Freelance Road Trip Podcast

A book review and discussion of why aesthetics matter in business, commerce, communication, and branding. I describe the difference between aesthetic principles — the form (or visual) language — and the idea of personal or corporate style/aesthetic. And I explain why the work you create for your clients is valuable and your "job" as a creative pro is legit. The book: "Aesthetic Intelligence: How T...

As a freelance creative, you get to design your own success. Your whole life relies on your ability to achieve your professional objectives, so success isn't optional. Setting significant goals is one of the most powerful things you can do to accelerate your business. Here are essential insights and a strategic approach to goal-setting that can help you ensure success and longevity.

Scammers are highly creative in who and how they target. No one is exempt. This creative project scam, in which the scammers pose as businesses or start-ups to target independent creatives, has been circulating in various forms for more than 15 years. I share my first experience with this scam, what I learned, and how to spot the scam so you don't take the bait.

I share a few of my rules and business policies which have helped me build a successful freelance business. These have kept me from making bad decisions. Some have been formed on the fly and others have been established as the result of a sad situation. Some are simply common sense. No matter what the impetus is for creating a rule, the purpose is to protect my creativity and livelihood.

Do you want to build a business our of your creative work? Stop thinking like an artist and starting acting like a business owner. Start with these 7 easy-to-do things to set up a firm foundation for your freelance design, photography, copywriting, or illustration business.

My 3 dogs, who enjoy lying around in puddles of sunlight all day, are the inspiration for this discussion about the importance of rest to you success, overall well-being, and creative energy. On any road trip, rest stops provide a welcome respite. It's no different for your freelance journey. I present two ways to think about rest and 3 reasons you need to take it seriously as you launch and build...

Listening belongs before you begin and and all the way through to the end of a creative project. It's possible to win better clients and maintain healthy working relationships through active, focused listening. Effective listening helps you to frame a premise that you can use as the basis for your creative solutions, and build trust with your clients. Practice these 5 tips for listening in all of...

It's annual planning season! Where have you come from? Where are you going? In this episode I unpack a successful planning process. Planning gives us a road map to follow. Instead of launching the new year with a few nebulous resolutions, we can have clear goals, strategies and tactics in place that will empower us to make a difference. In planning you define your purpose and bench marks. With a s...

Most clients will pay you — on time. But it happens that some don't. There are a variety of reasons why some don't pay. No matter what the reason, non-payment is one of the most frustrating and commonplace problems freelance creatives deal with. When it happens, what's your response? You need an easy and effective response so that other projects aren't compromised. In this episode I start out with...

How do you manage your creative projects from beginning to end? How do you keep track multiple, concurrent projects at various stages of development? Basic project management skills are essential for your success as a freelance creative. In this episode I share methods to manage project details to ensure an organized workflow, effective results, and, ultimately, satisfied clients. 

One inconvenient truth about freelancing is the fact that, no matter how well you get along with your clients, no matter how effective your work is, or how smoothly a project is going, clients will leave you. Even long-term client relationships come to an end. I lay out 12 reasons why clients leave, and most of them have absolutely nothing to do with the quality of your relationship or the effecti...

Every freelance creative needs a vision — a reason to look beyond their current circumstances. Our work has to be about more than simply making a client happy or earning a living. Vision keeps us moving forward toward a better future, helps us make good decisions, and set meaningful goals. Without vision, we will falter and even given up. In this episode I explore the important of vision and share...

Whether you serve clients by offering creative services and creative results are your clients, or you create a product that you sell to customers, you won't accomplish anything without addressing four aspects of success. I describe these as mission, mindset, mechanics, and marketing. These all work in unity to support and grow your freelance business.

What's the end result of our creative efforts? What responsibility do we as creative professionals have toward the end user? What responsibility do we have to uphold the public good? What do you do when your ethics and your client's ethics clash? Creative work involves more than proper function, ease of use and visual appeal. There's a bigger horizon we can't lost sight of, both in the work we cre...

To realize success as an independent creative, we need to move forward consistently, even if we think we're not yet ready. Forward motion jump starts us into an ongoing cycle of increasing capability and confidence. Taking action often takes courage. In this episode I explain a process I call the "Four Cs of Acceleration": Courage, Commitment, Competence, and Confidence. Understanding how this ope...

AB5 took effect in California in January 2020. It narrows the definition of independent contractor, and the type and amount of work a person can do for a client without being classified as an employee. While freelancers in CA battle to pass Proposition 22 and overturn AB5, HR2474, threatens to restrict freelancing. In this episode, we break down what these all mean for freelance creatives, and wha...

There are good and poor approaches to how you work with clients. In this episode I answer questions from freelancers, both of them graphic designers, about working with clients. We're talking about how to be sure a client doesn't run off with your work without paying, what to do when your client won't give you ideas, and how to gracefully end a working relationship that's not working out. Not that...

Freelancers, are you getting paid what you're worth? Are you  working with the right kinds of clients? Your pricing strategy attracts either low-value or high-value clients. This is the final in a 3-part series on pricing creative work. We compare tactics for negotiating with low value and high value clients, why high-value clients are easier to work with, and how hourly rates prevent having the v...

If you're a freelance creative who's in it to make a living and especially if you're in it full time, and for the long-term, you must have a strategy for how you set your creative fees. Here are 5 hard truths about valuing your work, pricing and negotiating.

Pricing creative services is one of the most common conundrums freelancers experience. In this episode I share 5 popular approaches to setting your fees: by the hour, by the project, retainer, package, and value. Take the guesswork out of pricing by standardizing your approach. This the first of a series of pricing discussions.

When creatives put business first, they alleviate myriad problems typically experienced by freelancers. In this episode I share some of my story, what I learned, and how the way you think about your work and purpose directly impacts your ability to thrive, and why your creativity has a larger purpose than self-expression.

In this Q&A session, I respond to 4 freelancing conundrums about communicating with clients, enforcing business policies, working on site, and steps to launch a freelance business. I also share how what's "under the hood" at Freelance Road Trip helps creativepreneurs become confident owners of their independent businesses.

How will clients find you? If you want to work with a certain type of client, you'll need to define who they are and why you matter to them. You need a marketing plan, and an effective marketing hub that communicates What, Who, and How. I present 3 key strategic questions dealing with promotion, positioning, portfolio, and prospecting that you need to answer to attract your ideal clients. Why is r...

So many of us are afraid to talk about money with clients. We're fearful of the reaction we'll get when we state our price for a job. We're fearful the client will get upset, object, and even walk away. Talking money becomes easier and natural when we understand what money actually is and, what it's not. Shift gears in your thinking with these 3 concepts, and watch how your approach changes.

The lie says, "If you build it, they'll show up." The truth is, nothing's going to happen if you build it and let it sit there. No one's looking for you. How do get seen if no one's looking for you? Get yourself in gear and do the work of being found. I share a 3-pronged strategy to help you become obvious to the right clients.