The Marketing Freelancer: Unicorns Unite

We’re talking about business operations versus marketing and where the two intersect. It's an area where I always felt weak coming from journalism and PR background. I've never really been in a big operational environment. My guest is my friend Ange Quinn: operations expert, Clockwork Certified Partner, and owner of The Ops Builder. Her whole goal is to help business owners scale and hire the righ...

An often overlooked part of the online business world: copyright and legal safeguards. Today we’re diving into legal protection for our clients who produce digital courses, memberships, and coaching programs. Sometimes they forget to do some of the most basic things. I cover some of this inside my signature program, the Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School, but we need to have a bigger conve...

Short-form video is king and it just became a necessity. I've learned that clients are counting on us for consistency and to show up on other social media platforms. As service providers, we can help clients with repurposing clips and getting in front of a new audience. TikTok is one of those places that has a lot of room for growth.   I have the “TikTok teacher,” Helen Polise, here to dive into a...

One of the reasons I love to offer marketing services is I saw very quickly in my freelancer career that if I leaned into marketing and less management, less operations, and less admin, then I had more freedom. Marketing really lends itself to getting ahead. Even if your clients are requiring a weekly task, you can get organized, you can systematize, you can batch things, and you can work on your...

After 200 episodes, I’ve learned that having a podcast forces you to show up. I say this all the time about hiring a team– when you have other people who are working beside you to accomplish a goal, you take it seriously and don't put it aside. This is gonna be a fun episode because I also asked my podcast editor, Emily Porter, a fellow military spouse (she has been on the show before) and I asked...

I started out offering basic VA services back in 2007, not fully realizing the value of what I was providing. But over the years, I've learned some valuable lessons (and definitely made my fair share of mistakes) and transformed my approach to freelancing. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the myth of the "six-figure VA" and sharing the real strategies that have helped me and others...

Here’s what I see happen with freelance service providers: We jump in, we book our first clients, and then we never look back and never take the time to up-level our positioning and assets so we can attract bigger clients who value us and who pay more.  This becomes a problem when you’re ready for project rates because you're not positioned as an expert if you're still looking like a generalist. W...

We’re celebrating 200 EPISODES of Unicorns Unite with a takeover! My 2 friends and guest hosts, Celi Arias and Jen Liddy, are asking unfiltered questions about my personal and professional journey as a freelancer, entrepreneur, and mother. Celi Arias is a seasoned entrepreneur and consultant with a proven track record of building and selling 7-figure businesses. With a background spanning global f...

What intake form questions should service providers ask prospects before a discovery call? Don’t underestimate the power of asking the right questions upfront! This little form is the gateway to vetting your prospects, ensuring that your time and theirs are well spent.  We've got an all-star lineup of Workgroup members, biz friends, and service providers sharing their favorite (or out-of-the-box)...

Today we have one of our very own Digital Marketer’s Workgroup members here on the podcast!                  I love to highlight other freelancers, how they're doing business, what kind of services they're offering, what lessons they've learned, and in Heidi's case, sharing how she has scaled to six figures as an agency. She's one of our most recent workgroup members to share a big win.  Heidi Sch...

Agency ownership isn't for everybody. We’re really diving into what it takes to start an agency, what you need to do to prepare yourself, and what mistakes to avoid. Even if you're not thinking of an agency right now, you just never know. Or you might run across sister service providers who have these questions, and now you know where to steer them. My guest is Tasha Booth, an agency owner and coa...

All of us are freelancers for a reason: we want freedom. We also envisioned financial freedom.  We're diving deeper into the bookkeeping, the accounting, and the expenses we can write off so that we are not paying the IRS as much at the end of the year (and keeping more for ourselves). We're getting credit for running our business because we're already paying a self-employment tax. We might as wel...

It’s so important to pay attention to your business finances. The reality is more simple than most entrepreneurs think. It’s so easy to get stuck sweating the small stuff that it creates this paralysis where you don't want to move forward, where you're hesitant, where you're overthinking everything.  I have a special guest here to clear things up and help you get started on the right path when it...

How can understanding your unique Human Design transform your business success? We’re all designed differently: how we form relationships, make decisions, and choose career paths. Imagine creating and designing a business that’s aligned with you. The ultimate job satisfaction with the best clients who are the best fit, being part of a mission you’re passionate about.  Sound amazing, right? It’s po...

Are you tired of tracking every little hour? Do you feel like a smooth, well-oiled machine ready to charge a flat rate? Hourly rates are a good way to start when you’re a new virtual assistant or service provider. But over time you end up feeling undervalued and struggling to communicate your worth. It's time to break free from the hourly grind and confidently shift to project rates that truly ref...

How can we protect our energy and show up in a way that moves the needle in our business and helps us get clients so we can make a bigger difference in the world? Today my guest is Mai-Kee Tsang who is talking about podcast guesting and getting your business out there. She has really made a name for herself. I met her years ago and at a couple of conferences. Mai-kee helps integrity-led online ent...

The eLearning market is expected to hit $400 billion by 2026. So this is a huge opportunity for us freelancers to support clients who are tapping into this digital source of revenue. There's an art to designing and writing a course where students get through to the finish line and have success. And we can be a part of that success as a digital marketing assistant when we understand how people lear...

So you want to do better on your discovery calls? You want to book more dreamy clients and work with the best of the best? Well, you need to become a better listener. Today I’m pulling out key, actionable insights from “Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss that you can use in your average everyday negotiations and on that sales call. Maybe you’ve been told that lowering your prices is the key...

Become a well-paid email marketing specialist. Are you a Bart, Marge, Homer, or Lisa? And what the heck do The Simpsons have to do with email marketing & open rates? Email is related to everything we do in this online business world. The goal is always to collect our audience’s email so we can market to them. It’s just part of it that we have to know to step up and be a premium service provide...

When you talk to other people about trends and what's happening, it makes you realize that it's not just you. This has been an interesting year. In this episode, I’m going over my four lessons of 2023 and some insight into what's happening in our economy, in our online space, and how you can really get ahead.  Listen to learn more about Making money in tough times to grow your business Using AI to...

Do you want to increase your income and the value you provide to your clients? Today we’re talking all about the strategies and 5 core functions of marketing that will help you achieve those goals. My guest is Frenchie Ferenczi, a business strategist and advisor, who shares invaluable insights on achieving consistent revenue growth without succumbing to burnout. Frenchie is an expert in working wi...

In this episode, I’m sharing key tactics that helped with my 100k UDMA School course launch. I’m reflecting on the importance of quality over quantity in student enrollment. I truly believe that having motivated and committed individuals is way more valuable than just having big numbers. My goal was to bring in students who are genuinely enthusiastic about the program to make the overall experienc...

As service providers, we have to be aware of evolving needs of clients and the increasing demand for digital marketing strategists. I’ve been there myself - starting out as a virtual assistant and then making the transition to strategist. I have a background in PR and journalism and through working with multiple clients I gained valuable insights and expertise, recognizing patterns and strategies...

Frustrated because your brand messaging isn't getting the love it deserves? Putting in tons of time creating awesome content, but it feels like crickets in response? My guest, Emma Boshart, is here to teach us how to stand out in a crowded market with better branding. Emma is a messaging strategist, conversion copywriter, and the brain behind Creative Uproar, a one-woman show that's all about help...

This former HR professional discovered the power of relationship marketing and was able to build her own digital service business called Social Konnection. But it isn't just her expertise in SEO and career coaching that sets her apart.  My guest Esai Arasi is a member of The Digital Marketer’s Workgroup and a social media strategist and lead gen expert. She brings a unique perspective to the...