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Steve Folland

Being Freelance

A Entrepreneurship , Business and Careers podcast

#35 in Entrepreneurship · 🇪🇸 #77 in Entrepreneurship · 🇸🇪
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About the show

Freelancing? Being boss of your own life and business can be tough and isolating. But it can also be totally rewarding. Pick up tips, advice and strategies on how to make it as a freelancer, a solopreneur, a fractional this, a self-employed that, as the owner of your own independent creative business - by hearing other freelancers share their experience.  Hosted by fellow freelancer Steve Folland. Serving the world's self-employed with episodes and support since 2015. Come join us in the Being Freelance Community - You're not alone being freelance. www.beingfreelance.com/community

Newest episodes

100 Handwritten Cards and a Different Way to Find Clients: Illustrator Becky Prinn

53 min

What happens when the way you've been finding freelance work no longer works for you?  For illustrator Becky Prinn, it was time to try something different. And rather than spend hours trying to get noticed on LinkedIn, she decided to put her artwork directly into the hands of the people she wanted to work with. Becky has been freelancing since 2016, following a decade working in-house in the greetings card industry. For a while, things worked well. Her artwork was being picked up online, particularly through Pinterest, and she had a steady relationship with an agency. But after having two children, juggling work around school and nursery calendars became increasingly overwhelming. Her online presence faded, the work changed, and she found herself feeling a little lost. A chance meetup with other freelance parents helped her realise how much she'd been missing the company of people who understood what freelance life was really like. A creative business course called Mastered brought new connections, fresh confidence and a willingness to be a bit more vulnerable and less concerned with getting everything perfect. That new confidence also prompted a different approach to finding clients. Which is how she finds herself personally writing and sending 100 Christmas cards in the height of summer to to businesses she wanted to work with.  Her offer? Bespoke illustrated Christmas cards featuring their premises, with the option of having her write and send them too. It's a thoughtful approach that considers what the businesses actually need - what their pain points are, rather than simply asking them to commission an illustration. And it's already led to new projects, and given her valuable feedback as to what to try next. We chat about finding your freelance community, making time for connections, getting comfortable with being imperfect, experimenting with different ways to find clients and discovering that your skills as a creative are only part of what makes you good to w...

Networking Can Work! How Andre De Almeida built his freelance business on conversations

39 min

Moving from Brazil to London to learn English in 2016, Andre De Almeida didn’t just pick up the language - he picked up the Being Freelance podcast and studied a new way to live and work too! After being made redundant from an in-house role, he used what he’d learned from listening to jump headfirst into full-time freelancing. The key to his growth? In-person networking, vulnerability, and a constant willingness to experiment -from the events he attends to testing titles like CMO vs. Fractional Marketing Manager. In this episode, Andre shares how stepping away from "corporate polish" helped him find his voice, build long-term client relationships, and win through collaboration over competition. And we're not joking when we say he found a friend and a client collaboration on his very first Being Freelance Community event - Mini Golf! You can see him and Cat (and Steve!) in this video of our day. In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, Andre shares: Vulnerability builds genuine connections: Showing up authentically and admitting when work is slow resonates far more with people than pretending everything is perfect.   Positioning makes sales easier: Replacing titles like "CMO" (which sounded out-of-budget) or "Freelancer" with "Fractional Marketing Manager" made prospects immediately understand his availability and offering.   Collaboration over competition: Connecting with peers in community spaces doesn’t just bring you friendship and support, it can result in long-term client sharing and referrals.Networking extends beyond the room: In-person networking starts the conversation, but consistent 1-on-1 follow-ups on LinkedIn build the long-term relationship. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership....

From Burnout to Balance: Pacing Your Business as a Neurodivergent Freelancer with Celie Nigoumi

54 min

Photographer and creative facilitator Celie Nigoumi shares her journey from severe burnout and chronic health challenges after university to building a thriving freelance business that works for her in a way normal employment and fluorescent offices never could.  Celie talks about navigating neurodivergence, merging multiple niches into a single authentic personal brand, and using boundary-setting tools like quarterly planning and bi-weekly 'buffer' days to safeguard her well-being.  We also get deep into pricing/packages her freelance business, and her About page messaging that spills across her website steeped in her core values - this helps her attract ideal clients while turning away the wrong fit. Topics Covered include: Transitioning from in-house corporate photography to full-time freelancingManaging ADHD, chronic fatigue/ME, and burnout in a self-employed careerMerging wedding and personal branding photography into one personal brandUsing Instagram, story-led email newsletters, and SEO to generate client leadsEstablishing clear core values on your website to attract the right clientsHosting community photo walks and collaborating with purpose-led organisationsStructuring personal branding packages and conducting discovery callsUsing support tools like Toggl and the UK Government's Access to Work schemeImplementing bi-weekly buffer days, quarterly planning, and extended time offHow a mentor and community have helped focus her and encourage her forwardYou can find Celie's website at celienigoumi.com More details on the UK Government's Access to Work scheme: get support if you have a disability or health condition. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance mercha...

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All episodes

The newest 50 of 374 episodes

100 Handwritten Cards and a Different Way to Find Clients: Illustrator Becky Prinn

53 min

What happens when the way you've been finding freelance work no longer works for you?  For illustrator Becky Prinn, it was time to try something different. And rather than spend hours trying to get noticed on LinkedIn, she decided to put her artwork directly into the hands of the people she wanted to work with. Becky has been freelancing since 2016, following a decade working in-house in the greetings card industry. For a while, things worked well. Her artwork was being picked up online, particularly through Pinterest, and she had a steady relationship with an agency. But after having two children, juggling work around school and nursery calendars became increasingly overwhelming. Her online presence faded, the work changed, and she found herself feeling a little lost. A chance meetup with other freelance parents helped her realise how much she'd been missing the company of people who understood what freelance life was really like. A creative business course called Mastered brought new connections, fresh confidence and a willingness to be a bit more vulnerable and less concerned with getting everything perfect. That new confidence also prompted a different approach to finding clients. Which is how she finds herself personally writing and sending 100 Christmas cards in the height of summer to to businesses she wanted to work with.  Her offer? Bespoke illustrated Christmas cards featuring their premises, with the option of having her write and send them too. It's a thoughtful approach that considers what the businesses actually need - what their pain points are, rather than simply asking them to commission an illustration. And it's already led to new projects, and given her valuable feedback as to what to try next. We chat about finding your freelance community, making time for connections, getting comfortable with being imperfect, experimenting with different ways to find clients and discovering that your skills as a creative are only part of what makes you good to w...

Networking Can Work! How Andre De Almeida built his freelance business on conversations

39 min

Moving from Brazil to London to learn English in 2016, Andre De Almeida didn’t just pick up the language - he picked up the Being Freelance podcast and studied a new way to live and work too! After being made redundant from an in-house role, he used what he’d learned from listening to jump headfirst into full-time freelancing. The key to his growth? In-person networking, vulnerability, and a constant willingness to experiment -from the events he attends to testing titles like CMO vs. Fractional Marketing Manager. In this episode, Andre shares how stepping away from "corporate polish" helped him find his voice, build long-term client relationships, and win through collaboration over competition. And we're not joking when we say he found a friend and a client collaboration on his very first Being Freelance Community event - Mini Golf! You can see him and Cat (and Steve!) in this video of our day. In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, Andre shares: Vulnerability builds genuine connections: Showing up authentically and admitting when work is slow resonates far more with people than pretending everything is perfect.   Positioning makes sales easier: Replacing titles like "CMO" (which sounded out-of-budget) or "Freelancer" with "Fractional Marketing Manager" made prospects immediately understand his availability and offering.   Collaboration over competition: Connecting with peers in community spaces doesn’t just bring you friendship and support, it can result in long-term client sharing and referrals.Networking extends beyond the room: In-person networking starts the conversation, but consistent 1-on-1 follow-ups on LinkedIn build the long-term relationship. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership....

From Burnout to Balance: Pacing Your Business as a Neurodivergent Freelancer with Celie Nigoumi

54 min

Photographer and creative facilitator Celie Nigoumi shares her journey from severe burnout and chronic health challenges after university to building a thriving freelance business that works for her in a way normal employment and fluorescent offices never could.  Celie talks about navigating neurodivergence, merging multiple niches into a single authentic personal brand, and using boundary-setting tools like quarterly planning and bi-weekly 'buffer' days to safeguard her well-being.  We also get deep into pricing/packages her freelance business, and her About page messaging that spills across her website steeped in her core values - this helps her attract ideal clients while turning away the wrong fit. Topics Covered include: Transitioning from in-house corporate photography to full-time freelancingManaging ADHD, chronic fatigue/ME, and burnout in a self-employed careerMerging wedding and personal branding photography into one personal brandUsing Instagram, story-led email newsletters, and SEO to generate client leadsEstablishing clear core values on your website to attract the right clientsHosting community photo walks and collaborating with purpose-led organisationsStructuring personal branding packages and conducting discovery callsUsing support tools like Toggl and the UK Government's Access to Work schemeImplementing bi-weekly buffer days, quarterly planning, and extended time offHow a mentor and community have helped focus her and encourage her forwardYou can find Celie's website at celienigoumi.com More details on the UK Government's Access to Work scheme: get support if you have a disability or health condition. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance mercha...

Embracing The Weird: How Quirky Outreach Built a Copywriting Business with Helen Carrie

44 min

What happens when the industry you’ve worked in for a decade gets shut down overnight? In this episode, host Steve Folland chats with Helen Carrie to talk through her complete freelance overhaul when COVID hit.    Helen worked in UK television production: traveling the world, interviewing celebrities; before the pandemic brought it all to a stop. Forced to evaluate her skills, she decided to try her hand at writing, starting at the very bottom.    Over a five-year gradual transition, Helen phased out TV production and built a thriving, sustainable B2B copywriting business focusing on brand copy, executive ghostwriting, and conversion copy. Keen to keep her skills and clients diverse to protect herself.  In this honest, funny, and practical conversation, Helen reveals the exact numbers behind her cold pitch strategy, how being intentionally "weird" on LinkedIn transformed her client base, and why setting boundaries gave her a much better quality of life.  In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, Helen shares: The reality of TV "freelancing" – Why traditional television production contracts often trap self-employed creatives in high-burnout, all-consuming feast-and-famine cycles rather than offering true flexibility.   Rebuilding a creative career from scratch – How an industry-wide shutdown forced a 5-year pivot from TV into B2B copywriting, starting with content mills paying fractions of a penny per word.   The power of "weird" cold outreach – Why sending highly personalised, quirky connection requests and emails generated a reliable 1% conversion rate to build her client base.   Finding your authentic voice on LinkedIn – Moving past corporate posting habits to turn social media into a steady inbound client lead generator.   Securing recurring revenue with retainers – Smart strategies for structuring ongoing client work, from fixed monthly project fees to quarterly brand strategy reviews.   Beating the "bad boss" mindset – Practical advice for us busy being o...

5 Ways AI Could Be Tripping Up Your Freelance Business - Bonus - with lawyer Ingrid Fernandez

32 min

AI is already in your freelance business, whether you invited it or not.  The usual Being Freelance podcast is on its summer break, but here's a bonus treat for you: a replay of a live LinkedIn session Steve did with lawyer Ingrid Fernandez, part of the Being Freelance community, looking at what AI means for freelancers legally - not "will it take my job" but "how does it change my contracts, my responsibilities, and my relationships with clients?" Ingrid walks through five areas that could be tripping freelancers up: Putting client information into AI - what counts as personal information, why transparency with clients matters, and why your privacy policy needs to name the tools (including AI) that touch client data.Clients handing you AI-generated materials - the IP risk when a client passes over AI-made brand elements, logos or source material without saying so.Using AI in the services you deliver - the reputational and trust risk of client-facing work that's gone through AI without disclosure, and why it's worth putting in your contract.Clients putting your deliverables into AI - what happens to your IP once a client feeds your design, copy, or podcast into their own AI tools to create derivatives.Confidentiality clauses and AI - how modern confidentiality clauses are increasingly naming AI specifically, and why redacting a client's name doesn't necessarily get you off the hook.Ingrid's steer throughout: this isn't about being anti-AI, it's about being transparent, thinking about where you stand, and then getting your contracts to reflect that - so you can stop worrying about it case by case. Find Ingrid at herlegals.com. Catch the full library of Q&A replays in the Being Freelance Community. This was originally a LinkedIn Live - so come find us on LinkedIn: Steve Folland on LinkedIn Being Freelance on LinkedIn Ingrid Fernandez on LinkedIn JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfree...

The Blogs Became Books... Became Clients - David Airey

49 min

David Airey is a freelance graphic designer based in Northern Ireland, self-employed since 2005.  He's the author of several best-selling design books including Logo Design Love and Identity Designed - both of which started life as blogs, before turning into books... before turning into a steady stream of client work. In this episode, David talks with us about: Persuading his former employer to be his first freelance clientWhy his early "business blog" flopped, and how switching to writing about design (not just his own) changed everythingLaunching logodesignlove.com in 2008, and getting an out-of-the-blue email about a year later from a US publisher that led to his first book dealHow that one book grew into four published titles, translated into multiple languagesNiching down into logo and identity design after realising it was the part of the job he loved mostThe costly early lesson of doing design work before securing payment upfront - and how he gets paid nowWhy he's deliberately kept his business to just himself for 21 yearsHow those same blogs, barely updated these days, still bring in client enquiries years laterWhat makes a good client relationship, and why he pushes back on purely subjective feedbackWhy he doesn't set long-term goals and prefers to stay focused on the presentFind David at: davidairey.com logodesignlove.com and identitydesigned.com JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

Freelancer BTS - Not rushing on

3 min

New full episode coming soon. But in this super short one - Steve Folland explains why he's not publishing a new interview this week. Too often we rush on from one thing to another. But by doing so we don't do justice to the thing we just finished. With the Being Freelance podcast, that can mean not promoting an episode with clips, socials and emails. That doesn't help the podcast, the guest OR the listener who could have benefited. Same in our freelancing businesses. If we don't reflect, get testimonials, build case studies, share... we don't help do justice to the project we just finished. We don't do justice to ourselves, to our client... AND we don't help potential new clients know what we're capable of, so weirdly, we're not helping them either. If you find yourself rushing; pause. Try and build in some buffer to big up your business. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

Freelancing Through Every Tech Shift Since the 90s - Lisa Emmington

46 min

Lisa Emmington is a freelance instructional designer (or as her newly SEO'd website puts it, a training course designer) based near Milton Keynes.  She's been freelance almost her entire career, starting out as an IT trainer back when Apple Macs were a mystery box on people's desks, and has reinvented her business every time the market has shifted underneath her - from face to face training, to early e-learning software, to mentoring individual course creators today in the face of AI. In this episode we talk about: How the desire to be freelance came before Lisa knew what she wanted to be freelancing inSpotting the shift from face to face training to e-learning, and moving with itWhat happened when she and her husband became a limited company for three years, and why it made her invisible in the marketRebuilding visibility from scratch with a social media VA and an SEO overhaulWhy "instructional designer" doesn't bring in enquiries, but "training course designer" doesFiltering and pacing leads using nothing more high tech than a paper diaryThe balance between promoting decades of expertise and the very real ageism facing freelancers in their 50s and 60sHer three income streams: templates, done with you mentoring, and done for you course creationPensions, retirement planning, and why she's planning to keep freelancing well past 67What 60 actually looks like now, versus what she expected it to look like So much great advice and things to think about in here around change in our careers - brought about by the inevitability of developing tech and age. --- EPISODE SPONSORED BY ECAMM For years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret. Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac.  Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time. Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats. Try Ecamm for free.  Use code BEING...

Chase the Happiness: Meaningful Freelancing - Filmmaker Zoe East

46 min

Zoe East has never had a proper job. A work experience placement at a big TV channel that felt old-fashioned and sexist put her off the traditional route before she'd even graduated, so she went freelance instead and never really looked back. That was over ten years ago. She started with whatever work came along. The niche found her gradually: charities doing meaningful work, heritage and culture projects, things that will matter just as much when someone watches them in ten years' time. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers: Getting started by networking and taking whatever came alongWinning six months of free studio space in a creative co-working community, and why staying there for ten years shaped the career around itBuilding a niche in charity and heritage filmmaking - and why charity budgets are often better than people assumePutting "win an award" on a vision board in January, and winning by AprilThe adventure filmmaking strand: films about running adventures across Iceland, Tajikistan and Patagonia, and getting into Kendal Mountain Festival and the London Mountain Film FestivalWhy cold outreach has never worked for her, but word of mouth has - and how sharing only the work she wants more of has quietly shaped her client listDropping Instagram and going all-in on LinkedIn as the one social platform where her clients actually areMonthly goal-setting sessions with a freelancer friend: yearly goals, monthly focus, and the accountability that comes from having to report backThe rate spreadsheet that makes quoting consistent and takes the stress out of pricing decisionsBuying almost everything secondhand, having all her kit stolen as her biggest low point, and using a post-COVID grant to buy her first ever brand new cameraMoving into the She Who Dares Wins studio with Michelle, and the documentary series and production company they're building together --- EPISODE SPONSORED BY ECAMM For years people have asked how Being Freelance l...

The Recipe Is Always the Same: Reach Out, Follow Up - Émilie Chen

50 min

French creative Émilie Chen had what she calls her dream job: senior designer at The National Theatre in London, working on posters she'd dreamed about since university. Years later though, it had turned sour in the studio, her mental health took a hit, and she gave herself 8 months to start saving money and figure out her next Act.  What got her there wasn't a clever strategy. It was people. Co-founding the London chapter of Ladies, Wine & Design gave her the confidence to start asking the freelancers she was meeting, how they'd done it. Someone she cold emailed, handed her a contact sheet of art directors across publishing. And the recipe, she says, never changed: reach out, follow up, and keep doing it even when nothing happens for months. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers: Co-founding the London chapter of Ladies, Wine & Design - starting with eight women in a theatre lobby - and how it built the confidence to ask near-strangers for advice, and to end up on speaking on stages (that got bigger and bigger over time)Pushing back on a client who wanted her to create pitch work for free - and how that one conversation led to every freelancer being offered a fee from then onBuilding a niche almost entirely from her old National Theatre colleagues, who took her name with them to new venues Waiting after a talk for the room to empty, then walking up to introduce herself Mailing a physical pack of postcards to The Guardian's creative directors and the years-later payoffSurviving lockdown eleven months into freelancing, when her entire theatre client base vanished overnight, and the online directories that kept her busy until theatres reopenedThe WhatsApp group of independent theatre poster designers who share contract terms, rates, and overflow workWhy the hardest part of freelancing isn't finding clients - it's learning to be a good boss to yourselfThis episode is available to watch in video on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. The...

Freelancing as an Unpaid Carer - Adrian Ashton

48 min

Adrian’s been a successful freelancer for 21 years. But in the past 7, his definition of framing success has changed. For the last seven years, Adrian has also been an unpaid carer for three immediate family members. He talks honestly about what that's meant for his business - the travel he's had to give up, the networking events he can't get to, the inquiries he's had to turn away, and why he deliberately caps how much work he takes on (and how much money he can make). But he also talks about the bigger picture. Seven years ago, he went looking for support and found nothing. Half a million freelancers were in the same boat - and nobody was talking about it. So he stepped up and opened up. In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland, we cover: Why Adrian chose to make his caring role a "first date disclosure" with every new client - and how it's actually strengthened client relationshipsPlanning marketing around your worst week, not your bestThe theory of constraints - and why having less can unlock more creativity and enjoymentHis annual impact report: a 20-year habit that's never won him work directly, but keeps him accountable, sane, and focusedThe impending crisis for the UK as the numbers of freelancers with unpaid caring responsibilities increasesHow we can make a difference and a changeThe impact freelancers have in the world - yep, you includedThis episode is available to watch in video on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. Adrian is a member of the Being Freelance Community - come join us, you’re not alone being freelance. Find Adrian at adrianashton.co.uk And his Impact Reports are available too. --- LINKS FOR CARERS MENTIONED IPSE Carers UK Number 18, In The Corner Blog Citizens Advice - Carers Benefits & Financial Support for Carers (UK) --- EPISODE SPONSORED BY ECAMM For years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret. Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac.  Give anything you do wi...

Her Niche Is Fishe - Becoming The Ocean Writer - Melissa Hobson

59 min

Melissa  spent over a decade in PR & Comms. She was good at it but she was drawn to the ocean. So she started pitching dive magazines on the side, moved to Mozambique to volunteer with a marine conservation charity, and when the pandemic sent her home, decided to go all-in as a freelancer rather than look for another job. Still it was PR work she was picking up but frustrated by.  “I just want to write about fish” she told her mastermind friends in the Being Freelance Community. They encouraged her. And she went for it. Three years ago Melissa became The Ocean Writer. Now her work appears in National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, and a growing list of major publications around the world. Editors come to her when something pees in the ocean. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland we take a deep diver into the life of The Ocean Writer: Pitching editors constantly - and dealing with rejectionTurning down work that doesn't fit the niche - even when it's hard - and why that's what made the niche workUsing LinkedIn actively and how it keeps sending opportunities anywayHow Ocean Writer branded clothing sparks recognition and conversationsBuilding financial resilience - even six weeks off sick this year didn't derail herHiring a VA to handle the bitty stuff so she can focus on writingStop getting in your own way - why you should pitch sooner than you think you're ready-- EPISODE SPONSOR This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Ecamm. For years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret. Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac.  Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time. Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats. Visit beingfreelance.com/ecamm to try Ecamm for free and use the code BEINGFREELANCE on that link to save 15% on your first payment. JOIN THE COMMUNITY...

Becoming a Freelance Illustrator for Marvel, Disney and DC: Doaly

50 min

How does a creative side project turn into a decade long freelancing business working with the biggest names in pop culture, like Disney, Pixar, Marvel, DC Comics, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros and Sony Pictures? All good super-heroes have an origin story. And this interview tells the series of events that took Doaly from working for a company in Birmingham, England, to the front page of comic covers seen all over the world. Signing at Comic-con events. It's quite the transformation. Tarlochan Doal, AKA Doaly, spent 15 years as a full time in-house web and UX designer. Illustration was the side hustle he did to scratch a creative itch, designing movie posters for films he loved. Then one Saturday morning, Doaly woke to an email from a movie studio. And his whole script changed. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers: - Why he filled his portfolio with the work he wanted to be hired for, and how design blogs and social media got it in front of the right people - The passion projects that catapulted his career — including a Wonder Woman piece that sold 1,500 posters in a weekend and let him quit his day job - Using UX contracting to bridge the financial gap in his first year of full-time freelancing - Building a garden office to separate work from home - because when you love what you do, you'll work all day and night if you let yourself - How a random 45-minute conversation at a New York convention led to his first Marvel Comics cover - Multiple income streams across movies, comics, book covers and advertising - so no single client base can sink you - The weekly phone calls with a fellow designer that serve as his informal co-mentoring It's one hell of a story. And you might think - well, I'm not trying to work with Marvel, how will this freelancer's story relate to me? But there's so much relatable freelance advice and business tips to be drawn from his experiences. -- EPISODE SPONSOR This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported...

Business Name vs Your Own Name: Which is Better for Freelancers?

22 min

It's a question Steve Folland gets asked a lot: as a freelancer, is it better to have a company name or use your own? In this compilation episode, Steve digs deep into 11 years of the Being Freelance podcast archive - pulling together voices from guests including brand copywriter Mark Grainger, branding expert Bhavini Lakhani, copywriter Graeme Piper, illustrator Dan Bailey, social media consultant Alison Battisby, marketing agency founder Ross Simmonds, and more - to try and get to the bottom of it once and for all. Why some freelancers hide behind a business name - and why that's not necessarily a bad thing How a company name can shift your mindset and make you feel like a proper business The practical reasons to avoid trading under your own name: spelling, pronunciation, searchability, and standing out in a scrollable world When a business name helps you work with bigger clients, organisations, and even government Why your business name should be future-proof - what happens when you pivot away from the service it describes? The case for using your own name, and why Ross Simmonds says don't underestimate the power of your personal brand Why in an age of AI, being a visible human is more valuable than ever How some freelancers make the best of both worlds - with names like Jessi Illustrates, By Hollie Arnett, and Letters By Julia Of course, there's no single right answer - but Steve rounds things up with his own take on when each approach makes sense. HEAR THE FULL EPISODES You can hear the full freelance stories of these guests by checking out their original episodes.  Simply try these links to open in your podcast app: - Rebecca Shipham - Mark Grainger - Bhavini Lakhani - Graeme Piper - Joel Klettke - Col Skinner - Dan Bailey - Alison Battisby - Mary Cameron - Louisa Heinrich - Hollie Arnett - Ross Simmonds JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfr...

Becoming the go-to freelancer in your niche - Jessi Illustrates

43 min

Jessica Hartshorn was trained as an illustrator, but unable to get work as one she went in another direction. Jessica spent the next 16 years working in museums and galleries. But the itch to illustrate never went away. So she set up a secret Instagram account and started painting again without telling a soul. Seven years on, she's a successful illustrator, freelancing with museums, galleries, heritage sites and parks across the UK. And her 16 years behind the scenes at the museum? Turned out to be her biggest selling point. Hear Jessica, AKA Jessi Illustrates, chat with Steve Folland in the episode of the Being Freelance podcast which covers: Going from a secret Instagram to an being known as the go-to specialist How 16 years working inside museums became her unique selling point as a freelance illustrator COVID as an unexpected turning point: when museums couldn't open Why she goes to museum conferences and networking events (and is often the only illustrator in the room) Using a printed pricing list not just to give costs, but to give inspiration as to what she could be hired for Investing £500 a year in her business - and what that's bought over the years, from a videographer to a badge-making machine Working with a creative mentor to cut out the work that looked good but wasn't worth the time Co-mentoring with Jo (a graphic designer from the BF community) Saying no with a standard copy-paste email - and why taking the emotion out of it makes all the difference Jessica is part of the Being Freelance Community — come and hang out with Steve, Jessica and plenty of friendly freelancers who get what it's like! JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance m...

Freelancer BTS - Some things are more important

3 min

New episodes with fresh freelancing stories coming very soon. But as Jess Bruno said on her episode of Being Freelance: "Content can always blood wait". JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

Stop Waiting for Clients. Start Making - Charles Commins

1 hr 6 min

Charles Commins handed his notice in at his pub management job with no plan and no business.  His partner gave him one month to figure it out. All he knew was that he wanted to love his job. Seven and a half years later, he's an award-winning freelance podcast producer whose almost entire client chain traces back to one decision: making a football podcast about Northampton Town. That podcast would act as his show ground and his playground. Testing and ultimately proving to clients that he should be freelancing for them. Along the way he's had a succession of word-of-mouth freelancing clients, realised his dream of appearing on BBC Radio, and made all of it work around being there for his family. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers: Starting It's All Cobblers To Me as a portfolio piece, and how a Northampton Town fan indirectly led to a four-year retainer Why and how 90% of his work comes through referrals The "starting from…" pricing approach: why he won't publish fixed rates, and how he edges prices up with each new client Work-life balance: from pub late nights to home office, to a new baby derailing everything, to finally getting it to 60/40 The never-ending circle of freelance guilt - working, not working, being with family… there's always something to feel bad about Co-running MIC's Podcast Club with Vic Turnbull - 1,400 members, monthly virtual meetups, and why running a community full of "competitors" is actually brilliant Launching The Warrington Scoop, a hyperlocal monthly podcast, as a low-lift way to generate local business leads Co-mentoring with Amy: how a monthly accountability call became one of his most valuable freelance tools The biggest challenge: not finding clients, but believing work will come when you're in a trough Charles is part of the Being Freelance Community - come and hang out with Steve, Charles and plenty of friendly freelancers who get what it's like! JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not al...

Field Trip Fridays and Four Bank Accounts - Illustrator Perryn Ryan

47 min

Perryn Ryan didn't set out to become a freelance illustrator.  After a degree in computer information systems (to keep her parents happy), years in tech,, and a long stint in the fashion industry, she eventually gave herself permission to just... draw stuff she liked. Nothing serious. Then a stranger with a million followers re-shared her work, the enquiries started flooding in, and a freelance illustration career was born almost overnight. In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, Perryn talks about: How a career in fashion taught her to cost properly - including the "invisible costs" most freelancers miss What happened when she dived into her first illustration brief without a contract, and what she learned from it Why she approaches every client relationship as a partnership - but with clear limits on revisions, timelines, and communication Her surcharge system for clients who insist on net 30 or longer payment terms How her niche grew organically by simply making what she loved - flowing line art, wellness themes, women-focused brands Why she's stepped back from Instagram and leans on direct outreach to art directors instead The Illustrator's Business Journal; her writing project sharing business lessons through storytelling rather than how-to lists Her four-bank-account system for managing freelance finances without the end-of-year panic Protecting her creativity with time blocks, no weekends, and Field Trip Fridays Enjoy a story with a few twists, a couple of false starts, and the reminder that every weird job you've ever had is probably preparing you for something.   JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance....

Chase Those Late Payments - Graphic Designer Laura Whitehouse

55 min

Laura Whitehouse didn’t follow the usual path into graphic design. While studying archaeology and anthropology (told you) at university, she started designing posters for student theatre shows. At first for free, then for £20 here and there (or sometimes just a pint). What began as a creative outlet quickly became the foundation of a freelance career. Thanks to word of mouth clients and the help of various mentors, she built skills and confidence.  Until five years on, one of those mentors simply told her: "Just do it". So she did. She quit. And start freelancing full time In this episode Laura talks about: Building a business through word-of-mouth referrals Gradually increasing her rates after nudges from other freelancers Showing only certain types of work online to shape perception Running her one-woman studio Mighty Fine Why she prefers working with freelancers rather than building an agency The reality of managing 45 projects at once Being completely unapologetic about chasing unpaid invoices Why the financial side of freelancing can be the most stressful part And the strange phenomenon of people wanting to “just grab a coffee” to pitch startup ideas Laura also talks about working in film and TV graphics, co-hosting the podcast Opening Credits, and how reading fantasy novels recently helped her switch off from work in the evenings. It’s a fun and honest conversation about building a freelance business your own way, without necessarily following the usual advice about niches, marketing strategies, or growth. Sounds like a mighty fine idea. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out t...

How to Find Your Freelancing Niche

19 min

In this short compilation episode, Steve revisits conversations from across 11 years of the Being Freelance podcast archive to explore what actually happens when freelancers specialise in a niche. Full of stories of how these freelance creatives found their niche and the impact it had. You’ll hear: THE IMPACT OF NICHING How specialising can make marketing simpler and sales conversations easier Why expertise can lead to higher-value opportunities HOW TO FIND YOUR NICHE How to choose a niche based on experience, enjoyment or values Why your niche doesn’t have to be permanent Featuring insights and stories from James Barnard, Liz Painter, Katie Chappell, Ayo Abbas, Louise Shanahan, Eman Ismail, Estelle Hakner, Ebonie Allard, Hannah Dossary and Stephen Adams. Whether you’re just starting out or rethinking your positioning years into freelancing, this episode might help you scratch that niche itch. FULL EPISODES for each guest James Barnard Liz Painter Katie Chappell Ayo Abbas Louise Shanahan Eman Ismail Estelle Hanker Ebonie Allard Hannah Dossary Stephen Adams Paul Jarvis Q&A Hosted by freelance podcast editor and video podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for y...

When Freelancing Goes Quiet: Getting Proactive with Mark Grainger

40 min

For years, Mark Grainger’s freelance business ticked along nicely. Referrals. Word of mouth. Repeat clients. And then… things went quiet. In this episode, we explore what happens when the reliable stream of freelance work slows down. And what it really takes to respond proactively rather than panic. Durham-based freelance brand copywriter Mark shares how he: - Repositioned himself from a company name back to his personal brand - Niched by service rather than industry - Started experimenting with LinkedIn outreach - Refocused on building more durable business foundations - Leaned into community rather than retreating Mark is refreshingly honest about the uncomfortable parts of freelancing, especially business development. “I have a business, but I’m not a businessman.” We also talk about lifestyle businesses, pricing flexibility, work-life balance, and why it’s vital to acknowledge the harder seasons of self-employment rather than pretending everything’s fine. If freelancing has felt quieter lately… If you’ve relied on referrals and now need a Plan B… Or if you’ve ever felt uncomfortable selling yourself… This conversation will reassure you - and might just nudge you to get proactive too. Go say Hi to Mark on LinkedIn!   JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW...

Freelancer BTS - What happens when they click?

6 min

This is the first time I've done this as an episode. A quick behind the scenes of what I'm up to with my own freelancer business - as a freelance video and podcast editor.  If you'd like to go even more behind the scenes, check out my freelancing life vlog on YouTube. If I'm going to pay for an advert for my services, there's something I need to do first... And you can do this too. It's not about a major overhaul of your website.  Instead sit with a fresh cuppa and fresh eyes and see as if you're someone discovering you for the first time. If someone clicks through on LInkedIn to your profile, what will they find? Mine is linkedin.com/in/stevefolland Likewise to your website. Mine is stevefolland.com Look at your LinkedIn profile.  Is it up to date for the work you're doing today? Do the links they click out function properly? Look at your website.  Are the services you want to be known for the most obvious?  Does your contact form work?  Is your blog active or making it look like you've gone out of business? If you're going to shout about yourself so that people pay attention, make sure what they find is true to you today. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll als...

From Freelancer To Studio - The Power Of Positioning

56 min

Laura has been a professional graphic designer for over 20 years, but her freelance journey began in 2008 after the birth of her first child. With daycare in Manhattan costing more than rent, Laura started piecing together freelance work from home; juggling projects from a tiny dining table in a fourth-floor walk-up. Freelancing wasn’t always smooth. But eventually, after settling in Massachusetts, it clicked. After a particularly harsh freelance interview left her devastated, Laura made a decisive shift. She stopped calling herself Rizby Designs and became Rizbee Studio instead - a small but powerful change that reframed how clients perceived her work. And how she saw herself and her business. Laura began positioning herself as a studio, using “we”, and gradually building a trusted team of contractors around her. Over time, Laura discovered what she truly loved: designing brand systems, particularly for consumer packaged goods in the food and beauty industries. Finding her niche was the next big change. Laura’s growth has been fuelled by intentional networking. From women-led business groups locally, to major industry expos across the US. Laura shares how she approaches events, follows up thoughtfully, and builds genuine relationships that often turn into work, even if it’s months later. Laura also shares why she’s invested heavily in her business over the past few years: hiring a business coach (who’s helped her double revenue year-on-year), bringing on a social media manager, fractional CMO, director of operations, CFO, and freelance designers - all while remaining the creative heart of the studio. Beyond client work, Laura has created something rare: a true client community. Including hosting a client appreciation dinner (first time we’ve heard that on the podcast!). She explains how fostering connection between clients has become a defining part of her business. It feels amazing the difference defining herself as a ‘studio’ instead of a freelancer has made. JO...

Cold Outreach: What Actually Works for Freelancers

15 min

Cold outreach can often get a freelance business started.  But in this episode I propose even those of us years down the line don't give it the cold shoulder. When you need to bring in clients, maybe a period of cold outreach, or even a consistent long term pattern of it, could be exactly what warms our business back up again. Cold emails. Cold calls. Reaching out to people who didn’t ask to hear from you. It can feel awkward, uncomfortable, and very easy to put off. But again and again on the Being Freelance podcast, freelancers have shared how proactive outreach - in many different forms - played a huge role in getting their business started, or getting it moving again when things felt quiet. This episode is a little different from the usual Being Freelance format. Rather than a single guest interview, it’s a reflection on conversations with freelancers who’ve taken a deliberate approach to outreach. You’ll hear how copywriter Adri Kopp refined her cold email process, worked out who she should actually be reaching out to, and set herself daily outreach targets - discovering that volume and timing mattered just as much as personalisation. You’ll hear how fintech copywriter André Spiteri approached cold outreach as a simple, repeatable habit, deliberately avoiding emotional attachment to individual emails so he could keep momentum going. Designer and illustrator Iancu Barbarasa shares how sending hundreds of emails wasn’t about asking for work, but about starting conversations - conversations that later led to some of the biggest projects of his career. The episode also explores outreach beyond email. Sustainability copywriter Raymond Manzor talks about cold calling, sending physical letters with samples, and following up by phone. Standing out simply because hardly anyone else was doing it. Whilst visual storyteller Ashwin Chacko shares how self-publishing a book and proactively sharing it opened doors to workshops, conversations, and paid work. Alongside the tact...

How Katie Chappell Built (and Unbuilt) a Scalable Freelance Illustration Business

54 min

Katie Chappell is a freelance live illustrator based in the UK - and her story takes some unexpected turns. After being sacked from a graphic design job, Katie slowly built a freelance illustration career through side jobs, teaching guitar, working in retail, and even becoming a nanny abroad. A 100-day drawing project helped her find confidence, momentum, and visibility - and eventually led her into live illustration and graphic recording. Things really took off during the pandemic, when Katie adapted quickly to online events and found herself booked solid. At one point, she scaled the business into an agency-style setup with salaried staff and 24 illustrators on the books. On paper, it looked amazing. In reality, it nearly broke her. In this episode, Katie talks honestly about scaling up, scaling back, pricing, niching, marketing, work-life balance, and the moment she realised something had to change.  We also get into the practical stuff: working with a virtual assistant, setting clear prices, and why “make work, share work” is still the foundation of her marketing. Katie is part of The Good Ship Illustration - an education and community space for illustrators, that she founded with two of her friends. If you enjoy Katie on here, do check out The Good Ship Illustration podcast!     JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance...

How These Freelancers Work ON Their Business All Year

14 min

As freelancers, it’s easy to spend most of our time in the business - delivering client work, meeting deadlines, keeping things ticking over. But if we never step back, time has a habit of running away from us. We can be swept along on a current of what people ask us to do, not thinking about if it's where we want to be heading. This episode is a little different from the usual Being Freelance podcast format. Instead of a single guest interview, it’s a reflection on conversations with freelancers who consistently make time to work on their business - not just once a year, but regularly. You’ll hear how different people approach this in their own way: Some take themselves off on solo business retreats - sometimes to a hotel, sometimes just to a different room in the house — with no client work allowed. Others hold quarterly CEO retreats, stepping away from day-to-day delivery to review what’s working, what isn’t, and what they want more (or less) of. One even does a 'Weather Report', seeing what's on the horizon for their work, personal life, creativity, and the wider world -  treating their business like something that moves in seasons. What they all have in common is this: They don’t leave their freelance business to chance. Regular reviews help remove mental load, bring clarity, and often make client work feel more enjoyable - because you’re no longer carrying half-finished thoughts about marketing, pricing, direction, or next steps in the back of your mind. You’ll also hear a very practical reminder: if you want thinking time, you usually have to put it in the diary first. Two or three hours, a half day, once a month or once a quarter - it all counts. This episode isn’t about grand five-year plans or fancy frameworks. It’s about creating space to ask better questions: Is this still working? Am I enjoying this? Is this profitable? Is this taking me where I want to go? Because freelancing doesn’t have to be something that just happens to you. With a little regular...

Graphic Designer & Illustrator Itzel Islas

34 min

From an overworked designer posting “a visual diary” on Instagram to running a multi-stream creative business, Itzel Islas has built a freelance life entirely on her own terms. After almost a decade in apparel design, she started illustrating for fun - and quickly realised people loved her colourful, playful style. “Little by little I started creating art… and then I started getting clients through it.” Today she runs YAY Itzel, blending branding work, her online shop, Patreon sticker club, brand partnerships with Adobe and Wacom, murals, workshops and even organising pop-ups, all rooted in her Mexican culture. “I’m just chasing whatever is fun for me.  And if it sounds fun, I’m all in.” She talks building a business organically, finding clients who share her values, and why being authentic is her biggest asset. “I’ve always seen everything I do as a big package of what is my business and how I sustain myself as an artist.” Hosted by freelance podcast and video podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Che...

I’m Not a Machine - Freelancing Balance & Bandwidth with Katie Tucker

50 min

Freelance market research consultant Katie Tucker shares how being intentional - with her time, energy, and choices - helped her build a freelance life that truly fits.  From walking away from a corporate job for a family adventure to launching her freelance business Product Jungle and writing excellent business book Do Penguins Eat Peaches?, Katie opens up about patience, priorities, and the reality of balancing work, parenting, and wellbeing.  You can watch the video podcast of this episode on Spotify or YouTube. In this episode we cover:  The leap from corporate to freelancing after a family gap yearHow writing Do Penguins Eat Peaches? helped shape her businessBalancing client work with parenting and self-careWhy understanding your customer starts with asking better questionsThe power of patience, pricing, and permissionPlus ,we discover the one market research mistake that freelancers and small business most often make. Make sure you catch it.  Find Katie Tucker at https://www.productjungle.co.uk/ Get Katie's excellent business book: https://amzn.to/4hQ60bh --- Hosted & produced by freelance podcast editor & video creator Steve Folland.  EPISODE SPONSORED BY FREELANCER MAGAZINE  Much more than a magazine these days - but come on, who doesn't love sweet glossy pages dropping through your door helping you explore the world of freelancing?  Visit freelancermagazine.co.uk   JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE CO...

Slow Down - Lineo's Intentional Freelancing

47 min

From choreographing dance routines and directing a TV show at a South African megachurch… to running her own freelance business - Lineo Kakole’s journey into branding was anything but traditional. When no one would hire her after she quit her job, Lineo started sharing passion projects on Instagram. From there, she built her creative identity design studio, Get Ready With Me, around beauty, strategy, and intentional living. But freelancing wasn’t always smooth. Burnout forced Lineo to rethink everything - from how she planned her day to how she tracked her emotions. Her solution? Turning to her 16-year-old self for guidance.  Her high school self packed a lot in without burning out, how did she do it? Paper planners. Quarters, not just years. Dance breaks. Report cards. Slowing down.  Now she does client work just four focused hours a few days a week - and she’s built a business that truly fits her life. In this episode, Lineo shares how she: - Built her freelance brand from scratch with no client experience - Discovered her niche through joy, not just opportunity - Designed a unique way of tracking emotional productivity - Learned to value her unconventional career path - Built market access beyond South Africa — into London, Sydney, Berlin and more Lineo reminds us: No one’s chasing you.  You don’t need to be 'Forbes 30 Under 30'.  You just need to design a freelance life that works for you. ---- Hosted & produced by freelance podcast editor & video creator Steve Folland.  EPISODE SPONSORED BY FREELANCER MAGAZINE  Much more than a magazine these days - but come on, who doesn't love sweet glossy pages dropping through your door helping you explore the world of freelancing?  Visit freelancermagazine.co.uk JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll al...

Surgeries, Grief, & a Six-Figure Business - Jess Bruno

49 min

When Jess Bruno left her corporate job in marketing, to help with managing her chronic illness - she had no idea freelancing was even an option.  It was her mum that made her realise all the free marketing advice she was giving to her friends should be worth paying for. The next time they called asking for help, it would cost £25. Since then, Jess has built a six-figure freelancer business. And what's more, she's built it on her terms: around her health, around surgeries, around grief.  The past five years has packed in a lot for Jess. And we pack a lot into this episode: - How chronic illness shaped her business model - Rebuilding from grief, surgery and burnout — twice - How she grew her business without posting perfect content - The shift from doing it all to coaching and strategy - Why her content converts, even with 30 likes a post - What Netwerking is, and why it’s worth every penny (even in the red) - How she’s planning a sustainable new version of her business It’s bold, honest and brilliant — just like Jess. -- Hosted & produced by freelance podcast editor & video creator Steve Folland.  EPISODE SPONSORED BY FREELANCER MAGAZINE  Much more than a magazine these days - but come on, who doesn't love sweet glossy pages dropping through your door helping you explore the world of freelancing?  Visit https://freelancermagazine.co.uk JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance...

No Suit, No Broccoli: Escaping Corporate Life with André Spiteri

47 min

From finance lawyer in Malta to FinTech copywriter in Edinburgh — André Spiteri’s freelancing story is full of risk, reinvention, and real talk. In this episode, André shares how he went from a corporate job he hated to building a sustainable freelance writing business.  He talks honestly about the pressures of starting out, the mindset shift that came with success, and why the freedom of freelancing can sometimes be the hardest part. You’ll hear: Why André quit law and moved to London with no plan His cold-pitching mindset and why, against the usual freelancer advice, he doesn’t follow up What changed when he embraced being himself on social media How community and a mastermind group made a huge difference The surprising thing he found most challenging about freelance life What he’d tell his younger self after 10 years in business It's a fun, sometimes sweary story of escaping corporate life. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/Steve...

20 years freelancing as Ben The Illustrator

40 min

PODCAST SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE: High quality audio/video recorded online www.beingfreelance.com/riverside It’s free to get started - use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan    ABOUT THIS EPISODE Ben O’Brien, known to many as Ben The Illustrator, returns to share how his freelance journey has evolved since his first Being Freelance appearance back in 2018. From losing all his travel industry clients overnight in 2020, to discovering new income streams through lockdown listening parties, to launching a creative studio with his wife, and literally building a studio with his friends. Ben’s path of adaptation has been found by following his curiosity, being more open that ever to opportunities.  Now 25 years into his self-employed life and 20 years as ‘Ben The Illustrator’, there’s a lot of experience for Ben to draw from (making no apologies for the pun). - Finding clients through word of mouth (and why you can’t force it) - Running a print shop… and knowing when to shut it - The joy of building your own studio from scratch (literally) - What AI can’t do (and how human illustrators can stay ahead) - Why sharing your work (not just your services) really matters Ben seems to be a really happy place creatively and with work life balance. And he's rediscovered the joy of doing what he always loved. Available as a video podcast too - Watch Ben here on the site, on YouTube, or Spotify. EPISODE SPONSORED BY FREELANCER MAGAZINE Much more than a magazine these days  - but come on, who doesn't love sweet glossy pages dropping through your door helping you explore the world of freelancing? Visit https://freelancermagazine.co.uk JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance m...

Your Handy Dandy Brandy Gal: Hollie Arnett

55 min

PODCAST SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE: High quality audio/video recorded online www.beingfreelance.com/riverside It’s free to get started - use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan    ABOUT THIS EPISODE From a young age, Hollie Arnett was inspired to pursue a creative path.  Fast forward to today, and she’s running not one but two brands from Wellington, New Zealand: Maker & Moxie, where she coaches artists and makers on building their own brands, and By Hollie Arnett, where she offers branding and illustration services. High School Hollie would be proud. In this episode, Hollie shares how her journey as a freelancer began as a teenager doing design work for her youth group, how a life coach nudged her into officially launching her business, and the twists, pivots, and passions that shaped her freelance career.  We also dive into subscription services, pricing packages, the power of creative communities, her own experiences with chronic illness, confidence issues and ultimately following the joy in what she does. It's a joy to listen to. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merch...

Collaborating, Not Competing - Jerel Ramsey’s Freelancer Story

36 min

PODCAST SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE: High quality audio/video recorded online www.beingfreelance.com/riverside It’s free to get started - use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan    ABOUT THIS EPISODE From a young age, Jerel Ramsey was inspired by his father to work for himself. And here we are. In this episode, Jerel shares how he turned his passion for design into a full-time business, Sola, which he runs with his wife from their home in Trinidad and Tobago. Starting out as a graphic designer, Jerel’s journey went from side gigs to establishing a purpose driven creative agency. He talks about how his experience with the Red Cross sparked his desire to work on meaningful projects and how he built a business based on collaboration rather than competition. Building a network of other freelancers to 'co-create'. Staying to true to his father's message to work 'with' people, not 'for' them. Jerel opens up about the realities of freelancing, from finding clients in a saturated market to balancing work and life with his wife, and how their complementary strengths make their business thrive. VIDEO version also available on YouTube and Spotify! JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the co...

Communications Specialist Dee Primett

50 min

PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  RIVERSIDE: High quality audio/video recorded online www.beingfreelance.com/riverside  It’s free to get started - use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan  PODCAST SPONSORED BY:  PORKBUN: Get a domain name for your website. www.beingfreelance.com/porkbun    ABOUT THIS EPISODE This time around Dee Primett shares her 10 year journey from a side hustle grinding with content mills to becoming a sought-after freelance communications specialist for healthcare and tech brands. Dee got her start writing online while juggling young children, slowly carving out a niche in healthcare content—and discovering a talent for making complex ideas easy to understand. Her freelancing career evolved from generalist blog posts to strategic content and brand communications, fuelled almost entirely by referrals and word of mouth. In 2022, Dee was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. In this honest and inspiring conversation, she opens up about the impact it had on her life and business; from surgery and recovery to reshaping her lifestyle, working patterns, and mindset. She talks about coping with post-cancer anxiety, the huge difference getting a studio space made, building better boundaries, and leaning into what matters most. We also hear about the Female Copywriters Alliance, the vibrant community she founded for women in copywriting, and her growing interest in creating a micro agency model that supports other freelancers fairly. Dee brings plenty of humour, heart, and wisdom to this episode of the Being Freelance podcast which you can also watch with video on YouTube and Spotify. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelan...

Using Creative Skills For Good - Conservation Illustrator Styngvi

38 min

Icelandic artist Stefán Yngvi Pétursson, also known as Styngvi, shares his journey from working in an ad agency to becoming a freelance conservation illustrator.  Inspired by shocking pollution during a trip to Indonesia, Stefán decided to use his creative skills for environmental activism, or 'artivism'.  He established a successful freelancing career through Instagram, but more recently has expanded his network and leads via LinkedIn and email outreach.  With a growing online presence and support from platforms like Patreon, Stefán aligns his art and business with his values, promoting sustainability, environmental awareness, kindness and positivity.  In this chat we explore his passion-driven career and his strategic pro bono work (including a collaboration with a major music star). But whilst it may feel like Styngvi may have found his calling, what to actually call himself is another matter. An ethical designer? A conservation illustrator? A science communicator?  How about: a really great podcast guest? Enjoy! 00:00 Introduction to Stefán Yngvi Pétursson 02:47 Starting the Freelance Journey 04:45 Discovering a New Path in Indonesia 07:04 Building a Sustainable Art Career 10:13 Navigating Business and Outreach 18:24 Pro Bono Work and Strategic Collaborations 22:54 Freelance Community and Networking 24:18 Stefan's Portfolio and Online Presence 26:02 Managing Freelance Workload 26:59 Exploring New Content Strategies 28:22 Balancing Work and Personal Life 29:30 2 Truths/1 Lie Game 33:42 Life on the Road as a Freelancer 34:55 Crafting a Professional Identity 38:01 Conclusion and Farewell EPISODE SPONSORED BY (AND RECORDED USING) RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelancer business. It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Head to: http://www.beingfreelance.com/riverside JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not a...

Freelance Freedom: How Rebecca Rosenberg Balances Work and Wanderlust

35 min

This time, we explore both a metaphorical freelance journey and physical one. In 2015 Rebecca decided she wanted to travel whilst freelancing. After building up savings and clients for a couple of years, she headed off to Europe as a digital nomad. Travelling whilst working as a content writer and strategist. At first she did more sight seeing that client work, but as time went on she was ready to switch that balance. To settle for longer - both in terms of location and contracts. Rebecca shares insights on how she made the most of her network for initial clients, and adapted to changing freelance landscapes over the years through platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook groups, and Slack communities.  She discusses the challenges and benefits of running a location independent business. (She’s currently settled in Bonn, Germany - but before that spent two years in Turkey!). Plus we hear about the importance of community, developing her freelance business with external help in mastermind groups and with coaches. Plus getting strategic by herself with regular quarterly 'CEO retreats' - taking time out of client work, to focus on what she's building herself. Because even if she's staying put for longer geographically these days, she's definitely still going places. EPISODE SPONSORED BY (AND RECORDED USING) RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelancer business. It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Head to: http://www.beingfreelance.com/riverside JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfree...

Animation Director Dave Anderson

46 min

EPISODE SPONSORED BY (AND RECORDED USING) RIVERSIDE  Record high quality video & audio with Riverside.  See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelancer business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.  Head to: http://www.beingfreelance.com/riverside ----- ABOUT THIS EPISODE How does a Welsh schoolboy recommended by a career advisor to become a tree surgeon end up illustrating and animating for some of the biggest media outlets across the globe? Becoming a location independent freelancer, working from London, Lima in Peru, and Barcelona in Spain. Getting known for creating funny content. With a range of satirical dog toys and creating animated videos for some of the worlds biggest podcasts including Joe Rogan and The Rest Is History? Dave shares his thoughts on steering his career in the directions he desires.  The importance of meeting people, working in somewhere other than your home, and paying attention to what work you’d like to do and the work that’s no longer coming your way. Available as a video podcast too - Watch Dave here on the site, on YouTube, or Spotify. Enjoy! JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance cou...

Antisocial Socialite Yolanda Sissing

50 min

How does a Welsh schoolboy recommended by a career advisor to become a tree surgeon end up illustrating and animating for some of the biggest media outlets across the globe? Becoming a location independent freelancer, working from London, Lima in Peru, and Barcelona in Spain. Getting known for creating funny content. With a range of satirical dog toys and creating animated videos for some of the worlds biggest podcasts including Joe Rogan and The Rest Is History? Dave shares his thoughts on steering his career in the directions he desires.  The importance of meeting people, working in somewhere other than your home, and paying attention to what work you’d like to do and the work that’s no longer coming your way. Available as a video podcast too - Watch Dave here on the site, on YouTube, or Spotify. Enjoy! EPISODE SPONSORED BY (AND RECORDED USING) RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelancer business. It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Head to: http://www.beingfreelance.com/riverside JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

Illustrator Helen Ridley

51 min

In this episode , Steve Folland interviews Helen Ridley, a freelance illustrator who has carved a unique niche in live event illustration. Helen shares her inspiring journey from studying fashion design to working in retail for over a decade and finally making the leap to full-time freelance illustration during the 2020 lockdown.  She discusses the challenges and rewards of building her business, the importance of pitching and persistence once you have a contact, and her success with live portraits at events, including a notable partnership with John Lewis.  Helen’s not just pursuing her passion. She’s focussed her freelancing on what’s actually profitable. Helen also delves into her collaborative creative workshops and retreats, strategies for email marketing and PR for freelancers, and the value of community and networking in the freelance world. 00:35 Steve Folland's Introduction and Riverside Sponsorship 01:21 Helen's Journey to Freelancing 04:15 Transition to Live Illustration 09:07 Success with John Lewis and Pet Portraits 17:14 The 100 Rejections Challenge 20:58 Collaborating on Creative Workshops 25:49 Unexpected Bookings from Podcasts and Events 26:46 The Power of Email Marketing 28:10 Balancing Marketing and Live Events 32:09 The Role of a Part-Time Job 33:49 Promoting Yourself and Winning Awards 41:54 Fun Facts: Two Truths and a Lie Game 48:48 Advice for Aspiring Freelancers  EPISODE SPONSORED BY (AND RECORDED USING) RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside.  See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelancer business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.  Head to: beingfreelance.com/riverside JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course...

Photographer Xavier Buendia

41 min

In this episode, Xavier Buendia shares his journey from Mexico City to Brighton, and more importantly from the world of hospitality as a sommelier to a career as a successful freelance photographer. Xavi discusses the importance of people skills, marketing consistency, self-confidence, and believing in yourself.  He highlights both the financial benefits and creative downsides of having routine retainer clients; his pivot when COVID and Brexit hit the food industry he’d relied upon. And his recent experiments with hiring a very human PR and using AI – both to help his business in different ways. 00:00 Introduction to Xavi Buendia 02:04 Xavi's Freelance Journey Begins 03:16 Moving to England 04:04 Discovering Photography 04:38 First Photography Gigs 06:57 Building a Photography Business 07:24 Using Social Media for Business 08:19 Learning Business Skills 09:08 Expanding the Business 12:11 The Role of Customer Service 17:01 Challenges of Freelancing 18:11 Managing Work and Life 19:28 Embracing Food Photography 20:20 Lockdown and New Opportunities 21:13 Impact of Brexit on the Food Industry 23:18 Networking and Diversification 28:14 Managing Retainers and Routine Challenges 37:01 Working with a PR 39:18 Advice for Freelancers and Relocation Insights    EPISODE SPONSORED BY (AND RECORDED USING) RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelancer business. It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Head to: http://www.beingfreelance.com/riverside JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.co...

Podcast Producer Kate Taylor

52 min

In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, host Steve Folland interviews Kate Taylor, a seasoned podcast producer and founder of the Feast Collective. Kate discusses the highs and lows of her 20-year freelance career, emphasising the importance of personal relationships and trust in bringing word of mouth work. She shares the journey of starting the Feast Collective to combat the isolation and stress inherent in freelance work, fostering a supportive community for audio professionals. Very much a sense of not seeing your peers as your competition. It's an interesting taking on freelancers working together and growing together. Kate also opens up about her personal fears, the rejection she's faced, and the strategies she uses to maintain work-life balance. The episode celebrates 10 years of the 'Being Freelance' podcast - Thanks so much for listening and being part of it!   00:00 Introduction to Kate Taylor and Feast Collective 00:39 Podcasting with Riverside - SPONSOR MESSAGE 01:52 Celebrating 10 Years of Being Freelance 03:20 Start of Kate Taylor's Freelance Journey 08:49 Building Relationships in the Audio Industry 12:33 The Birth of Feast Collective 15:41 The Structure and Focus of Feast Collective 23:15 Challenges and Successes in Freelance Audio Production 29:03 Balancing Work and Life as a Freelancer 30:20 MESSAGE - Join the Being Freelance Community 31:50 Dealing with Rejection in Freelancing 34:39 The Importance of Awards and Recognition 38:06 Climate Change and Podcasting 41:59 Game: Two Truths and a Lie 48:57 Advice for Freelancers: Wisdom from Experience 51:28 Wrapping Up: Join the Being Freelance Community EPISODE SPONSORED BY (AND RECORDED USING) RIVERSIDE  Record high quality video & audio with Riverside.  See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelancer business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.  Head to: beingfreelance.com/riverside JOIN THE C...

Laughs for Leads on LinkedIn - Freelancer Dave Officer

54 min

Hear how Dave Officer, a freelance graphic designer got started and finds clients in this episode of the Being Freelance podcast hosted by Steve Folland.  Dave shares his late leap into freelancing, discussing the challenge of overcoming the urge to procrastinate by consuming endless information.  Discover how Dave transitioned from a steady job to pursuing his passion later in life, using creative networking strategies and leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn to build his brand.  If you're wondering if LinkedIn video can bring you work... yes it can. Dave is the proof.  But how is he doing it?  Stand out. Bit that bit different to the 20 who came before.  With plenty of humorous anecdotes and practical advice, Dave's story is a must-watch for any aspiring freelancer looking to make their mark, or established self employed creatives who are trying to find clients on social media.     EPISODE SPONSORED BY (AND RECORDED USING) RIVERSIDE  Record high quality video & audio with Riverside.  See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelancer business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.  Head to: beingfreelance.com/riverside JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

Graphic Designer Angela Lyons

47 min

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside ----------- ABOUT THIS EPISODE Angela shares her 12-year journey as a freelance graphic designer. And her approach to business has dramatically evolved so there’s plenty to share. Initially focusing mostly on magazine design work and raising her young family, the past four years have seen her embrace networking, community building, and new opportunities through social media and in-person events. Angela discusses how joining communities like Being Freelance, Digital Women (where she won Graphic Designer of the Year) and working on Freelancer Magazine as art director opened new doors and helped her overcome initial reluctance to put herself out there. She emphasizes how word-of-mouth referrals have consistently been her main source of work. And now? There’s no stopping her. She’s launching her own podcast called "Creatives Like Us" featuring people of colour in creative industries, and organising an event of the same name. She’s being mentored and mentoring others - Angela shares insights about the value of business programs like Santander's Women in Business, which helped her improve crucial aspects like invoicing and contracts. Ange says she loves talking to people. And that’s the essence of what’s brought her work throughout. This time she’s talking to us… Enjoy! JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise...

Copywriter & Creative Director Thomas Kemeny

39 min

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside ----------- ABOUT THIS EPISODE Thomas Kemeny shares his journey from agency copywriter to successful freelancer, highlighting how he transitioned only after establishing a strong reputation in the advertising industry. After working long stints at agencies, Thomas didn’t want to climb the career ladder and become a manager. He wanted to be doing the creative graft. Working alongside an art director partner, Thomas discusses how they maintain separate businesses while frequently collaborating. He explains the benefits of working with both agencies and direct clients, noting how each environment offers different learning opportunities and approaches to creative problem-solving. With freedom in his schedule, Thomas had time to finish his copywriting book ‘Junior’. Published in 2019, not only was it a hit in the advertising industry, but it got picked up in the start-up world. An unexpected promotional tool, it lead to speaking opportunities at companies like Spotify and events like Cannes Lions. The episode delves into the realities of freelance life, including managing work-life balance while working from home with a young child, avoiding social media, handling business aspects like contract negotiations, and staying positive during industry downturns. Thomas emphasises the importance of showing the work you want to do rather than what you think clients want to see. He recognises that freelancing is often being in the moment rather than looking long-term. So for now, spend this moment listening to Thomas’ freelancing story. -- CHECK OUT THE FREELANCER GIFT GUIDE Stack full of ideas of what to get the special freelance...

Purpose Driven Illustrator Hazel Mead

47 min

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside ----------- ABOUT THIS EPISODE Despite initially getting the cold shoulder from cold outreach, Hazel soon found her niche creating purpose-driven work, particularly around feminist and social issues. A viral social media post early in her career led to work with major clients like Netflix, though she discusses the anxiety that came with sudden exposure. Hazel opens up about managing the rollercoaster of freelance life, including how she handles quiet periods - even training as a face painter as a backup plan. She discusses the evolution of her business, from client work to running an online shop, painting murals, and publishing a book. The conversation delves into the challenges of social media management, maintaining authenticity while building a following, and protecting creative work from plagiarism. Hazel emphasises the importance of in-person connections and pushing through comfort zones, sharing how speaking engagements have led to exciting opportunities. A key theme is staying true to your authentic voice - Hazel describes temporarily removing her women's health-focused work from her portfolio on advice from a mentor, only to realise this was diluting her unique perspective that clients value.   JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being F...

Sustainability Copywriter Raymond Manzor

51 min

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside ----------- ABOUT THIS EPISODE Irish freelancer Raymond Manzor shares his journey from teaching English in Paris to becoming a sustainability copywriter.  His freelance career began as a French to English translator, specialising in medical translation. Over time, he transitioned to editing, proofreading, and eventually copywriting. Raymond discusses his start in freelancing, including cold calling and mailing potential clients. He emphasises the importance of positioning and messaging, sharing his recent efforts to rebrand himself as a sustainability copywriter. (How did he even land on that term?!) Ray talks about the challenges of creating a website, defining his niche, and the importance of researching market needs before launching his services. All very business like for someone who doesn't call himself a business owner. He highlights the value of building a community and networking, particularly on LinkedIn. Finding that balance between chatting to your peers and your potential clients.  He shares how most of his opportunities, including referrals and collaborations, have come through connections made on the platform. Virtual coworking has also played a huge part. There's so much to learn from Raymond about evolving in our freelance careers. It's a really fun conversation. He's good at chatting - and who knew that would be a key skill when finding work as a freelancer too? JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take...

Illustrator Mariery Young

50 min

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside ----------- ABOUT THIS EPISODE Mariery Young, a freelancer from Panama, shares her journey from architecture to illustration and design.  Starting with a chance Facebook event, Mariery discovered her talent for art. She had pretty firm confirmation she was good at this new offering when her first freelance client was... Nike. Yep. She just did it. Mariery discusses how her architecture background helps her manage multiple projects and timelines effectively. She emphasizes the importance of honesty in time management and clear communication with clients, especially in quoting and project planning. A pivotal moment in her career was participating in the London Illustration Fair, which confirmed illustration as her path and connected her with wholesale buyers. This experience taught her the value of pursuing projects she's passionate about, as it resonates with clients and leads to more fulfilling work. And if you love what you're doing, you'll keep going when it's tough. Because it will get tough. Mariery shares insights on balancing work and life, including her decision to live near the beach for a better quality of life. She discusses her approach to social media, preferring to keep her work process private and focusing on one-on-one time with clients. Avoiding the lure of becoming an influencer, whilst making the most of the connections social media can bring. She stresses the importance of having a community of fellow freelancers for support and understanding. Mariery also talks about the challenges of slowing down, especially after a health setback. Mariery operates under the studio name "Mezclao," which reflects...

Voiceover Emma Clarke

47 min

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside ----------- ABOUT THIS EPISODE Emma Clarke is a freelance voiceover artist, composer, and writer based in Manchester in the UK. You don't get to have a  35-year journey of self-employment without learning a thing or two. A lot to share in this conversation in amongst the laughs. Starting at 17, Emma knew she wanted to create her own job that combined her various interests. Her career began with recording for BBC Radio and quickly evolved into creating training playlets for businesses. Emma emphasises the importance of client management, getting clear briefs, and managing expectations. A key focus of our chat is Emma's systematic approach to business strategy. She conducts monthly "weather reports" to analyse trends in her personal life, work, and the wider world. This practice, along with quarterly and annual reviews, helps her stay agile and adapt to changes in the industry. Emma shares her experiences with various marketing channels, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and her Substack podcast. She notes how these efforts, particularly her podcast, have led to unexpected work opportunities, sometimes years after initial connections were made. And, yep - we had to bring it up. With AI unavoidable in the voiceover industry, Emma stresses the importance of being nimble and looking for adjacent opportunities. She advises us freelancers to focus on our unique skills, interests, and experiences to create new income streams. Throughout her career, Emma has weathered various economic storms by focusing on customer service, adapting her business model, and diversifying her income streams. She emphasises the importance of being a...

Web Designer Phil Matthews

42 min

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business.  It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside ----------- ABOUT THIS EPISODE Meet Phil Matthews, a seasoned freelance web designer celebrating an impressive two decades of independent business. Based in Weymouth on the UK’s South coast, Phil's journey started when an unexpected request came in whilst working in a computer game shop. Now we get to hear how he levelled up his freelancing career over the 20 years from there. In the days before Fiverr and UpWork, we hear how Phil went from creating websites advertised as eBay listings to building a loyal client base through word-of-mouth and stellar SEO practices, Phil shares his freelancing story - offering valuable insights on client relationships and the importance of recurring revenue streams. We hear his experiences balancing client work with family life, and how being freelance has allowed him to be present for his children's milestones. We also explore his approach to gathering and leveraging client reviews, a key factor in his business growth. Speaking of which, if you enjoy this podcast, please do leave a review 😘 Enjoy! JOIN THE COMMUNITY You're not alone being freelance.  Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU! The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   FREELANCER MERCH Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. JOI...

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