Doing It For The Kids

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from copywriter and freelancing mentor Laura Smith . She says:   “Hey Frankie and Steve, Can you help me figure this out? I'm a freelance copywriter that has worked with a lot of small business owners on their content. The more I worked with them, the more I realised I really liked the extra conversations they were h...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from interior and events stylist Sally Cullen . She says:   “Hey Frankie, Steve and the DIFTK community, Last year when we were still deep in lockdown I was asked if I would like to cover maternity leave on a magazine for a year. I wasn't sure what was in store for my freelance career as an interiors stylist at that...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from project manager and editor Rose Parkin. She says: “Talk to me about school holidays. We’re currently in the second week of Easter, but the summer break is looming. Both me and my partner are freelance and we have two kids aged 5 and 8.  We don't tend to do a huge amount of holiday clubs (maybe 1-2 days a week at...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Rene Hammer aka Anonymous. They say: "Hi Frankie & Steve,  My partner hates their job. Like, really hates their job. Meanwhile, they see me being busy and wearing all the hats — but happy working freelance. So I’ve been softly encouraging them to become self-employed too. They’re coming round to the id...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from website marketing specialist Tom Garfield . He says: “Life costs so much more now! Fuel, heating, food, clothes, EVERYTHING is way more expensive. I shudder every time I hear the letterbox clunk, wondering what bill is coming for me next.  I don't want to dip into savings or reduce my pension payments. That feel...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from coach Rachael Middleton. She says: “Dearest Frankie, Steve and the DIFTK crew, I've been working on my business about a year now and have a name and logo already BUT I recently attended a webinar where the host made a point about words that trigger potential clients. This can have a negative impact too. My ideal...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from accountant and business consultant Caroline Boardman . She says: “How is everyone getting back out into the real world? Obviously everyone feels differently about this — some of us can't wait for more face to face client meetings and networking events, some have enjoyed the online world and Zoom and comfort of o...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from communications consultant Sarah Randall . She says: “How on earth does anyone get any rest. Like, real restful rest? I feel like for the past 18 months I've been waiting for a break, but it never comes. I need to find a way to make it happen. The flipping pandemic means that I have way less support from family,...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Agnes Armstrong AKA Anonymous. She says: "What is an appropriate level of self promotion when doing a talk? I have been asked to do a talk on Imposter Syndrome for 150 female leaders in an organisation. Naturally I don't feel in the slightest bit confident I am able to do this or the right person for t...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Val Abbott AKA Anonymous. She says: “How do you get over a client breakup? Recently I had a client who I felt I worked really hard on. Prioritising their work when it was dropped on me at the last minute, replying to whatsapp at any given hour, working weekends (I know, I know) only to receive a messag...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Serena Steele AKA Anonymous. She says: “I’m expecting my second baby later this year. Do you have any tips on planning maternity leave (pre- and post-birth) and maybe around lining up work for 2022? I don’t want to prepare too much because I don’t know how I’ll feel after the birth. But I also don’t wa...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from web and graphic designer at Spurwing Creative — Claire Wood. She says: “Hi both! My current dilemma is a question I keep coming back to and yet have never found a way to resolve. I started my freelance business 13 years ago and over the years my role has moved from a predominantly creative business into a more d...

A very quick message to say that we won't be doing a full episode this week after all as we've just got too much to do on the last week of term!!! WAAAAAHHHH. Apologies for the quality of Frankie's audio. She messed up. #awardwinning

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Founder & Designer at See, Think, Do — Jason Hunt. He says: “OK DIFTK crew! The (for me at least) perennial question has come around again... How do I credibly present my agency as a viable team when actually, it's just me??  The reality is that my agency is just me, and that I outsource/sub-contract anything I...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from sportswear designer Lily Pawley . She says: “Retainers. The holy freelance grail. But WTF?? I've got one with a client I’ve worked with a fair bit before, it's new and shiny but now I'm in a weird relationship with the client — Am I freelance? Am I an employee? From working out how to allocate my time (them, oth...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Quinn Finn, aka Anonymous. They say: "I know this has been discussed in the group and on the podcast so others are doing this too... Over the last 12 months I have made the decision to stop working with certain clients who either don't pay me, take the piss with their expectations of my time or just ar...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Tom Snow, aka Anonymous. They say: “Hi Frankie and Steve, My partner is a very creative person, but is currently doing an employed job that helps others in creative education, but is bogged down with institutional admin, company politics, meetings etc. It doesn't allow her to be creative herself. I'd l...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Jason Chase, aka Anonymous. They say: “My question is about professional 'ghosting'... spooky! I was recently in touch with an old acquaintance who now works with a big organisation that I have been interested in working with for a while. This person encouraged me to pitch for quite a big contract, cha...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from coach, leader and feminist Lisa Townsend. She says: “I need some help to work out which opportunities are for me and which to say no to! An opportunity to collaborate comes my way for example and my mind automatically lists off all the negatives/worst case scenarios. I've been wondering lately if that’s just the...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Kate Nikityuk, founder of Questime. She says: “How do you put yourself back together if all you want to do now the kids are back in school is lay down and stare out of the window? I allowed myself a day of rest on Monday. It is already Thursday and I am still not a rock star 'nailing it'. More like a jellyfish a...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Casey Gunn aka Anonymous. They say: “What advice do you have when your clients habitually deliver things late which then completely messes up your planning and diary? For context, I’m a social media manager. I have three big clients — all contracted for minimum three month periods — and two of my three...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from podcast producer Dave Howard . He says: “I develop and make podcasts for people — universities, PR companies, businesses, charities. I’m largely a one-person operation, with a few trusted freelancers available to take on odd bits of work here and there when things get busy. But now there is just too much work. I...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from designer and web developer Laura Ockenden . She says: “As a newbie full-timer, I'm struggling a bit with planning in work and knowing how much I can take on and when. I've got a few jobs on now but often find myself procrastinating under the guise of waiting for clients to get back to me — should I be looking fo...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Mel Horn, AKA Anonymous. They say: “How do you cope with "Client Ick"?  Like that physical cringe you experience when you see someone you snogged at a staff party years ago but this time, it’s because your client is calling you and you secretly hate them. Clients are good. Clients pay the bills. I shou...

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Ginger Nuts Cracklefriend, AKA Anonymous. They say: "As we come to the end of this shit show of a year, what do you want to take into 2021 and what would you leave behind? I remember the episode where Steve sat in his car and you never answered a question but had mutual therapy and I wondered how the rest of the...