Ghost Boss: Stories About the Freelance Afterlife

In their conversation, Eva and Danielle discuss how they charge for their freelance design work. They go over various pricing models, including retainer, hourly, and flat rate. They also talk about factors that influence their rates, such as the type of work and the length of the project. Eva shares a funny story from her early design days about getting paid with tacos. Additionally, they mention...

Eva and Danielle dive into their evolving creative processes, discussing sketching, inspiration, and navigating self-critique. They also share their writing tool preferences and stress the value of exploration. Additionally, they highlight typography's role, productivity challenges, and the significance of self-care in design work. Episode Takeaways Embrace the creative process and allow yourself...

In this conversation, Eva and Danielle discuss their experiences and frustrations with social media. They talk about the challenges of managing social media accounts, the pressure to get likes and engagement, and the ever-changing landscape of different platforms. They also reminisce about the early days of social media and the websites they used to create. They express their preference for schedu...

In this conversation, Eva and Danielle discuss their work setups and the different spaces they use to work. They share their preferences and habits when it comes to working from home. They emphasized the importance of having a dedicated workspace and the challenges of working in different rooms of the house. They also touch on the idea of working remotely from other locations and the benefits and...

Eva and Danielle discuss their experiences attending different universities, USC and SCAD respectively. They discuss the differences between attending an art school and a large university. They talk about their decision-making process when choosing a college, the financial considerations, and the value of a master's degree. They also compare the class sizes, course requirements, and the variety of...

In this conversation, Eva and Danielle talk about work friendships and how difficult it can be to leave them when transitioning to freelance work. They share their personal experiences and discuss their opinions on introverts versus extroverts, how birth order can influence friendships, building a community of freelancers, and how the pandemic has affected work relationships. The discussion offers...

In this episode, Eva and Danielle discuss the considerations and challenges women face when networking and dressing for professional settings. They explore topics such as personal style, tattoos, work-life balance, and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The conversation highlights the importance of authenticity and self-expression while navigating the professional world. The hosts a...

Always having to be creative can be difficult. In this episode, Eva and Danielle discuss strategies for maintaining creativity in their work, including the impact of music, taking timed breaks and finding creative outlets. Episode Takeaways: Staying creative in the design industry is essential, but it can be challenging at times. Music can play a significant role in boosting creativity and setting...

In this episode, Eva and Danielle discuss the importance of speaking engagements for freelancers. They share their recent speaking engagements and explain why they enjoy participating in them. They highlight the benefits of speaking engagements, such as marketing oneself, making new connections, and showcasing expertise. Eva and Danielle also discuss their preferences for prepared presentations ve...

In this podcast episode, Eva and Danielle delve into the less glamorous aspects of running a graphic design freelance business. They discuss important topics such as selecting a company name, forming an LLC, working with legal and financial professionals, and creating effective contracts. They also share their personal experiences with hiring a bookkeeper and the advantages of outsourcing certain...

It is birthday month for both of our ghost bosses, and this week we are celebrating by talking about how we spend our birthdays. Find out why we advocate for making sure you take time off to celebrate yourself! Spoiler alert: This episode involves a lot of self care! Episode Takeaways: ⭐️ Why we support always taking your birthday off (The Birthday Rule) ⭐️ Self care looks different to different...

In this episode, Danielle shares her experience meeting her idol, Peloton instructor, Cody Rigsby. By being his authentic self, Cody inspires others to have more confidence and self-love. They discuss how finding confidence within oneself can positively impact all aspects of life. The hosts also talk about their personal experiences with imposter syndrome and highlight the significance of supporti...

In this episode, Eva and Danielle discuss the importance of celebrating wins and failures in the creative industry. They emphasize that good work is still good work, regardless of whether it wins awards. They also acknowledge the influence of budget on awards and the challenges of creating good work within constraints. The hosts share their experiences as judges and the insights they gained from j...

After their recent discussion on browser tabs, Danielle quizzes Eva about other working habits to see where they align or differ. They discuss various topics such as inbox management, notifications, desktop organization, folder structure, layers in Photoshop, monthly planners, and rank the days of the week in order of preference, starting with their favorite day. Listen to find out where they alig...

The bad news? Due to technical difficulties, we won't have a full episode this week. The good news? We are always prepared to pivot and have recorded a bonus episode to discuss the Super Bowl! Be sure to tune in to hear our thoughts on our favorite ads, and most importantly, our take on Usher's halftime show performance.

In this episode, Eva and Danielle talked about the mistakes they made during their careers and what they learned from them. They emphasized the importance of putting all project details, including rates, in writing to prevent any misunderstandings. They stressed the need for contracts and deposits to secure the project and explained why it is essential for freelancers to diversify their client bas...

Flexibility is key when it comes to freelancing. In this discussion, Eva and Danielle share their different approaches to managing their time and how they estimate and prioritize their projects. They also reflect on whether flexibility is an innate ability or one that can be learned. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the significance of setting boundaries to succeed as well as the im...

In this conversation, Eva and Danielle talk about their experiences managing stress while working as freelancers. They discuss the challenges they face, such as creative blocks, the impact of sleep on productivity, and the need to balance workloads and self-care. Additionally, they share some strategies they use to get back on track and manage busy schedules effectively. Overall, this conversation...

In this conversation, Eva and Danielle discuss their experiences with quitting their jobs and transitioning to freelance work. They share their personal stories and reasons for making the leap, emphasizing the importance of timing and having a plan. They also touch on the topic of submitting work for award shows and the significance of entering work for your own company. Overall, the conversation...

We all know that AI is a powerful tool, but the question on everyone's mind is whether AI can replace human jobs. In this episode, Eva and Danielle discuss the importance of freelancers embracing all that AI has to offer. The Ghost Bosses also share their thoughts on AI and recommend their favorite tools as one-person businesses. And yes, this episode description was improved using Grammarly AI.

Start the new year off right with our bonus episode, featuring Eva's top book recommendations for 2024! Share your reading goals with us on social (@ghostbosspodcast) - how many books do you plan on reading or listening to this year?

New year, new goals! Danielle and Eva share their professional and personal goals (not resolutions!) for 2024. Danielle discusses plans to celebrate her first anniversary as a full-time freelancer, while Eva wishes to search for administrative help as her company continues to grow.

Danielle’s recent work trip to New York City sparks a discussion about dealing with imposter syndrome as a freelancer. Then they discuss ways to combat these feelings and how to truly value what you bring to the table.

Danielle is getting ready for a work trip to New York City. With the holidays coming up, she wants to make sure she can manage her work and travel time effectively. During their conversation, she and Eva talked about how their work habits change depending on whether they are in “Feast Mode” or “Famine Panic.”

Eva and Danielle, the Ghost Bosses, share their anti-zombie lists as full-time freelancers to remain productive and maintain their sanity after an incredibly busy week. The real challenge, however, is whether they can commit to following their lists for four whole weeks. Tune in to hear about their top items.