Freelance Road Trip Podcast

Marketing and branding are related concepts that are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct and have different purposes. Freelance designers create brand assets and identities for their clients, but fewer freelancers actually consider the necessity of building their own brands, or understand how effective branding guides marketing efforts integrates with business.  This episode covers t...

Establishing and managing a business so you can make a living from your creative work — your way — isn't easy and probably not what most of us expected when we started out. With all the competition out there, and now with AI looming as both an asset and a threat to creative work, how will you stand out? How will you make a living? How will you continue to build your business, attract your best cli...

AI is disrupting the creative industries in a variety of ways that are both beneficial and detrimental. In this episode we consider both the problems and advantages of using AI as a freelance creative, and propose answers to these questions, among others: "Why would a client pay me when they can create a thing themself for free using AI?", "How can I use AI tools to support my business?", "How can...

Freelancers in general prefer to work with high value clients. An effective way to attract high value clients is to sell expertise, not time. How can you sell creative services if you're just starting and have little or no experience? Or how do you sell expertise and shift away from selling your time? In this episode I share ways you can sell expertise before you have expertise, to attract the typ...

If you're a freelance creative who's considering forming an LLC because it will protect you and your clients from worker misclassification under California's AB5 and possible Department of Labor rulings regarding independent contractor status, don't. In this episode I present an online article that appears to be misleading, and discuss why an LLC won't automatically protect you from worker misclas...

Communication is the foundation of every relationship. This is true in business as it is in one's personal life. In business you want to communicate the right way for the right reasons, and there are certain things you don't want to communicate. Keeping everything in writing is preferred, but sometimes a phone call will serve the relationship better. So then how do you get a phone conversation in...

This episode begins with an update on AB5 (California) and the independent contractor rule being considered for implementation by the NLRB. Then talk moves into how independent contracting, also known as freelancing, is a legitimate way to earn one's living. One of the most important things a freelancer needs to do is to define what success looks like for you. You can't hit a target you can't see....

Pricing our work is one of those difficult areas we deal with, and truly, most of use don't charge enough for what we provide. Freelancers often let the client dictate what they'll pay, or fear asking too much, and end up frustrated, unable to sustain their businesses. So how do. you take control over your pricing? I share why you need a framework and different pricing models you can choose from.

If you're a freelancer, client meetings are inevitable. Whether online, by phone, or in person, meetings are necessary for getting united around common goals and purpose, determining next steps and responsibilities. But meetings can go sideways and negatively impact your working relationships. They can solve nothing, and be a waste of time. Your time, and your client's, is valuable. In this episod...

The way you'll create a sustainable freelance business is by focusing on the long term, pursuing valuable clients and projects, and systematizing your efforts in marketing and management.  The first thing to embrace is the fact that you're building a business, not being creative. Mindset is everything. You must stop thinking like a creative and start thinking like the owner of a creative business....

We're in a prime time right now to build and grow. The freelance economy is booming. In the US, freelancers and independent contractors have contributed  almost $6B to the economy. The climate is encouraging for businesses. There is more opportunity to start something from nothing and grow it than ever before. There's more opportunity for you to make an impact through your work. There's no time li...

To stay in business freelancers need clients, and we're commonly asking where to find more clients. The obvious freelance platforms and talent agencies aren't always the best choice for a variety of reason, and they shouldn't be your only choice. In the episode I present the case for making client prospecting a regular part of your marketing activities, and offer ways to diversify your prospecting...

To succeed in business as a freelance creative requires shifting from functioning solely as a creative — an illustrator, a designer, a photographer, a copywriter, an artist — to functioning as the owner of a creative business. In this episode I share half a dozen shifts we need to make in how we think about what we're doing, and why.

You're a freelance creative. Do you need a resumé? That depends on how you find clients. For freelancers who promote their creative services to clients directly, the portfolio is what attracts. In this episode I share the reasons why a resumé is not necessary and how to use your portfolio website as your primary marketing tool.

Have you encountered opinions that if you're a freelancer you don't have a real business? Or that you shouldn't call yourself a freelancer at all because it means you're a misclassified and employee who's being taken advantage of by your clients? Since I keep running into these discussions I decided to bring the case that a freelancer — no matter what industry — is indeed a business owner and shou...

If  you're a freelancer you're not an employee. Yet many independent contractors position themselves as an employee for all practical purposes when working with clients. This approach can end up costing you in a number of ways. The difference between independent contractorship and employee status lies not only in your intention but also in your actions. You have to make a very clear distinction ab...

One aspect of freelancing is that you get to deal with different kinds of taxes. In this episode, which is sparked by a conversation with one of my coaching clients, I discuss income taxes and sales taxes, and your responsibilities as a freelance business owner. Treating your freelancing as a business, and taking care of business, frees you up to focus on your creative work.

As a follow-on to a recent episode, I go in-depth into why and how it's important for both our clients and us to ensure our work isn't used before it's ready. Creative reviews — those work-in-progress presentations with the client — can be opportunities for the client to take hold of the work before contract terms are fulfilled. How can you prevent that from happening? Here's how I do it.

Marketing is a necessary part of any business, but creative freelancers aren't always comfortable doing it. Kick the "I hate marketing" catchphrase to the curb with a practical approach that looks at marketing, branding, and messaging as a way of giving value to your prospective clients. 

What do you do when a client wants to treat you as an employee rather than an independent freelance business owner? I answer two questions from freelancers dealing with this conundrum: the first centers on a retainer agreement and the second is dealing with a performance review. I present the case for why you're not an employee, and ways you can respond if you find yourself working with a client w...

We all have them... those fears and uncertainties that restrict our forward motion. In this episode I share some insights about fear, risk, and consequences, and how you can accelerate through your own freelancing fears and leave them in the dust cloud behind you.

One of the things that is often disregarded is the value of creativity, and especially the value of creativity to business. There's the mindset that, "You're doing what you love to do. It's creative, it's fun. You shouldn't expect to be paid much for it because your payment is in the enjoyment of what you do." That's true to some extent — we should enjoy our work. The thing is, though, that we nee...

The landscape is changing for freelancers. How do we navigate successfully? I share an update about the ABC Test that's in California's AB5 law and it's big brother, the PRO Act which has passed in the House of Representatives and is being considered in the Senate, and how freelancers have been and can be adversely affected by new labor laws. To maintain your independence, develop your business sk...

By way of a true story to illustrate the point, I share a mindset shift for visual creatives who want to elevate their status, pricing, and creative leadership when working with clients. That's by understanding what it is we really do which is far more than making things look good. The true value in what we do as creatives is in how we combine these 3 criteria in our work for clients. 

It seems counter intuitive to turn down a project when you need the income. But saying NO is sometimes the best thing to do for the sake of your future. Turning down a client may in fact be the best business decision you make in a day. Here's why, and how to say no to prospective clients, scope creep, and bad ideas.