@meledits.com to be considered for a future episode that will include tips from other listeners.  On today’s show, I share five questions to help you wrap up your year to create a “fresh start” in January. I explain the difference between these five questions and larger questions to ask yourself later in a solo business retreat to set up your year for success. The five questions are: What do I need to do now to line up work in January?  What do I need to do to wrap up the year?  Do I need to raise rates or fire anyone?  Where do I need to improve my marketing and networking? How much money did I make this year? Biz Bite: Front-load your week The Bookshelf: “Wandering Souls” by Ce

Today’s guest is Wudan Yan, a narrative writer and independent journalist from Seattle. Wudan is also host of The Writers’ Co-op, a podcast, online community and learning academy for freelance creatives. In this episode, we talk about:  The different ways to define an “anchor client.” Why and how Wudan is rethinking the concept of an “anchor client.”  How the current economy is affecting freelance creatives.  The importance of “offboarding” clients. How to turn current clients into anchor clients.  The importance of building and maintaining business relationships.  Why Wudan and I charge mostly project rates. How Wudan pushes for project rates in service areas that are traditionally paid by the hour.  Why now is the time to start planning for January and the rest of 2024.  Biz Bite: Do a business audit now at the end of the year Resources: Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee The Writers’ Co-op Register for the November 29 “The 2023 Business Refresh with The Writers’ Co-op” Linktree landing pag

It’s time for my analysis and reflection on how my third quarter of the year went.  Here’s what I share with you in this episode: The many ways tracking my time helps my business.  How I use Freshbooks and Toggl to help me analyze my progress.  The steps I use to analyze my quarter:  Calculated how much I invoiced for that quarter. Counted how many clients I worked for.  Used time tracking data to see how many hours I worked on average each week.  Did the math to see how much I earned per hour on certain projects by dividing the project rate by the hours it took to complete. Reflected and analyzed. The amount of money I earned in Q3 and how it compared to Q2 and my goals.  How a delayed Indiana vacation derailed my schedule. How many clients I had in Q3 and the types of clients they were. How much I earned on certain article assignments.  Anchor clients versus rock steady clients versus confetti clients.  How I landed several of these clients.  How was your third quarter? Have you hit your annual revenue

On today’s show I discuss how I think about freelance “dealbreakers,” which aren’t only the red flags I’ve noticed over time but also may simply be quirks of my personality or assumptions I’ve made.  Here’s what I share with you in this episode: Rethinking “strategy” and whether saying “I don’t do strategy” is holding me back. What I learned from Ed Gandia’s thoughts on strategy. Why I like to create “bridge” projects. How I’m rethinking some of my more stubborn dealbreakers.  How some dealbreakers are in my head and only cause me to beat myself up for not sticking to them.  How you can evaluate your dealbreakers and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Biz Bite: Set a single goal for your day The Bookshelf: “In Light of All Darkness: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America’s Child” by Kim Cross Resources: Help out Marvel artist Thomas Tenney via GoFundMe.  Episode #166 of Deliberate Freelancer: Smart Advice from the Content Byte Summit Connect with Melanie on Threads @MelEdits_DC C

This month, I am celebrating 10 years of full-time freelancing! I can’t quite believe it’s been that long, but I’ve loved nearly everything about it. 10 years of freedom!  Here’s what I share with you in this episode: What the freedom of freelancing has meant to me and what it has allowed me to do. How I now realize I was never cut out for a desk job.  How I adapt my work schedule around my life schedule.  The freedom of not having to deal with the drama of a workplace! At least three lessons I learned as a freelancer.  A few things I wished I had done sooner as a freelancer.  Biz Bite: Make it easy for clients to find you! The Bookshelf: “Lone Women” by Victor LaValle Resources: Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee Episode #1 of Deliberate Freelancer: Change Your Mindset: You Own a Freelance Business Episode #29 of Deliberate Freelancer: 3 Big Financial Changes I Made This Week Episode #18 of Deliberate Freelancer: How to Set Higher Rates Episode #9 of Deliberate Freelancer: The Money Lessons

Today’s guest is Brian David Hall. Brian is a fellow freelancer who lives in Alabama. He focuses on website strategy for B2B clients. Specifically, he works on conversion optimization, which basically means trying to improve the experience of potential clients going to your website.  Brian is the author “Your Website Sucks, Here’s How To Fix It,” and he has run hundreds of experiments across dozens of websites, which has generated millions of dollars in incremental revenue for his clients.  In this episode, we talk about:  How having a website can bring in clients.  Why a blog can be helpful to attract clients.  Common website mistakes and how to fix them.  It’s time to improve my website — where do I start?  How to use a five-second test to evaluate the usability of your site.  Go through your site on mobile like a client would to make sure it’s easy to navigate.  How to do a heat map analysis.  How “hallway usability” testing can be helpful.  Biz Bite: Work with other people in a co-working session online

On today’s show, I analyze how the second quarter of the year went for me. It’s delayed because of my summer hiatus, but the “delay” doesn’t really mean anything to listeners — just think of it as “how these three months in a row went.” Learn how many clients I had, how much I earned, and how many hours I worked.   Here’s what I share with you in this episode: A quick update on a project I talked about in Q1. A sneak peek into something I figured out for my health in Q3.  What was a huge mental health game-changer for me in Q2.  How many clients I had and how much money I earned in Q2.  Why cash flow is critical (hint: an issue with a significantly delayed payment). How many hours I worked per week on average in Q2 — and how that compares to past quarters.  Two examples of how time tracking was helpful in Q2.  Biz Bite: Use templates for everything.  The Bookshelf: “Reef Road” by Deborah Goodrich Royce. Resources: Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee Melanie’s other podcast, Association Statio