Clients From Hell Podcast
From one of Tumblr's most popular blogs and straight into your earholes, join Clients From Hell editor Bryce Bladon and a rotating panel of guests. The Clients From Hell podcast is equal parts humorous and helpful as it explores the landscape for creative professionals, providing insights into survival and exploring the future of the self-employed.
The difference between playing in the garage and playing in an arena is one of finding your audience. Sure, you can stay in your garage and have your mom tell you you're great, or you can get out in front of a crowd and find out what they like.
On today's episode, Brent Weaver of uGurus.com explains how a creative freelancer can apply this insight to freelancing, by getting out there and finding the right clients for you, sharing the same strategies that have helped hundreds of consultants get ahead with with host Kyle Carpenter. Check it out!
Today's links:
- https://ugurus.com
- https://ownyourmarket.com
- email brent@ugurus.com for the Field Guide!
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
The difference between a "freelancer" and a "consultant" is very fine. In many ways, it's just a shift in philosophy, but it can yield great dividends because clients view the two very differently.
On today's episode, host Kyle Carpenter talks with Michael Zipursky of Consulting Success, who has been coaching agencies and solopreneurs to building the consulting businesses they want for over a decade. He shares his steps for becoming a successful consultant, and they key difference in approach that separates one from a freelancer!
Want to get more advice from Michael? He's giving away his book for free at his website. See the links for more details!
Today's links:
- https://www.consultingsuccess.com
- https://www.consultingsuccess.com/act-now-consulting-book
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Working from home is the new reality, and with it comes a very, VERY sedentary lifestyle. Without having to leave your house to do anything, it's easy to fall out of fitness and into new health problems.
Personal trainer Adam Bradley works with artists and creative workers one-on-one, offering personal consultations about how to keep in shape in ways that work for you. In today's episode offers host Kyle Carpenter some tips about how to stay healthy while working from home, and his philosophy of why exercise shouldn't be a shame-based chore.
Today's links:
- https://www.adambradleytrainer.com
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Whether you're a designer, a programmer, an illustrator, or a writer, if you work for yourself you are on some level a project manager.
It can be a full-time job keeping yourself in a full-time job, and chances are you're wasting time and losing money in ways you haven't even noticed yet. But don't worry - Marcel Petitpas of Parakeeto makes a living by helping agencies and solopreneurs make the most out of their jobs, and he shares his strategies for effective project management with host Kyle Carpenter this week!
Topics include how to track time EFFECTIVELY, strategies for keeping your clients on track, and how to price so you don't lose money with every new project!
Today's links:
- https://parakeeto.com
- https://parakeeto.com/blog/category/the-agency-profit-podcast/
- https://twitter.com/Parakeeto
- https://www.instagram.com/getparakeeto
- hhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/18166538/
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
For many of us, crowdfunding holds a certain magical allure. It's the silver bullet, the golden ticket, the decision that can change EVERYTHING... IF we can get it together to finally put together that dream project.
For Nalin Chuapetcharasopon, crowdfunding is a part of every day. That's because she runs Crush Crowdfunding, a consultancy that helps businesses succeed on platforms like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo. She talks with host Kyle Carpenter about why freelancers absolutely SHOULD be thinking about how to get a product crowdfunded - and why it's not as easy as you might think.
Topics include: early adopters, crowdfunding strategy, and how to start building crowdfunding buzz BEFORE you debut!
Today's links:
- https://crushcrowdfunding.com/
- https://twitter.com/crushcrowdfund
- https://www.instagram.com/crushcrowdfunding/
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
If you've ever written a detailed, thoughtful proposal only to have a client glance at it and reject it right away, you know that having to describe the work you do EVERY TIME you do it is exhausting.
Kai Davis solved this problem by turning his services into products with set prices! In today's episode talks with Kyle about the advantages of this approach, how to get started with it, and how to use it to make more money on the same amount of work!
Today's links:
- https://kaidavis.com/
- https://productizedoffer.com
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
We're all going through A LOT right now, and it's not always easy to stay on track with your business, or even your creative practice. In this week's episode, host Kyle Carpenter speaks with illustrator and designer Ben Lee about what creative life looks like during the pandemic, and even what it means to be creative when the world is, you know, basically on fire. It's a frank and kind conversation that grapples with topics we're all facing, in one way or another!
Today's links:
- http://yellowrant.com
- https://twitter.com/blee412
- https://www.instagram.com/yellowrant/
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Alison Grade wrote The Freelance Bible because she saw her students develop skills in their field and then take their first, tentative steps towards running their own business... and not know what to do. At all.
One of the key problems for new freelancers and anyone having to pivot because of COVID-19 is not recognizing that the SOFT skills they have - i.e. the ones you didn't go to school for - are sometimes even more important than those you actually trained for. She walks Kyle through her process for finding out what your business direction should be!
Today's links:
- Alison Grade
- https://twitter.com/Alison
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-grade-b172
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0241399483/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
If you're in the habit of combing job postings, you might have come across your dream job, got excited, applied and then... didn't hear back. Nothing. Not one peep. Even though you know in your heart you were the perfect fit for that job, and it was perfect for you!
The solution to this all too common experience isn't a "killer cover letter." It's showing clients that you're the right fit for the job BEFORE it even goes to the posting. That means being proactive, and making relationships with clients before they even know they need you.
Return guest Ami Sanyal of The Uncommoners Club walks Kyle through his surefire method for forming relationships with clients and making them your mentors in order to get the jobs you want. If you've never listened to the Clients From Hell podcast before, listen to this one: it could change your career!
Today's links:
- https://megcumby.com
- https://twitter.com/AmiSanyal
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/cpyvr
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
You can be great at what you do, but if you can't convince your clients that you are, you're not going to get the jobs you want.
That's why getting outstanding testimonials is so important to a freelance business! Testimonial consultant Meg Cumby joins Kyle to discuss the key to getting FANTASTIC testimonials from your clients. HINT: it involves picking up the phone!
Today's links:
- https://megcumby.com
- https://twitter.com/megcumby
- https://megcumby.com/questions
- Check out the book Meg wrote with Kai Davis! https://getclienttestimonials.com
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
It's easy to get bogged down in feelings of anxiety and sadness right now, which makes it a perfect time to look outside and see what you can do for others. That's freelance mentor extraordinaire Alison K's strategy, and she tells Kyle how she's been checking in on her clients for their sake and hers, and how she's using this as an opportunity to work on her business in the ways that she can manage. It's an inspiring talk with actionable strategies about how to continue to grow when it feels like you should just huddle up. Don't miss out!
Today's links:
- https://alisonkconsulting.com
- https://twitter.com/alisonk_consult
- https://clientsfromhell.tumblr.com/post/183898975493/how-to-find-your-helen-alison-knott-and
- https://easel.ly
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
COVID-19 has changed EVERYTHING, including the landscape of freelance work in the world. A team of Clients From Hell All Stars (host Kyle Carpenter, former host Bryce Bladon and site owner, Vernon Southward) meet to take stock of what it means to freelance now, how they're thinking about this new reality, offer actionable strategies for what you could be doing with any extra free time you might have, and what the future might bring.
These are strange times, but you're not experiencing them alone.
Today's links:
- https://brycebladon.com
- https://twitter.com/brycebladon
- https://easel.ly
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
We all want to change the world, don't we? We'd like to leave things better than they were without us, but it's so hard to work full-time and still have energy left for "causes."
That is, of course, unless you make your causes your job. Michael Fraser of Grantcrafty started as a freelance grantwriter for non-profits and now runs a small business, searching out funding opportunities for great causes and providing copy and marketing solutions for them too. He talks with Kyle about how he became an "entrepreneur" (he's uncomfortable with the term) and how he managed to make a successful business out of his values and his community
Today's links:
- https://www.grantcrafty.com
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
You have to suffer for your art. If you truly care about something, you'd do it for free. Great artists aren't recognized in their lifetimes.
We've all heard these ideas, and internalized them to some extent. Duane Jones fights back against them with his clothing and lifestyle brand, Art Pays Me, reminding everyone that what you do, and who you are, has value. It takes courage to turn creativity into a business, and he talks with Kyle Carpenter about why the world will be a better place if more people can get paid for their art.
It's a great and illuminating talk about how to change your mindset towards being the kind of artist who gets paid. Tune in for the REAL difference between art and craft (and believe us - it's the best definition you've ever heard).
Today's links:
- https://artpaysme.com
- https://twitter.com/artpaysme
- https://www.instagram.com/artpaysme/
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
The great thing about remote work is you can travel while doing it. Of course, we all know we CAN, but how many of us actually pull up stakes and do it?
Lynette Adams is a freelance writer and editor who recently wrote an article for The New York Times on housesitting, and how you can build a life for yourself trotting the globe. SPOILERS: it's a lot like freelancing! She and Kyle talk how to build a reputation as a reliable housesitter, what it teaches about client relations, the unexpected benefit of a negative review and most importantly, what it would take for YOU to get up and move across the globe for a few months!
Today's links:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/06/travel/house-sitting-for-beginners.html
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Life is full of changes. One moment you can be a freelancer, the next you can be working full-time for one of the most exciting blockchain projects in the world, and then a freelancer again!
...Okay, that's pretty specific. But that's exactly the journey Bryce Bladon has taken over the last few years, and he joins old friend Kyle Carpenter to discuss his return to the freelance fold, the strategies he's used to hit the ground running, and why knowing yourself is the most important thing you can do for your career.
Today's links:
- https://twitter.com/brycebladon
- http://brycebladon.com
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Making movies is hard. You need to be a combination director, camera person, sound designer, project manager and so much more. To do it successfully, you need to be disciplined with your time and your efforts.
Wes Anthony of Firehouse Creative has been making film and video projects for a diverse set of clients for years now, and he chatted with host Kyle Carpenter about a recent gig that tested his skills and what it took to make his company a success. Topics include remote work, pricing strategies, client communication and more; this is a treasure trove of an episode with great advice for anybody working in creative fields!
Today's links:
- https://www.wearethefirehouse.com
- https://twitter.com/firehouse_ca
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
It will, if we start taking the right steps NOW. Adam Roach and Anya Switzer started LANCE, a freelancing solutions network in Canada in order to start pushing back against the race to the bottom clients want for their freelance employees. They share with Kyle their assessment of the problems freelancers face today and will face tomorrow, how they're trying to get in front of them, and what you can do to make sure that your freelance career remains flexible and lucrative.
Today's links:
- https://www.facebook.com/wearelance/
- https://lance.work
- https://www.instagram.com/creative_diffrences/
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- https://vimeo.com/375153590
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
It's a familiar feeling. You overpromised a client on deliverables and got overwhelmed with work, or family stuff came up, or you hit a wall in the project that you just couldn't overcome. You put it off for a day, then two days, then a week... All of a sudden you're way overdue and you haven't talked to the client in that entire time. Clearly they're furious with you, fuming behind your back.
Or are they? Mike Tanner talks with Kyle Carpenter about the ways we create imaginary relationships with our clients, especially since freelancers don't usually get to talk to them one on one on a regular basis. It's never as bad as you think, for real. Find out how forgiveness is the way to move forward!
Let us know on twitter @clientsfh - do you create imaginary relationships with your clients? Or are you strictly business, with nothing personal riding on your performance? How did you arrive where you are?
Today's links:
- https://twitter.com/oneredcatmedia
- http://oneredcat.com
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
It's the middle of winter, and a massive tree just crashed down on your house. What do you do?
It happened to Cami Travis-Groves, and she knows she did exactly the right thing. She expressed gratitude that nobody was hurt and move on. She brings that attitude to her working life as a designer and as a coach for freelancers, and she shares her tips for how to rise to every occasion and why "work/life balance" is, in her eyes, totally bogus.
As a bonus, listen to host Kyle Carpenter pitch her (unsuccessfully) on why sarcastic positivity can be really helpful for some people!
Today's links:
- http://www.camiimac.com
- https://twitter.com/imaccami
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Do you have an assistant? Should you? Look at what you have to do today; how much of it is what you want your job to be, and how much of it is something you hate to do? What if you had someone who could do that stuff for you, so you could focus on being the designer/programmer/writer you always wanted to be?
Melissa Smith is the founder of the Association of Virtual Assistants and she's of the opinion that everyone growing a business should have an assistant to help them do the things they need to succeed.
Today's links:
- https://associationofvas.com
- https://twitter.com/thepva
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Balancing a passion for art and a talent for business isn't always the easiest, but it can be done. Just look at Julia Kelly, who turned a part-time job doing caricature art into a full-time business that paid her more than accounting work!
In today's episode, she talks with Kyle about the lessons she learned in client management from doing caricature art (hint: understanding your client means paying attention to more than just what they're saying), describes her path forward in a new business.
Today's links:
- https://jkexpressions.com
- https://rigits.com
- https://twitter.com/jkexpressions
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
It's the 21st Century. Chances are you're feeling overwhelmed right now. If you are, listen to this interview with The Freelance Conference's Emily Leach to find her effective strategies for managing overwhelm!
Even better, her tip isn't just "plan better." It's to reach out to people you love and keep human connections in the picture. Find out why this works in this interview!
Today's links:
- https://freelanceconference.com
- bit.ly/FREECONKyleCarpenter
- https://twitter.com/emilyleach
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Don't you just hate talking about money with clients? Either you're quoting WAY too low, or you're putting out a number that makes you feel like an imposter. Either way, talking budget is a source of incredible anxiety for most freelancers.
Unless, of course, you're Ilise Benun. Ilise LOVES having the money conversation with clients, and that's because she's figured out a great trick for making both her and her clients comfortable discussing budget.
It's a simple trick, but it's a mind-blower: she asks "is this a $500 project, a $5000 project, or a $50,000 project?" Find out WHY this amazing trick works in her conversation with Kyle!
Today's links:
- https://www.marketing-mentor.com
- Sign up for more great tips from Ilise at https://www.marketing-mentor.com/pages/quick-tips
- https://twitter.com/ilisebenun
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Client relationships break down. It's a bummer, but it happens. But what causes it?
Wes Jones has been a project manager both with agencies and as a freelancer to know that things deteriorate when communication isn't clear. That's why he wrote the Producer Playbook to help make sure that everyone on a project can be on the same page.
On this week's episode, Wes chats with Kyle about his strategies for managing client expectations and making sure your needs as a freelancer are met. He also shares a surprising tip on how to make sure that you are happy in your business!
We're sponsored this week by Gusto! Manage payroll, taxes and HR from one simple management tool so you can be the boss you always wish you had! Check out their three-month free trial.
Today's links:
- https://twitter.com/wesjonesco
- https://www.wesjones.co/
- https://www.wesjones.co/playbooks/producer
- https://gusto.com/cfh
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Check out Gusto's free three-month trial! https://gusto.com/cfh
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
It's rough out there these days. Sometimes, you have to make your own good.
That's what Maddy Osman was thinking when she created a scholarship for freelancers on her own dime. Not as a way to promote her business, not to train up someone she could work with or profit off of - just to help someone in the way she felt she'd been helped.
In this episode, Maddy and Kyle talk about what it means to give back to the freelance community, and what it means to be altruistic as part of your hustle.
We're sponsored this week by Gusto! Manage payroll, taxes and HR from one simple management tool so you can be the boss you always wish you had! Check out their three-month free trial.
Today's links:
- https://twitter.com/maddyosman
- https://www.the-blogsmith.com
- https://gusto.com/cfh
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Check out Gusto's free three-month trial! https://gusto.com/cfh
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Freelancers everywhere experience the same problems. Deadbeat clients who won't pay their wages. Economic precarity. The knowledge that if you get sick, you might not be able to work enough to pay your bills. There are a lot of opportunities in freelancing, but there are also a lot of fears and dangers.
Much of that danger comes from working alone - but what if you weren't alone? What if freelancers - hear me out - formed a union?
The Industrial Workers of The World (IWW) is a union that formed in 1905 and has a storied history of fighting for workers rights and they recently formed a branch for freelance journalists that could be the first step in adapting the classical union model to the gig economy. In this episode Kyle talks with a member of the union about their goals and strategies, and why you might consider joining in solidarity. After all, if we all experience the same problems, why don't we try to solve them together?
We're sponsored this week by Gusto! Manage payroll, taxes and HR from one simple management tool so you can be the boss you always wish you had! Check out their three-month free trial.
Today's links:
- https://twitter.com/iwwfju
- https://www.iww.org/
- https://gusto.com/cfh
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Check out Gusto's free three-month trial! https://gusto.com/cfh
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Working freelance can be lonely. That was exactly what Julie Cortés found when she started her freelance copywriting business years ago - so she did something about it. She started what has become the bustling KC Freelance Exchange, a freelancer's network that she's taking national.
Julie talks with Kyle about all the reasons you should get to know the other freelancers in your city, and how putting the work in on the exchange changed her life. Let Julie inspire you to get out and connect!
We're sponsored this week by Gusto! Manage payroll, taxes and HR from one simple management tool so you can be the boss you always wish you had! Check out their three-month free trial.
Today's links:
- https://www.kcfreelanceexchange.com/
- https://www.juliecortes.com/
- https://twitter.com/kccopydiva
- https://gusto.com/cfh
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Check out Gusto's free three-month trial! https://gusto.com/cfh
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
What does it take to create a successful business? Are there any tricks? Are people with great products dark sorcerers, or did they just get lucky?
For nearly three years now, Joe Casabona has talked with people who have created successful products, finding out the secrets of getting a business off the ground on his podcast, "How I Built It." In this episode shares what he's learned from countless successful entrepreneurs, discusses an unlikely inspiration, and tells you what you can learn from Game of Thrones about listening to your clients.
We're sponsored this week by Gusto! Manage payroll, taxes and HR from one simple management tool so you can be the boss you always wish you had! Check out their three-month free trial.
Today's links:
- https://howibuilt.it
- https://casabona.org
- https://twitter.com/jcasabona
- https://gusto.com/cfh
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Check out Gusto's free three-month trial! https://gusto.com/cfh
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
We hear constantly that we should "be ourselves" and "be authentic." The only problem is when most people tell us that, they're telling us to be the person they think we are. But that's not what it means to be yourself.
Rachel Presser of Sonic Toad Media couldn't be mistaken for anyone but herself. She makes games and she loves toads, and any encounter with her makes that absolutely clear. She does a great job of recognizing who she wants to work with, and she knows that watering herself down means working with people she doesn't want to work with. She shares her philosophy with Kyle in this week's episode.
We're sponsored this week by Gusto! Manage payroll, taxes and HR from one simple management tool so you can be the boss you always wish you had! Check out their three-month free trial.
Today's links:
- https://sonictoad.com/
- https://twitter.com/nyhcmaven84
- https://gusto.com/cfh
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Check out Gusto's free trial! https://gusto.com/cfh
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Running your own business or freelancing means juggling everything in your life at all times. The hustle is hard, but it gets exponentially harder when you're a parent - especially when you work at home.
Mike Tanner began One Red Cat Media when he was a new parent, and that business has grown alongside his children. In this episode, he shares his strategies for keeping productive also while being a great dad. SPOILER: his strategies are useful for everyone, kids or no!
Today's links:
- http://oneredcat.com/
- https://twitter.com/oneredcatmedia
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Are you constantly exhausted? Do you find yourself staring at the computer screen struggling to finish projects that should be easy?
Burnout happens when you overcommit, and when you don't keep track of the time you're spending. In today's episode, Glenn Rogers of Float shares his tips on why it's so important to recognize your limits and keep track of the time you are spending on work.
Remember: all the work in the world is of no use if you're drowning!
Today's links:
- https://www.float.com
- https://twitter.com/glennfloat
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Content strategy is key for establishing your authority in the market. If your clients know you're the expert on what you do, they'll be happy to pay you to solve their problems. But how do you establish yourself as an "expert"?
That's where Michael Greenberg comes in. His agency Call For Content specializes in using podcasts to create a strong client base, and in this week's episode he shares his strategies for turning a few key interviews into a thriving business by "borrowing" your clients' authority.
It's a short listen at just over twenty minutes and chock full of mind-blowing tips. Check it out!
Today's links:
- https://www.callforcontent.com/
- https://twitter.com/gentoftech
- https://www.callforcontent.com/b2b-podcast-playbook
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
When pitching your work, most creative freelancers sell their skills or their services. However, the key to landing big clients is to show that you're an indispensable part of their team by selling strategy.
Anabelle King realized this over years of working at agencies, and now she lands big clients with her boutique branding business I Like Storytelling. She shares her strats for creating a collaborative relationship with her clients in today's episode!
Today's links:
- https://www.callforcontent.com/
- https://twitter.com/annabelletweet
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
The key to success in freelancing is realizing how to find the right clients - the people who are not only great to work with, but actually have money to pay you.
Alison Knott is a web consultant who mentors creatives, and she knows all the mistakes that freelancers make: targeting the wrong clients, the wrong platforms, the wrong rewards. In this episode, she shares the decisions you have to make right now to start making money!
Today's links:
- https://eraserheader.com/
- https://twitter.com/Eraserheader
- https://e3chalifax.ca/
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Value-based pricing is the holy grail of freelancing. It's how you make a lot of money by showing your clients that you can give them results. It's also not easy to make the switch to this pricing structure!
Returning guest Ami Sanyal shares his DREAM framework for getting clients on board with paying you more! Ami walks you through:
- Discovery
- Repel
- Establish Packages
- Address Risk
- Money
Ami breaks down this approach, and how he was able to transform his agency with this approach!
Want Ami's script for this approach? Text EZGROW to 393939 for a step-by-step guide!
Today's links:
- https://uncommonersclub.com/
- https://twitter.com/amisanyal
- https://easel.ly/infographicdesign
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
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Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
What's keeping YOU from being creative? Discipline? Scheduling? Good old fashioned "writer's block"?
Todd Brison has made a name for himself by tackling these problems head-on and discovering how to make the most of your muse. In his extremely popular posts on Medium and his two amazing books The Unstoppable Creative and The Creative's Curse, he breaks down strategies for doing creative work whenever you need!
This episode is like one of the best creative coaching sessions you'll ever get. Tune in!
Today's links:
- https://www.toddbrison.com/
- https://medium.com/@ToddBrison
- https://twitter.com/ToddBrison
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GGPDLY4
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
--
Want to support the show?
Order a custom infographic from Easel.ly! Use this link (https://www.easel.ly/infographicdesign/) for a great price!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
If you want to succeed as a freelancer, you can't compete for scraps. That's the message that Kaylee White of Kaylee Writes puts forth in her new book, How Not to Be Just Another Freelancer, but how do you find the GOOD clients that will push you and your business into the next level?
Kaylee talks with Kyle about what it means to step away from the pack and run a successful business for yourself, and the very important steps you need to take to do so!
Today's links:
- https://www.kayleewrites.com/
- Kaylee Writes Youtube channel
- How Not to Be Just Another Freelancer!
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Stephen Warley of Life Skills That Matter believes that the key to being happy and successful is knowing yourself. Unfortunately, self-reflection is typically the LAST thing on most of our to-do lists!
On today's episode, Stephen talks to Kyle about how the best business skills you can develop as an independent worker are life skills, and how to make sure you're being honest with yourself about who you are and what you want to do.
Today's links:
- https://lifeskillsthatmatter.com/author/stephen-warley/
- https://twitter.com/stephenwarley
- https://lifeskillsthatmatter.com/accelerator/
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
At her company Louder Than Ten, Rachel Gertz teaches people how to manage projects; that means getting people on board, on task, and on message in a hurry. She firmly believes that there is no such thing as a client from hell for one very simple and surprising reason she shares in the episode!
Looking for a lift? Rachel is endlessly upbeat and positive and has some winning strategies that will make you better at dealing with clients AND yourself!
Today's links:
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
It's 2019 and that means you've at least thought about having a New Year's resolution! How does working more efficiently and freeing up two of your hours a day strike you?
Josh Hoffman is a productivity expert who talks Kyle through his daily routine, offering tips on how to maximize productivity both at work and in play! Learn how to plan vertically, build good habits, and forgive yourself!
Today's links:
- https://www.hackmytime.co
- http://www.joshoffman.com/
- https://twitter.com/jhoff89
- https://easel.ly
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
--
Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Today's episode is with none other than Vernon Southward, the owner and operator of (gasp!) Clients From Hell itself! Kyle tries not to offend his boss as they chat about Vernon's beginnings as a freelancer and the path that led him to acquiring and building Clients From Hell, as well as directions the site will take in the coming years!
Vernon is a profoundly talented entrepreneur and a font of wisdom - and we're not just saying that because he owns the place. Check it out!
Today's links:
- https://clientsfromhell.net
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/vernonsouthward/
- https://easel.ly
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
--
Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
As a freelancer, life comes at you fast; that's why it's a good idea to create a product to generate a passive income stream for those little unexpected changes. Kyle talks with designer Alanna Munro about how she created her typeface, Tofino Pro, during one of the bigger life events you can have!
Today's links:
- https://alannamunro.com/
- https://alannamunro.com/tofino/
- https://twitter.com/alannamun
- http://typebrigade.com/
- Theme song by topmen.bandcamp.com!
--
Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Whew! It's been a bit. We're back with the return of Ami Sanyal, a freelance photographer who recently upgraded his business to a full marketing and branding agency.
This week, Kyle chats with Ami about how he's developed his business over the past ten years, outlining the decisions that brought him to a successful career today, and the key strategy that served him when starting out in 2008. Kyle and Ami also discover a shared piece of history that isn't that helpful, but is really cute anyway.
Today's links:
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Matt Inglot's Tilted Pixel is a thriving web design business that Matt runs all by himself. That wasn't always the case - he used to run a small agency that took WAY too much of his time until he figured out how to make more money with less work.
Matt shares his strategy in this episode, telling you how to shift your efforts to securing clients that will keep you in steady income with less work. After all, if you're spending less time doing outreach, you have more time to make money!
This is a really useful talk! Definitely check it out.
Today's links:
- https://www.tiltedpixel.com
- https://freelancetransformation.com/blog/podcast
- https://twitter.com/mattinglot
--
Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
The Freelancer's Union is a non-profit that is dedicated to advocating for freelancers and solopreneurs everywhere, and Caitlin Pearce is its new executive director. She joins Kyle on todays episode to talk about the issues facing freelancers today, why so many people love to be their own bosses, and what we can do to make sure that the industry remains viable well into the future.
Today's links:
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Heidi Weinberg, AKA Sew Heidi, loves what she does. She's built a career as a freelance fashion designer, imagining and then making clothes that people LOVE to wear.
However, she is also aware that there is a dark side to this industry, and this week she talks about the difference between freelancing and temping, how clients can take advantage of you when they know you're following your dream job, the gendered aspects of the fashion industry and how to ensure that you make what you're worth.
Want to read Heidi's new book, The Ultimate Guide to Being a Freelance Fashion Designer for absolutely free? Head to sfdnetwork.com/hell for a free copy and a few other goodies that are useful for ALL freelancers!
Note: The Clients From Hell podcast has a new theme song: "You Are Little Scientists (Love, Oprah)" courtesy of the band Top Men. They are a band for loving. Check them out!
Today's links:
- https://successfulfashiondesigner.com/
- https://sfdnetwork/hell
- https://twitter.com/sewheidi
- https://topmen.bandcamp.com
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Think you'd be a great fit for the show? Let me know at twitter.com/KCarCFH
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Plants are easy to take care of. If you feed them the right things and give them the right amount of water, they absolutely will grow and thrive. People, and by extension businesses, can be more tricky.
Agricultural consultant Sarah Taber (and host of Farm to Taber!) is great with plants, but she's also learning how to be great with people too. She talks to Kyle about why freelancing means paying attention to your clients and working with their emotional investments (even if you'd rather be doing anything else).
Today's links:
- https://soundcloud.com/farm-to-taber-podcast
- https://soundcloud.com/farm-to-taber-podcast/ep-1-kestrels-peanuts
- https://twitter.com/SarahTaber_bww
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Want to get a shoutout for your services on the podcast? Get in touch: contact@clientsfromhell.net
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Working for yourself presents a number of rewards but it also presents hurdles. Jeanne Yocum's new book, The Self Employment Survival Guide draws on her thirty years of experience working for herself and lays down the rules you need to live by if you're going to make it on your own - including when you need to cut that client out of your life!
Today's links:
- https://www.succeedinginsmallbusiness.com/
- https://www.succeedinginsmallbusiness.com/the-self-employment-survival-guide/
- https://twitter.com/jeanneyocum
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Want to get a shoutout for your services on the podcast? Get in touch: contact@clientsfromhell.net
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Today's guest Olga Mizrahi is a designer, a career keynote speaker, and recently, an expert and published author on the gig economy!
The gig economy is absolutely the future, and while it represents enormous possibilities, there are also dangers. Olga chats with Kyle about what you need to do to be competitive in the gig economy, how to stand out and find a niche, and how to take care of yourself while doing it.
Today's links:
- https://www.amazon.com/Gig-Up-Economy-Obsolete-Freelancing/dp/1626344930
- https://www.chunkofchange.com/
- https://www.ohsodesign.com/
- https://twitter.com/olgamizrahi
- https://www.easel.ly/
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Want to get a shoutout for your services on the podcast? Get in touch: contact@clientsfromhell.net
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Creative freelancers pursue these careers because, well, they're creative. But once you start doing creative work it can be hard to pursue your own interests and still get paid.
Kristen Dullum and Alain Champagne of Creatures of The Night Design are two designers who do a really great job of balancing their pet projects while still making a living. In this episode, they share their strategies and struggles, and talk about why sometimes you absolutely SHOULD take up bronze work in your free time.
Today's links:
- https://www.instagram.com/designedbycreatures/
- https://www.designedbycreatures.com
- https://www.easel.ly/
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Want to support the show?
This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell!
Want to get a shoutout for your services on the podcast? Get in touch: contact@clientsfromhell.net
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Ami Sanyal is something of an inspiration to me. He's a successful consultant at a relatively young age, an anchor of the creative community, and someone whose basic goodness is clear just minutes after meeting him.
One of Ami's major achievements is putting together a series of events for independent creative workers in Vancouver, BC. Today, he joins us to talk about the problem of "siloing" in freelance work, and why it's important to reach out to, and collaborate with, other freelancers. He also offers some great tips about how to get involved in your own creative community!
Today's links:
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Jon Jones is back! This week he shares his tips for building an income from digital products, and also shares his freelance origin story. HINT: it involves the bible.
Today's links:
- https://www.jonjones.com
- How I Escaped Evangelical Hell: A Memoir https://goo.gl/W6kbt2
- https://twitter.com/jonjones
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immens
This week's guest is Jon Jones, the freelance creative outsourcing manager for the games industry who is frequently mistaken for the other, more violent Jon Jones! He's basically a bundle of mirth and insight, and it was a real treat to have him on the podcast.
Jon offers his first-hand experience on both sides of the freelancer/client divide, letting you know what you can do to keep that relationship healthy.
*does not actually contain mixed martial arts
Today's links:
- https://www.jonjones.com
- https://www.jonjones.com/2016/05/23/from-full-time-to-freelance-the-ten-commandments-of-contracting-updated/
- https://twitter.com/jonjones
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Also feel free to find us on Twitter @clientsfh and let us know what you think!
Wordpress developer, educator, host of How I Built It, and all around sweetheart joins Kyle on today's episode to talk about why he called out Clients From Hell, and how you should approach client education! He also talks about productization and why you should schedule creating a product in addition to your services!
It's a real corker. Give it a listen!
Today's links:
- https://casabona.org/
- https://www.udemy.com/user/joe-casabona/
- https://twitter.com/jcasabona
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Things are changing at Clients From Hell! Long time Editor in Chief and all-round superhero Bryce Bladon is moving on to new adventures and leaving us behind. But that's okay, because Bryce is chatting with new host Kyle Carpenter about why he's making the shift from a successful freelance career to a full time position with his favorite client, and when you should stop playing the field and get serious.
Change is scary, but if you have any tips for our new host, let him know at @Clientsfh or contact@clientsfromhell.net with the subject line: Podcast.
Follow Bryce at:
- https://twitter.com/@BryceBladon
- http://brycebladon.com/
Frequent guest Nick Disabato returns to the Clients From Hell Podcast! He's here to tell you why you should build value-based design into your design process, and share some tips about how to use metrics to measure your successes, make your clients happier, and get paid more.
Today's links:
- Pre-order Value-Based Design https://draft.nu/value/
- Make Money Online Podcast https://makemoneyonline.exposed/
- Contact Nick at https://twitter.com/nickd
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
There are a lot of freelancing, entrepreneur, and side-hustle expert out there, but few have earned their authority quite like Chris Guillebeau. He joins Bryce to discuss why there's no one-size-fits-all approach to freelancing and his advice for folks who want to get started.
Chris is the host of Side Hustle School and bestselling author of The $100 Startup, The Happiness of Pursuit, and The Art of Non-Conformity. His new book, Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days, is on sale on September 29th, 2017.
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Side Hustle School: https://sidehustleschool.com/
Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days: https://www.amazon.com/Side-Hustle-Idea-Income-Days/dp/1524758841
Convincing a client you can deliver an agency as a sole proprietor is difficult but incredibly valuable.
Laura Elizabeth of Client-Portal.io discusses how she does it, and the tools and techniques other freelancers can use to elevate their authority with clients.
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Client Portal: https://client-portal.io/
Laura's article on onboarding clients: https://doubleyourfreelancing.com/onboarding/
Lauren's Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurium
Getting your client to live up to their side of your business relationship can be difficult and it's almost always necessary. But how do you do it? Whether it's the client delivering promised files, paying your rate, or them simply keeping their word, there's rarely an easy fix.
James Rose of Content Snare has at least one solution – and a lot of quality advice. If you enjoyed what James had to say, he invites you to check out the Content Snare Facebook Group!
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Content Snare: https://contentsnare.com
Content Snare's Facebook Group: https://contentsnare.com/group
James Rose on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_jimmyrose
The majority of the 10 million jobs created since 2005 have been freelance, temporary, or on-call opportunities. This is the gig economy – and a team at Stanford are developing a platform to source teams of freelancers in mere minutes.
On today's episode, we discuss Stanford's 'flash organization' software, how it works, and what it means for the future of freelancing.
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Topic via https://thehustle.co/
Sarah Kessler at The Quartz: https://qz.com/1027606/forget-the-on-demand-worker-stanford-researchers-built-an-entire-on-demand-organization/
Noam Scheiber at The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/business/economy/flash-organizations-labor.html
Taylor Kubota at Stanford News: http://news.stanford.edu/2017/05/10/software-creates-demand-flash-organizations/
Learn how to build a network and effectively market yourself – from someone who hates networking and marketing.
In this episode, Bryce discusses:
- The dumb, terrible, not-so-good way people and businesses try to market themselves
- Why Bryce hates marketing (and how that lead him to becoming a marketing consultant)
- How you can meet and build a network (it's about making a personal connection)
- The simplest way to market your business (know your audience's problem before you try to solve)
- The principles behind good marketing
- The simplest, most effective marketing trick out there (spoiler: it's listening)
Do you know what it takes to get a good job? Most people look for jobs by shouting into the online abyss – but there's a better way. Freelancers are especially empowered to not only find work but to create it for themselves.
In this episode, Bryce discusses:
- Why nobody knows how to find good work
- The evolving model for employment and what that means for you
- Don't treat your portfolio as the only path to employment
- How to understand your prospects needs and how you can help (hint: listen to next week's episode)
- Don't wait for an open position; communicate to a prospect you understand their problem and how you can help
Today's links:
- https://crew.co/blog/small-business-content-strategy/
- http://styleguide.mailchimp.com/voice-and-tone/
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A recent survey of freelance workers done by AND CO showed that the pay gap exists even for the self-employed. On average, self-employed women make less than self-employed men. That's troubling information, given that freelancers are able to set their own wages. So what's happening here? What baggage are we bringing in to setting our own rates?
Joining Bryce to discuss this important and delicate topic is Lauren Loria, a Michigan based commercial photographer that helps clients build their brands through visual imagery that reflects their business' personality.
Today's links:
- www.laurenloriaphotography.com
- https://twitter.com/@LaurenLoria1
- https://www.instagram.com/laurenloriaphotography/
- https://www.and.co/slash-workers
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This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
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Who do you think you are?
Everyone who works for themselves has wrestled some point over what title to use. Many start by using the title "freelance _______"—designer, writer, software developer, or whatever the case may be.
The words you use influence others’ perception of you.'
Today's links:
- https://www.fastcompany.com/3054141/lessons-learned/why-i-stopped-calling-myself-a-freelancer
- https://www.amazon.com/Words-Can-Change-Your-Brain/dp/B00D9T9ULY/?tag=psychcentral
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According to Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman, words can literally change your brain. They argue that a single negative word can increase the activity in our amygdala (the fear center of the brain). This releases dozens of stress-producing hormones and neurotransmitters, which in turn interrupts our brains’ functioning. In other words, “angry words send alarm messages through the brain, and they partially shut down the logic-and-reasoning centers located in the frontal lobes."
Meanwhile, a positive word can strengthen areas in frontal lobes and promote cognitive function. They write "as our research has shown, the longer you concentrate on positive words, the more you begin to affect other areas of the brain. Functions in the parietal lobe start to change, which changes your perception of yourself and the people you interact with. A positive view of yourself will bias you toward seeing the good in others, whereas a negative self-image will include you toward suspicion and doubt. Over time the structure of your thalamus will also change in response to your conscious words, thoughts, and feelings, and we believe that the thalamic changes affect the way in which you perceive reality."
So what does that mean for us?
What’s your first thought when you hear the word "freelancer"? Do you picture a college kid working out of her parent’s basement? Most people perceive freelancers as in the lurch, between unemployment and their next ‘real’ job.
Many people who call themselves freelancers don’t exactly think of what they do as a business. But they should.
Clients too often see freelance arrangements as low-cost line items rather than strategic partnerships.
And that creates a power imbalance, with the client in charge—hardly an ideal situation for independent workers, especially those trying to start a business with the express purpose of gaining more freedom over their work.
When he first started out, Tim Dietrich described himself as a "freelance database consultant." But he soon realized that the "freelance" tag said more to clients about the structure of his business (process) than what he could actually do for them (results). Tim now introduces himself with this simple line, "I develop custom apps for businesses." Who would you want to work with more: Someone who tells you how they file their taxes or explains what they can do for your balance sheet?
Your livelihood doesn't depend on your own self-perception, but on how potential clients see you and your work.
Freelancers don't always see themselves as business owners because businesses have quarterly targets, revenue streams, and brand images to preserve. And clients expect that other businesses have systems and processes leading to consistent results. Don’t worry if you’re still working on systems and processes. It’s still okay to call yourself a business—which can in turn push you to build a workflow for yourself, set firmer goals, and increase your margins—just like an actual business.
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This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Also: do you love the podcast? Is there anything you'd like to see us change about it? Let us know by filling out this short survey!
If 'creativity' is a factor in your work, these ten rules will help you find success in your career.
When we say success, we don't exclusively mean more clients, more work, or more freedom. We mean all of the above and more: success as a creative means personal and professional development because you are your business and your craft.
This episode was heavily inspired by articles from:
- Photographer Chase Jarvis
- Venture Capitalist Guy Kawasaki
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This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
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10 Rules for Succeeding as a Creative Professional
- You’re on your own.
- Blogs, teachers, webinars, courses, and classes can help you, but they’re not going to get things done for you. They’re there to refine your skills, give you ideas, or teach you the rules.
- In almost every instance, they’re positioned in such a way that they’re giving you permission to get started by offering inspiration and addressing your concerns or fears.
- In terms of creativity, it’s about you: what’s going on inside you, what’s going on around you, and how you manage the two.
- Though you don’t necessarily have to follow their advice, you should listen to experts. You should follow them. You should consume content that excites you – but you shouldn’t be afraid to strike out on your own.
- Clients rarely know what they need.
- Clients hire you because they don’t know exactly what they’re doing. Some clients may think they do, but that’s not exactly the same thing.
- Listen to what a client says and take to heart what they recommend. They know their product or vision. It can even be worth attempting their version of things to see how it turns out. But then it’s up to you to add value.
- “Adding value” is why clients will hire you. Show them something new or unexpected (in a good way) – this is how you communicate that your expertise requires more than a few clever mouse clicks.
- The best client interaction is where you take a client’s vision and add colour.
- Different is more important than “better.”
- Better and different are often treated like synonyms in creative fields.
- Better means you’re following someone else’s path. This isn’t an inherently bad thing, but it’s how derivative and repetitive trends occur. You’re unlikely to outpace that trailblazer, and as a result, you end up looking like a cheap imitation.
- However, taking someone else’s path and tweaking it to your style, tastes, or needs – making it “better” in a way that matters to you, either as the audience or the artist – is how you start to succeed. And it’s also how you and your work gets better.
- Competing on outright skill is like competing on price. It’s a global economy. Someone out there is going to better or cheaper than you.
- If you do something in a way that’s distinctly yours, you have no competition.
- Being different is more important than being better.
- Compete on value, not price.
- Competing on price in a creative field is a bad idea unless you live somewhere with an exceptionally low cost of living. Instead, focus on delivering value.
- Value can come in many forms, like better than the competition, a standout style, an offering more tailored to the client’s unique needs – whatever. Clients tend to care most about avoiding risk and saving time and money; your value should speak to these points in some capacity, but don’t stress a perfect one-to-one translation.
- If you deliver value and you can communicate this to prospects, you should charge more.
- You need to be challenged.
- If you’re not pushing your skills or expertise, you’re not improving. You’re probably stagnating.
- An easy job isn’t a bad job, but it’s the jobs where I had to meet tough deadlines and big challenges that have pushed my career forward in terms of skills, impact, and clients.
- You are what (and who) you surround yourself with.
- If you want to be better at what you do, seek out those you think are better than you. From colleagues to clients, always shoot high.
- Follow your inspirations and consume everything they do.
- Chase your ‘mentors’ and critically examine what they put out. If you can, reach out.
- Find your community and create a place within it.
- Always know why you make your decisions.
- Whether you’re a writer, a photographer, a designer, or a developer, you need to be able to communicate your work beyond “I like the way it looks.”
- Being able to explain why you made a creative decision is how you communicate your expertise to a client. Explaining why this design is better than that one is how you establish yourself as an authority.
- Explaining yourself in terms that matter to your client is huge. Whether it’s a visual vocabulary or a grasp of grammar, explaining the worth of your work is how you get hired, rehired, and referred.
- Embrace failure.
- Trying to avoid mistakes is paralyzing. Don’t let the possibility of a mistake prevent you from acting.
- Don’t try to avoid failure. Aim to recover and learn from it.
- Whether it’s in creative or business terms, you need to be willing to act, fail, and try again. Looking at your failure, assessing what went wrong, and trying again (and again, and again) is everything.
- Getting out there to do stuff is everything. If it works, do more of it. If it doesn’t work, change it. Quickly.
- Less is more.
- Trying to be everything to everyone is a great way to be nothing to no one.
- Whatever your creative pursuit, simple is good. Remove clutter and distraction.
- Whatever your business, a niche is good. Add specificity and purpose. Tell one story and tell it well.
- You need to do the work.
- Daydreaming about what you can do is fun, but don’t confuse it with doing the actual work.
- If you feel crummy about what you’re making, that’s fine. Try a new approach. Fail at something new and exciting. Throw the spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks.
- If you’re not producing, you’re not a professional – you’re a poser.
- Likewise, if you spend every day writing, taking photos, or working on your designs, you’re not an aspiring anything. You are what you’re doing.
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How you position yourself is crucial to your career. Philip Morgan joins Bryce to discuss how freelancers – particular freelance developers – can find success by specializing.
Links from today's show:
- The Positioning Manual: http://thepositioningmanual.com/
- Free email course on positioning: https://philipmorganconsulting.com/positioning-crash-course/
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This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
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Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Bryce reflects on data from the gig economy, sharing insights into how freelancers are succeeding (and what issues they're struggling to overcome).
Here are the links he talks about during this episode:
- https://www.and.co/slash-workers (this survey is visually stunning – check it out!)
- https://www.hellobonsai.com/rates
- https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2015/10/01/freelancing-america-2015/
- https://www.upwork.com/i/freelancing-in-america/2016/
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Give us your feedback on how we can improve the Clients From Hell podcast by using this link: https://cfh.typeform.com/to/gEABz7
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Shownotes
Survey makeup:
As vast majority of freelancers AND CO interviewed—95% of them—are what are being call "Slash Workers," or independent workers whose services or skills vary by client and project. About 70% of respondents were from the States
Respondent makeup:
- Creative/design: 33%
- Consulting - Professional Services: 21%
- Writing/Journalism/Content: 17%
- Tech/Web Design: 15%
- Other 14%
- Median income for respondents who reported is in the $25,000 to $49,999 range, which aligns with the average income for single taxpayers in the U.S. per the IRS (2014): $34,940.
General takeaways:
- Freelancing is a growing choice
- Freelancers enjoy higher quality of life at the expense of financial security
- This quality of life manifests in the form of freedom, be it personal autonomy or flexibility
- The traditional concept of the office is on the way out. Working from home is a substitute, but more and more people are interested in a “digital nomad” lifestyle – or the ability to work from anywhere.
Interesting insights:
- 40% of U.S. workers will be freelance by 2020 (Freelancers Union)
- Two-thirds of freelancers have 0-3 years of freelancing experience.
- Going independent is a conscious choice for 94% of freelancers (it’s not a fallback)
- 41% want to freelance “forever”
- 95% of freelancers offer two or more services
- Only 5% offer a single skill or work function
- Most freelancers chose freelancing for personal growth (only 7% did it for the financial upside)
- A quarter of freelancers self-describe as nomads (and they’re 11% happier than other freelancers)
- 60% of freelancers said they’d be interested in pursuing a nomadic lifestyle in the future.
- Nearly half of freelancers want companies to offer more remote work opportunities
- About 3/4 of freelancers feel less financially stable since going freelance
- But 68% say their general quality of life has increased
- Only 6% of respondents are freelancing until they find their next full-time gig.
Money and jobs:
- 91% of respondents said they typically get work from word of mouth and referrals
- Just under half said organic website or portfolio traffic
- 37% find work through outreach or pitching
- One-third find work via freelance-specific job boards
- 23% find work via general job boards
- 43% earn less than $25K a year
- 1/6th earn between that and 50k
- 1/6th earn between 50k and 75k
- 7% earn between 75k and 100k
- 10% earn 100k or more
- Interestingly, there’s a correlation between the experience levels of respondents and their income bracket. Do keep in mind that correlation does not equal causation though
Bonsai found that for all skills and locations, the most significant jump in compensation per experience level comes between the 1-3 and 3-5 year categories. This can be most often attributed to them developing essential business skills (project management, negotiation...), developing their knowledge about their market and their clients, building a strong portfolio and leveraging their network.
Developers earn about 30% more than designers across experience levels and geographies. This happens to be true even for highest charging designers (ie Product Designers) when compared to lowest charging developers (Front-end / Android)
Design rates (in particular graphic design) hardly reach $60 per hour for all locations and experience levels. While developers can see their rates increase quickly with their gaining experience (typically after 3 years), most experienced designers grow rates at a slower pace. The most common explanation we’ve heard for this is local or international competition at lower rates, including from part time designers. The lower barrier to entry for design types, plus the smaller project sizes, leads to lower rates.
The issues for freelancers:
- 61% say they miss the feeling of community a traditional workplace offered
- 60% of respondents say there’s a lack of respect for freelancers
- 44% have been stiffed by a client
- Men are 4.5x more likely to earn $150k+/year than women
- And 48% of women fall into the lowest tax bracket
- 41% of respondents want more protections for freelancer rights
Sales are a fact of freelancing. We know, it's a bummer. The freedom you get from freelancing comes with the price of reaching out and trying to sell yourself and your services — but that doesn't have to be a bad thing!
This week's guest, Dan Englander, makes sales his career at Sales Schema, and he knows a thing or two about how to generate leads for your business. He talks about what you need to know about how to promote your services, and how you can play to your strengths as a freelancer.
Links from today's show:
- Sales Schema: https://www.salesschema.com/
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This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Setting out on a career as an independent freelancer or entrepreneur is exciting, but also TERRIFYING. How do you know when it's the right time to take the plunge?
John Nastor runs the podcast Hack The Entrepreneur, and has hundreds of hours looking into what makes a happy, healthy, and wealthy solopreneur. He joins Bryce to talk the difference between freelancing and entrepreneurship, how to strike the right balance in life and work, and how to know when you're ready to forge your own path,
Links from today's show:
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This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
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Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Honing your craft is the journey of a lifetime. It's hard enough to dedicate yourself to your discipline, but when you have to make a living doing it? Then it's even harder.
Jerzy Drozd is a cartoonist who's made a career of making comics and teaching, well, how to make comics. He's also a warm, wonderful, and insightful fellow with a lot of great ideas, who's pursued his art through all sorts of ups and downs. He joins Bryce to talk about how to hone your focus and make a career out of doing what you love.
Links from today's show:
- The Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival: http://a2caf.com
- The Ann Arbor Art Center: http://annarborartcenter.org
- Starbunny, Inc: http://starbunny.net
- Boulder and Fleet: http://boulderandfleet.com
- Jerzy's Instagram: http://instagram.com/
jerzydrozd
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This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
--
Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
If you're a freelancer, like it or hate it (and most of us hate it) you're in sales. And for those of us with creative backgrounds, a lot of the time there's a real anxiety about "selling out."
Today's guest Brent Weaver makes a career of helping people with their sales strategies at uGurus. He chats with Bryce about how to get over this fear, and how to make the most money from doing your craft!
Links from today's show:
https://twitter.com/
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This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Life is short. How do you do all the things you want to do in the time you have?
Of all the people Bryce knows, Ryan Estrada probably comes closest to doing it all. Cartoonist, artist, traveler, podcast producer, and all around asskicker, Ryan uses freelancing to make sure he's doing what he loves all around the world.
Links from today's show:
--
This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on iTunes or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
The best business relationships are built on the same the foundations as romantic ones: clear communication, trust, a mutual sense of value, hugs... So why are most of us afraid of working with our spouse?
In today's show, Bryce talks to Marie Poulin and Ben Borowski, who live together, laugh together, love together and, yes, work together. Find out how they run a business that fits their lives while working remotely!
Links from today's show:
- http://weareokidoki.com
- http://doki.io
- http://digitalstrategyschool.
com - http://www.mariepoulin.com
- http://typeoneerror.com
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This episode is sponsored by AND.CO, the freelancer's resource! They offer great tools for freelancers, including curated job lists, time tracking and invoicing software, contracts, free guides and more!
--
Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on iTunes or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
One of the fringe benefits of freelancing? Living the kind of life that makes newspapers write angry op-eds about millennials. Doing what you like when you like, conducting business meetings over Steam chat, doing kick flips over badical guitar riffs. That kind of thing.
To the casual observer, Mark Junker is just that kind of freelancer. An art director and music producer, Junker's makes fun designs for The Yetee, composes soundtracks for Cloudrise Pictures, and just put out a new album, VELTAHL under his alias, R23X. Today he joins Bryce to talk about why your friends are you best resource, why art school is a scam, and how to do the work you love.
Links from today's show:
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This episode is sponsored by our new book, Hell to Pay 2: A freelancer's guide to making good money (https://clientsfromhell.net/helltopay).
Podcast listeners save 40% with coupon code: CFHPodcast
https://clientsfromhell.net/helltopay
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Going directly from school to freelancing can be tough, but one illustrator managed to do it.
Jen Fryer joins Bryce to discuss how she locked a nationally syndicated newspaper as a client, the mistakes first-time freelancers need to make, and what creative professionals need to know to succeed in their craft as professionals.
Links from today's show:
- http://www.jvfryer.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/drawingsheep/
- http://school.clientsfromhell.net/p/start-freelancing
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This episode is sponsored by our new book, Hell to Pay 2: A freelancer's guide to making good money (https://clientsfromhell.net/helltopay).
Podcast listeners save 40% with coupon code: CFHPodcast
https://clientsfromhell.net/helltopay
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Freelancers can do more than work remotely; they can live their life on their terms while making a pretty penny.
Long-time friend of the show Jake Jorgovan helps agencies and consultants win their dream clients. He also travels the world while doing it.
Links from today's show:
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This episode is sponsored by our new book, Hell to Pay 2: A freelancer's guide to making good money (https://clientsfromhell.net/helltopay).
Podcast listeners save 40% with coupon code: CFHPodcast
https://clientsfromhell.net/helltopay
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Want to support the show?
Leave us a review on iTunes or recommend us to a friend. It helps immensely.
Freelance designer Dylan Smith joins the show to discuss why his business degree helps him as a designer, why finding your community is so valuable, and why Leonardo is his favourite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.
Dylan's also organizing the Solo Conference for Freelancers (solo-conf.com) in September!
Want to support the show? Leave us a review on iTunes!
Links from today's show include:
- Solo Conference (https://solo-conf.com/)
- Dylan on Twitter (https://twitter.com/dylanatsmith)
- Check out Dylan's meetup group (http://www.meetup.com/londonfreelancers/)
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This week's episode is sponsored by the new edition of Hell to Pay: A freelancer's guide to making good money. (clientsfromhell.net/helltopay)
Bryce's popular guide to freelance finances has a brand new edition out, featuring...
- An expanded tax section with step-by-step instructions for filing your freelance taxes
- More money-making advice
- New tactics for negotiating a higher rate
As always, Hell to Pay teaches you:
- How to determine your rate
- How to charge your clients
- How to earn better money with less work
Buy now and get the new edition when it launches in April!
Podcast listeners save 40% with coupon code: CFHPodcast
> Let's make good money!
clientsfromhell.net/helltopay
Already bought a copy? No problem: you get the new edition for free – expect an email regarding that soon.
--
Questions? Episode ideas?
Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email!
Clients From Hell is on iTunes and Soundcloud
Subscribe to us on iTunes and Android and RSS
Transitioning from full-time radio jobs to becoming a freelance video and audio producer: Steve Folland of the Being Freelance podcast joins Bryce to discuss his freelance journey.
Find Steve on YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
Do you have a question of your own? Shoot us an email!
Want to support the show? Leave us a review on iTunes!
--
This week's episode is sponsored by the new edition of Hell to Pay: A freelancer's guide to making good money.
Bryce's popular guide to freelance finances has a brand new edition out, featuring...
- An expanded tax section with step-by-step instructions for filing your freelance taxes
- More money-making advice
- New tactics for negotiating a higher rate
As always, Hell to Pay teaches you:
- How to determine your rate
- How to charge your clients
- How to earn better money with less work
Buy now and get the new edition when it launches in late March!
Podcast listeners save 40% with coupon code: CFHPodcast
> Let's make good money!
clientsfromhell.net/helltopay
Already bought a copy? No problem: you get the new edition for free – expect an email regarding that soon.
--
Questions? Episode ideas?
Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email!
Clients From Hell on iTunes | Soundcloud
Subscribe on iTunes | Android | RSS
Defining success, setting expectations, and avoiding clients from hell. Chris Hawkins of the 100K Freelancer Podcast joins Bryce to discuss all these things and more.
S'a good one this week, guys.
Do you have a question of your own? Shoot us an email!
Want to support the show? Leave us a review on iTunes!
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Questions? Episode ideas?
Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email!
Clients From Hell on iTunes | Soundcloud
Subscribe on iTunes | Android | RSS
Learn how to put your best foot forward when you decide to start freelancing. This is easily our most common Freelance FAQ.
Do you have a question of your own? Shoot us an email!
Want to support the show? Leave us a review on iTunes!
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Freelance FAQ: How do I start freelancing?
KAI
The basic answer is ‘find someone who wants to pay you money for a service you provide, then provide that service.
The longer answer is:
- Identify a target market you want to work with (The Positioning Manual by Philip Morgan is a great resource for this)
- Identify an expensive problem -- “We aren’t getting enough leads!” -- that the target market is experiencing
- Create a service offering that helps the client resolve the problem (“We aren’t getting enough leads”) and moves them towards their dream outcome (“We’re getting too many leads!”)
I started by picking a hobby-skill I had (wordpress development) and finding people who needed WordPress websites. Over time, I identified more valuable problems to focus on and updated my positioning, my target market, my expensive problem, and my service offerings.
But to start, create those ‘rolodex moments’ -- have a strong positioning statement (“I’m a THING who helps TARGET MARKET with EXPENSIVE PROBLEM”) and see what referrals and reaction you get.
BRYCE
What you need to start freelancing
All you really need to freelance is:
- A Good Mentality (e.g. self-confidence, a willingness to try, etc.)
- Action (e.g. self-discipline, actually doing the work).
- A skill that can provide value
- A plan (e.g. self-reflection, meaningful goals, etc.)
Selling and positioning your skill so that it appeals to clients -- and building a plan around that -- is the real secret to freelancing successfully. Typically, this is referred to as finding a niche, which is something a freelancer should do as soon as possible.
A niche reduces competition and increases specialization. Niche experts can earn more and they’re more attractive to clients with problems their niche experience helps solve. It provides direction and focus.
You’ll want to find some sort of niche ASAP. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to help:
- What industry do you actually use products from or enjoy?
- What industry hires freelancers with skills like yours?
- What industry would you enjoy networking in and actually being a part of?
Finding those first three good clients is the first barrier to overcome.
With those first clients (and future clients), you’ll want to:
- Find a client’s problem and know how to solve it.
- Target the correct market
- Pitch the client by...
- Address the problem: The client’s issue, objective, needs, goals, etc.
- Offer a solution: Your strategy, plan, or unique positioning that makes you the answer they’ve been looking for.
- Fees and timelines: I wouldn’t go too far into this initially, but you’ll want to lay the groundwork for fees and realistic timelines. A client shouldn’t feel blindsided by this stuff down the line.
After those first few client interactions, you should reassess your plan before moving forward. Is your skill offering value to clients? Did you enjoy working with these clients? Are there areas to improve?
If those first few client interactions went well and you want to do more work with them, pursue referrals, build case studies, and focus on refining your service as much as possible.
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Questions? Episode ideas?
Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email!
Clients From Hell on iTunes | Soundcloud
Subscribe on iTunes | Android | RS
You really can work from anywhere — and even on your own terms! Just make sure all your advice doesn't come from a clickbait headline.
Do you have a question of your own? Shoot us an email!
Want to support the show? Leave us a review on iTunes!
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Freelance FAQ: How do you work remotely?
You work remotely (and effectively), by having four things:
- A clear idea of what you should be doing, in terms of outcomes. “Get client outline of marketing project” or “Finish design for Kai”
- Time clearly blocked off for each project
- A working environment – be it a cafe, a coffee shop, a co-working space, or an office – where you can do focused work
- A means of communicating with the client with firmly established boundaries in terms of when you are and are not available
When you know the work you need to do, have time blocked off for the work, have a space to do the work in, and have a means of communicating with the client that isn’t a distraction, you’re in the perfect spot to work remotely.
In terms of telling clients you work remotely, I’ve never had an issue with this. I’ve been consulting for 5+ years and every single project has been remote. No one has balked.
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Dealing with the isolation that comes with freelancing and the magnificent, life-changing power of saying no.
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Freelance FAQ: How do you deal with isolation when working from home?
It sucks. It really does. Getting over that hump takes a lot of work -- useful, doable work -- but work.
- Have an immediate support system of friends you can spend non-work time with
- Stop work immediately at a designated time (Kai's is 4:30pm)
- Only start work at a certain time (Kai's is 9:30am)
- Have 2-4 hobbies you’ve cultivated (I like road biking, hiking, weight lifting, and reading) so you can switch to something non-work if you have energy and it’s the evening
- Track how you’re feeling. Even just in a journal or a journal app like Day1, track how you’re feeling with the isolation and working from home. Mostly negatives? Mostly positives?
- If the isolation causes you issues -- it very well may -- then look into coworking spaces or sharing an office with an individual or a team to give you that social interaction.
Freelance FAQ: How do you say no?
- Practice.
- Realize that you saying no is not a rejection of the client’s idea, but you saying ‘there is a better way to do this.’
- Be comfortable with the uncomfortableness of saying no. It gets easier over time.
- Read ‘non-violent communication, a language of life.’
- Realize that if you don’t say no, you’ll be doing a lot of extra work without compensation; you owe it to yourself to say no.
And if a client pushes back? Either they have a legitimate reason and information you don’t have (good!) or they’re incorrect and a bad client who you should fire.
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How do you specialize with a niche? Why do you specialize with a niche? A third question!?
This and more on this episode of the Clients From Hell podcast.
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How do I find my niche?
This question was originally submitted for the 'Feedback from the Inferno' segment. However, it's a common question, so we've elevated it to the Freelancer FAQ segment.
I don’t have much experience freelancing and I’m confused how to sell my services – what makes me unique?
I’m an illustrator, I started freelancing straight out of university, and I’ve only had a handful of jobs in roughly two years – I think this is because I spent a lot of time not knowing what I wanted to do or even how to do it but I’m starting to find a bit more focus now. I’ve started pushing myself towards children’s illustration with the hopes of getting work in publishing, greetings cards, stationary – maybe even the games industry.
My issue is this – I have no idea what my niche is. I used to think narrowing my field was good enough, but I was just listening to your “how to find work as a freelancer” podcast, and you mentioned the need to tell a client why they need you, and why you can do the work in a unique way.
The thing is, I don’t know how I can complete the work in a way that another illustrator couldn’t also do. I don’t have an impressive client list under my belt, and I don’t have a particularly unique workflow or style. I simply don’t know what I could say to a client that would make me stand out.
- A no-niche freelancer
Everyone feels this way at a certain point – in life and in freelancing. Do not stress about being unsure about your uniqueness quite yet. You may not even have the practical experience necessary to really know yourself and what you’re about.
I think it would be worthwhile for you to try and get some practical experience at an agency. It offers on-the-job experience; it can refine your skills, and it can teach you a lot about dealing with clients. It can also tell you a lot about yourself, what you value, and what separates you from the pack.
But, if you already have a day job, or if freelancing as an illustrator is your exclusive interest, that’s fine too.
The first thing you should focus on is what Neil Gaiman identified as the three reasons someone will work with a freelancer. The best part is, you only need to deliver on two of them:
- Quality work
- Delivered promptly
- Pleasant to work with
After you manage two out of three on that, then you can start to hone in on that niche.
The more work you do, the more you’ll appreciate what kind of work you enjoy – and what kind you despise. The more work you do, the more you’ll come to appreciate what makes you, as a professional, unique and compelling. It doesn’t just happen. It’s a long, slow, and heavily involved process that can sneak up on you if you’re not paying attention.
I’m almost certain that the handful of clients you’ve had has resulted in an informative experience, if not a niche-defining one.
There are a few suggestions for finding that specific niche:
- Reach out to potential clients and ask them questions (e.g. why did you hire that freelancer, how did you find them, what problems were you having, what results did you expect, etc.)
- Do not try to pitch these clients while you’re researching
- Time, effort, work, and a whole lot of reflection on your experiences
- Go to a job board or freelancer site (e.g. upwork, fiverr) and look at what the highest paid freelancers claim as their unique selling proposition (USP)
- Reach out to successful illustrators and ask them about their journey to where they are now. (e.g. what kind of clients did you end up focusing on? What made your offering compelling? What was the most common client pain point? Etc.)
- Figure out what you’re good at. Ask your friends; give them an anonymous google doc to fill out if you want a lot of honest answers.
I’ll be honest: my niche has changed multiple time over the course of my career. It will almost certainly change again. I learned that I’m a flexible resource that completes work quickly, and I’m excellent at providing creative content. However, I’m not a huge fan of actually “selling” my work, nor did I always feel I had the chops to provide strategic consulting.
Having worked with clients of a few shapes, sizes, and industries, I figured I’d aim at smaller agencies that had issues with their copy (I looked at their website, job postings, etc.). A client taught me that most agencies of a certain size don’t have a staff writer (this is a pain point); they make due with somewhat-unreliable freelancers (another pain point) for this work.
I reached out directly to the CEO or head of hiring, showcased I did my research, and (POLITELY) brought these issues to their attention. I closed the letter by asking if I could chat with them for five minutes to get some advice regarding their industry. Almost every one said yes. People like being approached as experts, especially if you start by offering a little value first.
After taking these meetings, I ask my questions (see that point about researching your clients?). I close the meeting by thanking them for their time, and I state that, if they ever need help creating content, I was hungry for practical experience in the industry, and I’d even charge less than my usual rate. I also addressed those aforementioned pain points (e.g. I can come in a couple of times a week for in-person briefings and on-the-fly edits; I can commit x hours a week, so you’re always guaranteed a reliable resource, etc.)
Full disclosure: I don’t actually have a usual rate. I figured out what I wanted to make an hour and said it was half my usual rate.
TL;DR:
- Get experience with as many clients as you can.
- Reach out to clients and ask after their industry and why they hire freelancers
- Research successful freelancers in your field The end goal: Figure out the client’s challenges, the solutions others offer, and what defines you as an individual.
- You don’t need to re-invent the wheel with your offering; you just need to give it your own compelling spin.
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How to get a client to pay you, how to get a testimonial from a client, and what to do when your work is stolen by another freelancer.
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Freelance FAQ: How do I ensure a client pays my invoice?
Always start with a deposit -- typically 50%. This guarantees your time and services. Before sending over the final project, ensure you collect the remaining 50% first.
- (You don’t need to do this exact split, but collecting 50-100% upfront is the most straightforward way to ensure timely payment and a quality client)
Use a contract, and in it, stipulate that the intellectual property is yours and usage is illegal until payment in full is received.
- Clarify your payment schedule and refund policy in the same contract
- Attaching payment to milestones is an excellent practice for larger projects
- If a client is curious why you don’t offer refunds, clarify the time investment and that you have to turn down other work to complete this project.
Make it as easy as possible for the client to pay (e.g. Paypal, Stripe, Bonsai).
Automate reminders for the client to pay.
Until the client signs the contract and pays your deposit, do NOT start work.
- This stage is where you spend your time understanding, evaluating, and explaining things to the client.
- Once they pay, you should take a more active role.
As always, don’t give them any legitimate reasons not to pay you. Communicate, be on time, and produce quality work.
Clients who have issues paying at the start are likely to have issues paying you at the end of a project. Trust your gut in these instances.
As you get more experience, learn what to charge for, and what to offer as a free bonus.
Friendly emails and phone calls will cover you the vast majority of the time. The more direct the communication method, the harder it is to ignore.
Freelance FAQ: How do you get testimonials from clients?
Ask for one after a successful client engagement.
Reach out to past clients a few weeks or months down the line; see how the project is doing. While you have their ear, ask for a testimonial.
Make it as easy as possible for clients to give you a testimonial.
- Make your request short and to the point.
- Offer some light direction
- Follow up if you don’t hear back within a week.
If a client reveals they’re dissatisfied with your work and they won’t give you a testimonial, don’t treat this as a loss. Follow up; ask about the issues they experienced with you and what you can do to improve.
Feedback from the Inferno: What do I do about another freelancer who stole my work?
(This segment originally premiered over at The Freelancers Union.)
I know you’ve addressed clients stealing work before, but I’m in a slightly different situation. Another photographer – one who I’ve never met – has one my pieces in his portfolio and he’s claiming himself as the creator.
What should I do? Do I have any recourse, or should I just let it go?
– A picture-perfect freelancer
No need to take the Elsa philosophy; there are three things you can do.
Start by writing a polite request for them to take down your work.
After that, you can file a DMCA takedown. Here’s a basic breakdown from the NPPA on how to do that. All you need to do is find the ISP hosting your image and draft your takedown notice.
Finally, you can hire a lawyer to send them a cease a desist. I wouldn’t recommend this one; it’s not going to be worth your time and effort, and attorneys – in addition to being expensive – tend to take cases like this one in very specific circumstances, e.g. if you’ve registered your photo before the infringement.
One thing you should not do is go straight to shaming the perpetrator online; take the high road before you consider the low one. It’s important to stick up for yourself and take necessary steps to protect your work, but it’s unlikely that this will in any way cost you work or somehow tarnish your reputation. Starting an online mob, however, has the potential to do both these things, so tread carefully.
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Bryce helps you decide whether your work is good before discussing the numerous skills a freelancer needs to succeed.
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Freelance FAQ: How do I know if I'm doing good work?
Freelancing can leave you feeling isolated; soliciting feedback and getting outside of your bubble is crucial.
Join online groups related to your craft.
- Offer (solicited) criticisms.
- Request criticism
Solicit feedback from past clients
- Ask after more than the work itself (e.g. how communicative was I? What would the client prefer I do differently?)
- You can do this with non-clients do, but if you do it with friends, offer them anonymity (e.g. a google document or a typeform)
Regularly produce work related to your craft.
Regularly try to improve your craft.
Stay up-to-date in your field
- Sign up for newsletters
- Follow influencers
Freelance FAQ: How do you deal with being a jack of all trades?
Your focus should remain on your field or primary skill, but to succeed as a freelancer, you need to learn about business, marketing, and quite a few fields that overlap with your own.
The two best pieces of advice for needing to work outside of your specific skill set is this:
- Keep it as simple as possible
- Don’t invest the time and anxiety until you’re ready to address the issue
My advice for the two skillsets every freelancer needs are below:
- Marketing: Reaching out to potential clients and building steady work should be your foremost concern
- Business and Finances: Calculate your minimal hourly rate and never dip below it.
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- If you have a lot of work, charge your next client more. Keep doing this until you get push back.
- One of your first investments into your business should be invoicing or contract software. Bonsai is a great place to start.
Finally, if you have some affinity for it, educate yourself on fields that overlap with yours as soon as possible. This elevates the value of your primary skill while increasing your overall value.
- E.g. Design + Copywriting / Coding
- E.g. Writing + Design / Coding / Marketing
- E.g. Development + Writing / Design / Front end or back end
You don’t need fancy tools or expensive courses to succeed, but you do need to invest the time. Specifically, you need to invest it wisely. Focus on skills that promise the biggest, most immediate returns, and work the rest out from there.
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A freelancer wonders what to do after his best client's best friend refuses to pay his invoice; Bryce offers advice for charging clients.
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Freelance FAQ: How should I charge my client?
The basic answer is, “if you want to earn X this year, you need to be making Y for every hour you work.”
- My rule of thumb: Take what you want to earn in a year and drop the zeroes. If you want to earn $45,000 this year, you need to be earning, at least, $45 for every hour you spend on your business.
- The logic behind this rule of thumb: There are about 2,000 billable hours in a year (40 hours a week x 50 weeks in a year – we’re losing two weeks for holidays). You cut those billable hours in half, because at least 25% of your time will go into business upkeep, and the other 25% will go into taxes, insurance, and retirement (which adds up to 50% of your time – half). Thus, take what you want to earn in a year (e.g. $60,000) and divide it by the 1000 billable hours (e.g. $60/hour). Remember, these are ballpark estimates, not fine-tuned figures.
Besides hourly, there are numerous ways to charge a client:
- Daily
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- Can begin charging for value (not time) and you get to focus on one thing at a time
- You can’t be flexible with your day; this billing rate doesn’t work with every situation
- Weekly
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- More flexibility to charge for value and not time; it is very results orientated.
- Weekly rates are more applicable to consultants and results-based work; the time investment for some weeks can wildly exceed a typical 40-hour workweek
- Monthly
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- A monthly rate offers regular income that bolsters a long-term relationship with clients
- It’s similar to being a full-time employee, with the pros and cons associated with that. Typically, you’ll have to charge more than a full-timer would and it can be difficult to communicate to a client why that is.
- Per deliverable
-
- This style of billing is directly tied to a product or result; your rate and time commitment are completely irrelevant.
- Scope changes and negotiation are commonplace
- Per project
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- Your billing purely by value; there’s less need for oversight and micromanagement regarding your day-to-day activities
- However, there’s an immense amount of planning involved; if you miss something, you eat the cost.
You should know your hourly rate even if you do not intend to charge by the hour. Your hourly rate informs all other forms of billing, typically as a bare minimum you need to be making.
Experience will teach you how you like to work, and how you like to work will influence the ideal way for you to bill your clients. Despite weekly billing having a higher potential income attached to it, monthly billing works better for my clients and me.
Feedback from the Inferno: My best client's best friend stiffed me – now what?
(This segment originally premiered over at The Freelancers Union.)
My biggest client referred his best friend to me. That friend stiffed me on my invoice. What can I do without ruining the 15+ year relationship I have with my client?
In a nutshell, my best and biggest client referred me to his close friend for some IT work. It came as an emergency. I did my best, and I got my client’s friend up and running again.
Over two visits, the friend accumulated $1600 worth of time within a few days. Both of his checks bounced. His business went bankrupt, and he claimed creditors to be relieved from, but I wasn’t one of them. I got his word he would pay me and that he appreciated the work I did for him.
Time went by. Nothing happened. I asked my client about his situation and from what I saw, my client was also one of the people his friend borrowed from. I’m unsure if he was someone he was relieved from.
When I asked my client if I should pursue it, he said I should drop it that I would probably never get the money back.
That $1600 isn’t chump change. With the economy like it is, I could sure use it. I don’t want to alienate my client, but it burns my ass that his friend got off, especially since he’s rich and lives in an exclusive neighborhood, nice cars, has another business which is flourishing, etc.
Additional context: the freelancer who wrote in has been in IT since 1994, and he started his business in 2004. There are no contracts involved in most of his work, as most of his clients have long and personal relationships with him – often spanning over a decade.
– A freelancer with a burnt butt
Honestly, it seems like you've already reached the conclusion on this: it's frustrating, but that money is likely gone. A lot of time has passed, and there was no contract in place. It's certainly possible there's a route you can take to regain that lost $1,600, but I don't see a way that's worth that amount of money – almost all of them will cost you in much more damaging ways.
I respect the crap out of the style of work you offer – close relationships, time-honed offerings, constant support – but it's a style where a contract-free experience should only be offered to proven and qualified clients. As you stated (this was in a separate email), it's the newer clients that take advantage of your stalwart offering.
I'd suggest taking a look at how you qualify these new clients and if there's a way to offer an expedited contract or down payment.
Here's how I deal with this: I have a simply-worded and short contract template that I use for clients I'm unsure about. I fill in the blanks with the client, and that ensures we're both on the same page regarding it (e.g. what results do they expect? what services do they need? who's my main contact? who's in charge of payment?).
My first meeting or two with the client is spent gaining an understanding of their issue, offering my solution, and engaging them for the work. My third meeting is a 5-45-minute engagement where we fill in those contract blanks and ensure we understand each other. I'm protected, my client is protected, and we’re both clear what I'll be doing with them. Plus, that contract-creating experience is my built-in client-qualification system.
I also suggest you check out the Freelance Isn’t Free act. I think you’ll be interested in supporting it.
Otherwise, I wish you the best with your future clients. I know a principled business (with such a remarkable pedigree) will do just fine in the long run, so my final piece of advice is this: don't sweat the crappy experiences. They seem to be few and far in-between.
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What to ask a prospective client and advice for a freelancer caught in a client's love triangle.
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Freelance FAQ: What questions should I ask a client?
When you first meet a client, you need to:
- Determine if the prospect is a good fit
- Diagnose their problem
- Decide if this will be a mutually beneficial relationship
Don’t overwhelm your prospect with 1,001 questions in the initial email, but do ask them sooner than later.
From there, you need to determine:
- Budget: Can the client afford your services?
- Authority: Does this person have the authority to make buying decisions?
- Need: Does the client have a genuine need for your services?
- Timeline: Does the timeline work for you and your client?
I always try to figure out the negative consequences of not having a solution and the positive implications of having a solution to frame all future conversations.
Regardless, here are some general questions to ask a prospect or client:
- For what reasons are you looking to hire a new freelancer now?
- What triggered your decision to hire a freelancer?
- What’s made this so urgent or important?
- What experiences, good and bad, have you had with other freelancers? What do you want to be different this time around?
- What results do you expect to see from the work we do together?
- What are your company’s goals?
- What’s your most important priority? What’s your most urgent priority? If they’re not the same, ask: What will it take to focus on the most important priority? How can the urgent priority get downgraded? What’s your company’s biggest marketing challenge?
- What’s keeping you from overcoming or meeting that challenge?
- What internal resources do you have to apply to this challenge?
- How well are your competitors doing?
- What are your competitors doing that you’re not and wish you were?
- What do you want to be the best at? What do you want your company or department to be renowned for?
- What are you willing to stake your reputation on?
- What’s the average lifetime value of a customer?
- What’s your customer acquisition cost?
- What’s your current marketing return on investment?
- What’s your process for choosing a consultant or agency? Have you used this process before? What worked or didn’t work? What will you do to get a different result?
- Who’s involved in making the decision? Who signs the contract?
- If you don’t hire a freelancer or consultant, how will you meet this challenge? What will you do?
- How will you know we’ve been successful?
- If we don’t address this issue, what will it cost your company?
- If we deliver on agreed upon goals, what’s that worth to your company?
- What problems do you see down the road that could obstruct or constrain our working together?
- What makes you lose sleep at night? Or what do you need so you can sleep at night?
You may have field-specific questions that you find your regularly asking clients. Based on those repeat findings, you should create an onboarding questionnaire that you go through with clients when they first engage you.
Feedback from the Inferno: How do I deal with my client’s controlling boyfriend?
(This segment originally premiered over at The Freelancers Union.)
My client’s boyfriend insists on attending all of our meetings, business or otherwise.
For context, I’m a male, and my client is a female. We know each other from school, but we recently reconnected when she found out I started freelancing, and she wanted me to build her budding businesses’ website.
My client has insisted that this isn’t a big deal – the boyfriend should be treated as another source of feedback – but the dynamic makes me uncomfortable. I told her that she doesn’t have to worry about me trying anything, but she says that’s not really the issue. She insists that the boyfriend has “her best interests” in mind and just not to worry about it because she “really wants to work with me on this.”
What should I do?
– A third-wheel freelancer
I had to email this submitter back to glean a bit of additional context.
To summarize: the client and her boyfriend have both cheated on one another, and the boyfriend is not there for his business expertise; the client and the submitter hooked up once “while drunk at school”; by school, the submitter means he and his client attended university together.
One thing that immediately set off warning signs for me is that you’re having meetings with this client that fall under the umbrella of “otherwise.”
Working with friends is something that I probably wouldn’t recommend. Working with a former hookup is something I would almost always discourage. Working with a serial cheater (that you have a history with!) while she’s in a troubled relationship (with a controlling boyfriend!) sounds like the motive the detective will give when he finds your dead body.
Point being: none of this sounds like a good idea.
Even if you weren’t involved with this client on the pretense of this being a client-freelancer relationship – and I’m not convinced you wouldn’t be, as you failed to mention you had sex with this client in the past in your initial email – I would still encourage you to get as far away as possible.
It sounds like this client needs to separate their personal and professional life. And I think the same could be said about you.
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A boss from hell claims ownership of a would-be freelancer's free time; Bryce offers advice for transitioning from a traditional full-time job to self-employment.
This episode...
- How do I go from the nine-to-five to freelancing?
- What should I do about a boss who won't let me have a side gig?
Do you have a question of your own? Shoot us an email!
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Freelance FAQ: How do I transition from the 9 to 5 to freelancing?
Before you make the full-time freelancing plunge...
Know your finances
- Have 3-6 months of savings before you commit
Start moonlighting
- Freedom to learn and experiment.
When you do start freelancing…
- Communicate with clients (but don’t create unnecessary work for them)
- Meet deadlines
- Always give your best work (if you can)
Research how freelance taxes work in your state
Look into insurance options
Create a schedule, system or process for work.
- Occasionally re-evaluate what is and isn’t working. In particular, look for time investments that aren’t showing any returns
Always evaluate your work/life balance
Evaluate your income to expenses
Feedback from the Inferno: My boss won't let me have a sidegig -- what should I do?
(This segment originally premiered over at The Freelancers Union.)
I moonlight as a freelancer and I know my boss will have a problem with it if he ever finds out. What should I do?
I have done freelance writing here and there for almost 10 years. I enjoy doing it, and I want to really get serious about it.
Here's my problem: I work full-time as an administrative assistant at a law firm, and my boss is not at all supportive of me doing anything that he thinks might take me away from my job. And let's be honest, he has a point - I do intend to leave when I've got my freelancing off the ground. For now, I need the money, and it's not a terrible gig, but it isn't where my heart is.
I already have one client that I got by word of mouth, and I know I need to advertise my services to gain more clients – which is scary enough, as I am an introvert – but I'm scared to put myself out there lest my boss discovers what I'm up to and uses it against me.
I would love just to be honest with him, as I have with my office manager, but past experiences have already taught me that's not an option; as examples, he fired another assistant partly because that assistant divulged that he was going to night school to become an EMT; he also was wary of me getting my CAP-OM certification until I described how it would benefit HIM.
I already dropped hints a long time ago that I really wanted to pursue writing, but that was dismissed and never referenced again.
Many others within the firm have ventures outside of the office, including my boss and all of the partners. But for them, the firm is an anchor. For me, it is a stepping stone.
My question is twofold: is there a way for me to advertise myself stealthily so that I can get clients without my current boss finding out? Or, in the event I just say screw it and put myself out there, how can I prepare to deal with the fallout?
I appreciate any help you can give - I am reaching out to you because I have heard you say to start freelancing part-time before jumping in with both feet, and I figured maybe you'd have some insight into a situation like mine.
I'm tired of holding back and missing out on clients and money because I'm afraid a simple Google search will cost me my job before I'm ready to leave.
– A moonlighter on a mission
First of all, this is easily one of the best-written emails I've ever received. You clearly have the chops to make it on your own as a freelance writer.
Second, your boss is an absolute douche.
With that out of the way…
Finding Work
There are tons of ways to market yourself without actually exposing yourself. In nearly a decade of freelancing, roughly 80% of my work came from clients I never actually met.
Word of mouth, job boards, local meetups – they’re all great ways to find work when you’re first starting out. For your first few jobs, simply letting the world know (via twitter, facebook, etc.) you’re available for work is a great way to secure some warm leads.
However, that last bit of advice tickles your main issue…
On being googled
I almost always suggest a freelancer use their name as their business, and I think this should still be the case for you. I understand the fear of Googling – and it's a valid concern – but the idea of this boss owning your name online is utterly ridiculous. Plus, your freelance site doesn't need to be salesy or revealing. Giselle's illustration website is a great example of this.
To address this potential name issue, maybe you can focus on your first or last name to start. Remember, most of your potential clients will be directed to your website through you; very few clients will find you by googling "freelance writer" or whatever.
Preparing to go full-time (AKA dealing with the fallout)
Simply put, I recommend 3-6 months of savings for ALL your living expenses is set aside before you make the full-time freelancing leap.
I also recommend at least three positive client experiences before you make the plunge. Ideally, some of these clients will offer recurring work.
Other resources
Here are two articles I always recommend for this stuff:
- How to Start Freelancing Without Quitting Your Job
- An Experienced Freelancer’s Guide to Finding Clients
- Also, if you ever want to use my Start Freelancing course to get a boost, I included a 75% off coupon in that link.
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This week, Bryce answers common (and not so common) questions about freelancing.
Do you have a question of your own? Shoot us an email!
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Freelance FAQ: Where do I find my first clients?
Start with people you know.
- Announce via social, email, etc. that you’re starting to freelance
- Reach out to individuals you know that may have need of your services
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- Feel free to reach out for work, but also ask to pick their brain
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- e.g. does your business hire freelancers? What do they look for? Etc.
Reach out to nearby businesses, especially if you have a positive relationship or a connection to someone higher up
- Local or nearby businesses have the benefit of face-to-face connection. You can succeed with an entirely remote client list, but when you’re just starting out, the flexibility of a local connection should not be underestimated.
- Attend networking events
- Reach out to hiring managers, creative directors, etc.
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- Feel free to reach out for work, but also ask to pick their brain
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- e.g. does your business hire freelancers? What do they look for? Etc.
Sign up for job boards and apply for jobs that you feel capable of tackling.
- Job boards require a lot of experience and thoughtful positioning to be regular and profitable sources of work. However, when you’re just starting out, they’re an excellent source of low-commitment experience.
- Try to find a unique position point. For example, there are very few freelancers boasting about their webinar experience -- there were all of six on a job board with over 100,000 freelancers on it.
- The more specific the job board is to your skillset (as a designer or developer), the better.
Pitch publications
- An excellent source of portfolio pieces and income
Join online groups related to your craft or services.
Market yourself in directories.
Reach out to job listings for full or part-time work related to your service and see if there’s a way you can help until they hire their permanent fix.
- I’ve actually had clients close job listings after working with me and then putting me on retainer.
Work for free
- Set boundaries and expectations
- Work for a testimonial, referral, and quality portfolio piece
- Ensure you want to do more work of this type
- Ensure you’re getting something of value out of this engagement; otherwise, you’re wasting your time.
Feedback from the Inferno: Where do I find my first clients?
(This segment originally premiered over at The Freelancers Union.)
I have a client that insists I do all my work at his office. He insists on this arrangement because he doesn’t really “trust web people.” He admits part of this is just not “getting it” – if I’m there, I can explain things, and he knows I’m honestly billing him for the time.
I really don’t like working at his office: it’s inconvenient to travel to and from there, I have to bring some of my equipment, and my client likes to breathe over my shoulder while I work.
The worst part about this over-my-shoulder work is that he’ll sometimes start to give me a massage. I’m not the only one he does this to, but it’s both literally and metaphorically uncomfortable.
How do I tell him to stop doing this without ruining the relationship?
– A real hands-on freelancer
The subject line of this email was “my clint likes to touch me - I do not.”
At first, I thought that was a lot of unsolicited information about a submitter’s uncomfortable relationship with a man named Clint, but boy did that stop being funny once I realized that was a spelling error.
I was unbelievably relieved to discover you’re both male and that this touching is seemingly non-sexual. It’s still 100% not okay that the client is doing this, but this dynamic could be far, far worse.
From what you wrote to me, it sounds like you have an out-of-touch-with-the-times client – both technologically and socially. And it sounds like you could do a better job of pushing back and making sure the working arrangement works for you.
Schedule a one-on-one meeting with your client to discuss how you work together. Decide beforehand where you draw the line. I suggest not working in that office altogether, but you can compromise on him simply respecting your personal space.
Do your research and prepare for this meeting. You should try and anticipate your client’s potential concerns, and you should have your reasons on standby.
For example, address why this client doesn’t trust “web people.” By now, you should have established a working relationship, so some trust should be there. If it’s simply a matter of hours, offer to use time-tracking software. If it’s due to a lack of understanding, ask if there’s a contact at the company who would better understand your deliverables – work that is mutually understood is much more likely to meet the client's goals effectively.
Whatever happens, don’t back down from where ever you drew the line. If all you’re going to push back on is the touching – and I encourage you to have more ambition than that – speak to how it makes you feel and try not to accuse or embarrass the client. Do this one on one, and be straightforward; it’s not okay that he was in your personal space, but it sounds like no one ever tried to course correct him, and he’s ignorant about how inappropriate it is.
If you still don’t want to rock the boat, invest in Mad Max-style shoulder pads.
Jokes aside, if you feel genuinely uncomfortable or physically threatened, cut things off with this client. A big part of freelancing is doing your work, your way – and it seems like this arrangement doesn’t empower you on a personal or professional level.
And try to work on sticking up for yourself! It sounds like a lot of your complaints about this situation came from you rolling over whenever your client requests something.
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From qualifying clients to education as a lead conversion technique, Bryce Bladon and Kai Davis discuss how they turn prospects into high-paying clients.
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Questions? Episode ideas?
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Steve Gordon, author of Unstoppable Referrals, joins Bryce Bladon to discuss how to get client referrals.
They cover:
- Why referrals are so important
- Obstacles that impede referrals
- Reverse prospecting
> Check out Steve's FREE referral course
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Questions? Episode ideas?
Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email!
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Bryce Bladon and Kai Davis share their plans, their predictions, and their advice for the upcoming year.
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Questions? Episode ideas?
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Bryce Bladon and Kai Davis discuss the past year, covering:
- Lessons learned
- Lessons we refused to learn
- Best moments
- Worst moments
- A fifth thing!
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Questions? Episode ideas?
Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email!
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Overlap between good romantic relationships and good client relationships exists.
Bryce Bladon and Kai Davis discuss the trials and tribulations of dating as a freelancer and how Kai's love life informs his business life (hint: check out our episode on being a failure ;) ).
Questions? Episode ideas?
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You're going to fail,and that's okay.
Bryce Bladon and Kai Davis discuss the impact of failure on their careers, the anxieties and fears tied to freelancing, and why you need to sacrifice comfort to grow yourself and your business.
Questions? Episode ideas?
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Freelancing allows you to make your career work for you -- and that means finding your own definition of success.
Bryce Bladon and Kai Davis discuss the question of success: when they found it, how they define it, and what it will look like in the future.
Questions? Episode ideas?
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Have you ever had to slap a restraining order on a client?
In this special bonus episode, Laura Pennington joins Bryce Bladon to give her opinion on Upwork, a site she's made thousands of dollars on. Laura shares her worst experience on the job board (spoiler: it involves a restraining order), her advice for freelancers who want to use Upwork, and her secrets for succeeding as a freelancer.
> Six Figure Writing Secrets (Twitter and Facebook)
Questions? Episode ideas?
Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon
Bryce Bladon and Kai Davis discuss when someone actually 'becomes' a freelancer, why so many freelancers feel like imposters, and how they realized freelancing was for them.
Questions? Episode ideas?
Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email!
Clients From Hell on iTunes | Soundcloud
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