Deliberate Freelancer

Today’s guest, Jennifer Goforth Gregory, is a six-figure freelance content marketing writer who has firmly embraced the business mindset. Jennifer, who wrote the very useful and praised book “The Freelance Content Marketing Writer,” will only work with clients she deems nice. And she trusts her gut to figure that out. She also looks at each potential client as a partnership between equals, not as if she’s applying for work. It changes the dynamic, showing she’s in demand and that she can be choosy. And it leads to working with only the best clients. Learn how she does it and how you can implement these tactics in your own freelance business. SHOW NOTES 2:44 Learn how and why Jennifer became a freelance content marketing writer. 4:58 Connections really matter, Jennifer says. And being nice and helping other freelancers helps you also, besides being the right thing to do.  7:00 It’s important to know when a client or project is not the right fit. Look for the red flags and trust your gut feeling. 9:40 Jennifer

Stop hustling. Stop flying by the seat of your pants. Host your own solo business retreat and take a step back to analyze your business and where you want to go—and how you can get there. SHOW NOTES 3:14 Where to hold your business retreat. 4:26 The supplies you need for a retreat. 5:13 Why you need a retreat agenda. 5:40 Six things you can consider doing during your one-day business retreat. 12:36 Biz Bite: Apps Learn why you need to download your bank’s app and the Tripit app right now. 14:18 Future episodes will have special guests! Resources: My blog post: How You Can Create Your Own Solo Business Retreat 

You are uniquely brilliant. It’s time to laser in on that brilliance and make THAT the focus of your business. When my workshop coach drew a simple quadrant on a piece of paper, I changed a huge part of my business and began outsourcing parts of my life. SHOW NOTES 6:01 How to use a simple quadrant on a piece of paper to determine your incompetence, competence, high competence and unique brilliance. 8:24 Why hiring a house cleaner can be the greatest gift you give yourself and your business. 12:15 How hiring someone to take care of my yard helped my business. 14:13 Why I fired four clients I liked. 23:44 Biz Bite: Scheduling your social media posts. Be diligent about scheduling social media posts—and consider enlisting a virtual assistant to help you. Resources: My blog post: How I Got to Know Myself Better—and Improved My Freelance Business  

I believe that freelancers can only succeed when you embrace a fundamental fact: You are a business owner. Stop thinking of yourself as “just” a freelancer. Say goodbye to the hustle and the feast-or-famine cycle. Instead, build a business. SHOW NOTES 1:01 The dream of being a freelancer vs. the reality. 3:29 Four fundamental beliefs I have about being a freelancer. 4:20 Learn more about me, your host, Melanie Padgett Powers, and how I got started in this career. 7:05 Six pillars the Deliberate Freelancer podcast will focus on. 9:54 Why you need to think and act like a business. 13:32 Biz Bite: Reading. Learn how to find time to read more, and end your day in a more calming manner.