The Freelancer's Teabreak

After years of very gentle bullying, I finally got Jo Shock onto the podcast! Jo has been the magic behind my business for over a decade, and she's the person everyone in the Freelance Business Lounge gets sent to the moment anyone mentions systems and CRMs. In this episode, we're talking all things CRM: what they actually are, when you need one, what to look for, and how to avoid getting dazzled...

Let's talk about bookending your freelance day! Flown (affiliate link) https://flown.com/register?join=emma-cossey-dfa56   Follow me on Instagram Email: hello@emmacossey.com   Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community:  https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz...

This week, we dive into the topic of part time freelancing around a job. Pour yourself a cuppa! Follow me on  Instagram Email: hello@emmacossey.com   Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community:  https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book:   The Free...

Your onboarding forms might be the most underrated bit of marketing research you own. This week's episode is a quick admin prompt: dig out your client questionnaires and look at what people actually say when they explain why they chose you. I share what I discovered when I did this myself (spoiler: I'd been talking about the wrong thing on my sales page), plus some easy ways to spot the patterns,...

...I'm going back to having the podcast as audio only. In this episode, I share what I learned during my experiment to offer the podcast as a video format too. Follow me on Instagram Email: hello@emmacossey.com   Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community:  https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book:   The Fre...

The Freelance Business Lounge is going up in price from the 1st of October. Join now and stick at the current price!  Join here: https://freelancelifestyle.podia.com/the-freelance-business-lounge

Ever caught yourself still playing by the old corporate rulebook, even though you left the 9 to 5 behind years ago? In this episode, Emma talks through the habits and expectations we carry over from employee life that freelancers simply don't have to keep. From unpaid "quick chats" that eat your lunch break to team-building days you never wanted to attend in the first place, this is your permissio...

In this episode of The Freelancer's Teabreak, I'm going to discuss the power of freelance friendships, and how to find your own freelance friendship circle 00:00 Welcome & Take a Break 01:19 Drains vs Radiators 02:14 Alicia's Story 04:39 The Freelance Business Lounge 05:17 Membership Details 09:02 Get Involved 10:16 Goodbye

Pour yourself a cuppa, it's time to chat about freelancing - and some of the biggest myths and truths out there! Hi, I'm Emma Cossey, and I'm a coach and mentor for freelancers.  Follow me on Instagram Email: hello@emmacossey.com   Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Join the free Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community:  https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Want more support? Che...

It's the last episode before a well-earned summer break! I'm swapping the mic for some quality time with my son before he starts secondary school, because some moments matter more than deadlines. There'll be no new episodes in August, but I'll be back in September, refreshed and ready to go. Before I go, I want to hear from you: video episodes or audio only? Weekly, fortnightly, or monthly? Any gu...

Fancy starting a podcast but the thought of buying a mic, learning fancy software, and building a whole "studio" fills you with dread? Good news, you might already have everything you need in your pocket. This episode is a quick, happy little discovery about a hidden feature on the iPhone that could save you time, money, and a fair few headaches if you're thinking about recording audio. We're talk...

Quick one this week, but it might just be the best piece of freelance advice you'll ever get. Ever said "I'll have it to you by Friday" when nobody even asked for Friday, then spent the next few days low-key panicking? Yeah, us too. In this episode, we're talking about why that little habit of overpromising (and the scramble that follows) is quietly sabotaging your chances to actually impress your...

How much should you actually be charging as a freelancer? Spoiler: there's no magic number, but there are some brilliant guides out there to help you stop plucking figures out of thin air. This episode is your cheat sheet to finding out what other freelancers are really charging, so you can stop guessing and start pricing with confidence. We're rounding up the best places to snoop on industry rate...

Ever feel like everyone else got the "how to freelance successfully" manual and you're just winging it? This week's episode is here to tell you: you're not alone, and that glossy six-figure freelance life you see on social media is mostly smoke and mirrors. In this episode, I get honest about what freelancing actually looks like right now: quiet quarters, wobbly income, and all. Inside, you'll get...

In this quick episode, I'm sharing a warning about scammy discovery call bookings that freelancers are increasingly running into now that we rely on booking links. I've heard of calls being booked where the other person turns up just to hard sell to the freelancer, and a recent example from my team involved repeated bookings, a document that wouldn't open, and a prompt asking for an email address,...

In this episode of The Freelancer's Tea Break, I'm reflecting on my son nearing the end of primary school and sharing practical ways I've managed childcare while freelancing, especially over the long summer holidays. I explain how UK tax-free childcare works (pay £8 in, get £2 topped up) and remind you it can help beyond nursery, including some after-school and summer clubs (depending on who accep...

In this episode, I'm talking through what to do when someone asks you to work for free, whether it's an unpaid "test project", spec work, or a talk with no budget. I share why you can (and should) feel confident declining, plus a few polite scripts you can use. If you do want to offer something, I cover alternatives like directing people to your portfolio/testimonials, creating a short free resour...

If the idea of outsourcing in your business feels scary, you're not alone. For a lot of freelancers and small business owners, "outsourcing" can sound like handing over everything (your inbox, your accounts, your social media, your systems) and trusting someone else with the things you've been doing solo for years. Grips laptop nervously to chest The good news is, you don't have to start big. In f...

In this episode, I'm diving into something I talk about a lot with my coaching clients: the three levels of services you can offer: DIY (Do it Yourself), DWY (Done With You), and (DFY) Done For You. Whether you're thinking about adding passive income, building a membership, or just wondering how to price and structure what you do, this one's for you. I also share a quick update on why this episode...

Ever wonder what an experienced freelancer actually does to find new clients each month? In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on my own client attraction strategy for May, including the thing that got me my first AI-referred client within weeks. What we cover: Why having a "pick and mix" of marketing activities alongside your regular content works so well AI SEO, what it is and why it's b...

Thinking about going freelance but worried about losing your Universal Credit? Good news, you don't have to choose. In this episode, I'm breaking down how Universal Credit actually works for self-employed people, and why it might be more flexible than you think. What we cover: Why Universal Credit isn't just for employed people, freelancers can claim too The Minimum Income Floor explained (and why...

Does following up after a discovery call make you cringe? You're not alone, but done right, a follow-up can actually feel like a gift to your potential client. In this episode, I'm sharing three simple strategies to check in without feeling pushy, salesy, or awkward. What we cover: Why follow-ups feel icky — and why they don't have to Setting expectations during the discovery call so follow-ups fe...

Should you invest in a freelancer directory? In this episode of the Freelancers Tea Break, host Emma Cossey breaks down the pros and cons of joining directories as a freelancer from boosting your SEO and local visibility to knowing when your money is better spent elsewhere. In this episode, you'll learn: Why directories can be especially valuable when you're new to freelancing Which directories ha...

In this episode of the Freelancer's Teabreak, Emma Cossey chats with Katherine Pearse (nee Hall), fractional CFO, systemic coach, and movement facilitator, about what it actually means to go fractional. Katherine breaks down how a fractional CFO differs from a consultant, interim, or part-time hire, and why that distinction matters. She shares the journey that led her from full-time finance leader...

Feeling overwhelmed by rising subscription costs? In this rewind episode of the Freelancers Tea Break, host Emma Cossey shares practical, actionable tips to help freelancers and small business owners cut down on their software expenses without sacrificing the tools that keep their businesses running. In this episode, you'll learn: How to audit your subscriptions and assess their return on investme...