Avsnitt
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Lisa Emmington is a freelance instructional designer (or as her newly SEO'd website puts it, a training course designer) based near Milton Keynes.
She's been freelance almost her entire career, starting out as an IT trainer back when Apple Macs were a mystery box on people's desks, and has reinvented her business every time the market has shifted underneath her - from face to face training, to early e-learning software, to mentoring individual course creators today in the face of AI.
In this episode we talk about:
How the desire to be freelance came before Lisa knew what she wanted to be freelancing inSpotting the shift from face to face training to e-learning, and moving with itWhat happened when she and her husband became a limited company for three years, and why it made her invisible in the marketRebuilding visibility from scratch with a social media VA and an SEO overhaulWhy "instructional designer" doesn't bring in enquiries, but "training course designer" doesFiltering and pacing leads using nothing more high tech than a paper diaryThe balance between promoting decades of expertise and the very real ageism facing freelancers in their 50s and 60sHer three income streams: templates, done with you mentoring, and done for you course creationPensions, retirement planning, and why she's planning to keep freelancing well past 67What 60 actually looks like now, versus what she expected it to look like
So much great advice and things to think about in here around change in our careers - brought about by the inevitability of developing tech and age.---
EPISODE SPONSORED BY ECAMMFor years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret.
Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac.
Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time.Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats.
Try Ecamm for free.
Use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on your first payment.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
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Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Zoe East has never had a proper job. A work experience placement at a big TV channel that felt old-fashioned and sexist put her off the traditional route before she'd even graduated, so she went freelance instead and never really looked back. That was over ten years ago.
She started with whatever work came along. The niche found her gradually: charities doing meaningful work, heritage and culture projects, things that will matter just as much when someone watches them in ten years' time.
This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers:
Getting started by networking and taking whatever came alongWinning six months of free studio space in a creative co-working community, and why staying there for ten years shaped the career around itBuilding a niche in charity and heritage filmmaking - and why charity budgets are often better than people assumePutting "win an award" on a vision board in January, and winning by AprilThe adventure filmmaking strand: films about running adventures across Iceland, Tajikistan and Patagonia, and getting into Kendal Mountain Festival and the London Mountain Film FestivalWhy cold outreach has never worked for her, but word of mouth has - and how sharing only the work she wants more of has quietly shaped her client listDropping Instagram and going all-in on LinkedIn as the one social platform where her clients actually areMonthly goal-setting sessions with a freelancer friend: yearly goals, monthly focus, and the accountability that comes from having to report backThe rate spreadsheet that makes quoting consistent and takes the stress out of pricing decisionsBuying almost everything secondhand, having all her kit stolen as her biggest low point, and using a post-COVID grant to buy her first ever brand new cameraMoving into the She Who Dares Wins studio with Michelle, and the documentary series and production company they're building together---
EPISODE SPONSORED BY ECAMMFor years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret.
Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac.
Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time.Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats.
Try Ecamm for free.
Use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on your first payment.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Saknas det avsnitt?
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French creative Émilie Chen had what she calls her dream job: senior designer at The National Theatre in London, working on posters she'd dreamed about since university. Years later though, it had turned sour in the studio, her mental health took a hit, and she gave herself 8 months to start saving money and figure out her next Act.
What got her there wasn't a clever strategy. It was people. Co-founding the London chapter of Ladies, Wine & Design gave her the confidence to start asking the freelancers she was meeting, how they'd done it. Someone she cold emailed, handed her a contact sheet of art directors across publishing. And the recipe, she says, never changed: reach out, follow up, and keep doing it even when nothing happens for months.
This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers:
Co-founding the London chapter of Ladies, Wine & Design - starting with eight women in a theatre lobby - and how it built the confidence to ask near-strangers for advice, and to end up on speaking on stages (that got bigger and bigger over time)Pushing back on a client who wanted her to create pitch work for free - and how that one conversation led to every freelancer being offered a fee from then onBuilding a niche almost entirely from her old National Theatre colleagues, who took her name with them to new venues Waiting after a talk for the room to empty, then walking up to introduce herself Mailing a physical pack of postcards to The Guardian's creative directors and the years-later payoffSurviving lockdown eleven months into freelancing, when her entire theatre client base vanished overnight, and the online directories that kept her busy until theatres reopenedThe WhatsApp group of independent theatre poster designers who share contract terms, rates, and overflow workWhy the hardest part of freelancing isn't finding clients - it's learning to be a good boss to yourselfThis episode is available to watch in video on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify.
The generosity of others shines through in this conversation. And how Émilie herself is passing that kindness on.
You can hear how important having a community around her has been for Émilie - you can have that kind of thing too - if you’re freelancing solo, come join us in the Being Freelance Community. You’re not alone being freelance.
---
EPISODE SPONSORED BY ECAMMFor years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret.
Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac.
Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time.Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats.
Try Ecamm for free.
Use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on your first payment.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Adrian’s been a successful freelancer for 21 years. But in the past 7, his definition of framing success has changed.
For the last seven years, Adrian has also been an unpaid carer for three immediate family members. He talks honestly about what that's meant for his business - the travel he's had to give up, the networking events he can't get to, the inquiries he's had to turn away, and why he deliberately caps how much work he takes on (and how much money he can make).
But he also talks about the bigger picture. Seven years ago, he went looking for support and found nothing. Half a million freelancers were in the same boat - and nobody was talking about it. So he stepped up and opened up.
In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland, we cover:
Why Adrian chose to make his caring role a "first date disclosure" with every new client - and how it's actually strengthened client relationshipsPlanning marketing around your worst week, not your bestThe theory of constraints - and why having less can unlock more creativity and enjoymentHis annual impact report: a 20-year habit that's never won him work directly, but keeps him accountable, sane, and focusedThe impending crisis for the UK as the numbers of freelancers with unpaid caring responsibilities increasesHow we can make a difference and a changeThe impact freelancers have in the world - yep, you includedThis episode is available to watch in video on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify.
Adrian is a member of the Being Freelance Community - come join us, you’re not alone being freelance.
Find Adrian at adrianashton.co.uk
And his Impact Reports are available too.
---
LINKS FOR CARERS MENTIONED
IPSE
Carers UK
Number 18, In The Corner Blog
Citizens Advice - Carers
Benefits & Financial Support for Carers (UK)---
EPISODE SPONSORED BY ECAMMFor years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret.
Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac.
Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time.Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats.
Try Ecamm for free.
Use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on your first payment.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Melissa spent over a decade in PR & Comms. She was good at it but she was drawn to the ocean.
So she started pitching dive magazines on the side, moved to Mozambique to volunteer with a marine conservation charity, and when the pandemic sent her home, decided to go all-in as a freelancer rather than look for another job.
Still it was PR work she was picking up but frustrated by.
“I just want to write about fish” she told her mastermind friends in the Being Freelance Community.
They encouraged her. And she went for it.
Three years ago Melissa became The Ocean Writer. Now her work appears in National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, and a growing list of major publications around the world. Editors come to her when something pees in the ocean.
This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland we take a deep diver into the life of The Ocean Writer:
Pitching editors constantly - and dealing with rejectionTurning down work that doesn't fit the niche - even when it's hard - and why that's what made the niche workUsing LinkedIn actively and how it keeps sending opportunities anywayHow Ocean Writer branded clothing sparks recognition and conversationsBuilding financial resilience - even six weeks off sick this year didn't derail herHiring a VA to handle the bitty stuff so she can focus on writingStop getting in your own way - why you should pitch sooner than you think you're ready--
EPISODE SPONSOR
This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Ecamm.
For years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret.
Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac.
Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time.Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats.
Visit beingfreelance.com/ecamm to try Ecamm for free and use the code BEINGFREELANCE on that link to save 15% on your first payment.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
How does a creative side project turn into a decade long freelancing business working with the biggest names in pop culture, like Disney, Pixar, Marvel, DC Comics, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros and Sony Pictures?
All good super-heroes have an origin story. And this interview tells the series of events that took Doaly from working for a company in Birmingham, England, to the front page of comic covers seen all over the world. Signing at Comic-con events. It's quite the transformation.
Tarlochan Doal, AKA Doaly, spent 15 years as a full time in-house web and UX designer. Illustration was the side hustle he did to scratch a creative itch, designing movie posters for films he loved.
Then one Saturday morning, Doaly woke to an email from a movie studio. And his whole script changed.
This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers:
- Why he filled his portfolio with the work he wanted to be hired for, and how design blogs and social media got it in front of the right people
- The passion projects that catapulted his career — including a Wonder Woman piece that sold 1,500 posters in a weekend and let him quit his day job
- Using UX contracting to bridge the financial gap in his first year of full-time freelancing
- Building a garden office to separate work from home - because when you love what you do, you'll work all day and night if you let yourself
- How a random 45-minute conversation at a New York convention led to his first Marvel Comics cover
- Multiple income streams across movies, comics, book covers and advertising - so no single client base can sink you
- The weekly phone calls with a fellow designer that serve as his informal co-mentoring
It's one hell of a story. And you might think - well, I'm not trying to work with Marvel, how will this freelancer's story relate to me? But there's so much relatable freelance advice and business tips to be drawn from his experiences.
--
EPISODE SPONSOR
This episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Ecamm.
For years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret.
Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac.
Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time.Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats.
Visit beingfreelance.com/ecamm to try Ecamm for free and use the code BEINGFREELANCE on that link to save 15% on your first payment.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
It's a question Steve Folland gets asked a lot: as a freelancer, is it better to have a company name or use your own?
In this compilation episode, Steve digs deep into 11 years of the Being Freelance podcast archive - pulling together voices from guests including brand copywriter Mark Grainger, branding expert Bhavini Lakhani, copywriter Graeme Piper, illustrator Dan Bailey, social media consultant Alison Battisby, marketing agency founder Ross Simmonds, and more - to try and get to the bottom of it once and for all.
Why some freelancers hide behind a business name - and why that's not necessarily a bad thing How a company name can shift your mindset and make you feel like a proper business The practical reasons to avoid trading under your own name: spelling, pronunciation, searchability, and standing out in a scrollable world When a business name helps you work with bigger clients, organisations, and even government Why your business name should be future-proof - what happens when you pivot away from the service it describes? The case for using your own name, and why Ross Simmonds says don't underestimate the power of your personal brand Why in an age of AI, being a visible human is more valuable than ever How some freelancers make the best of both worlds - with names like Jessi Illustrates, By Hollie Arnett, and Letters By JuliaOf course, there's no single right answer - but Steve rounds things up with his own take on when each approach makes sense.
HEAR THE FULL EPISODES
You can hear the full freelance stories of these guests by checking out their original episodes.
Simply try these links to open in your podcast app:
- Rebecca Shipham
- Mark Grainger
- Bhavini Lakhani
- Graeme Piper
- Joel Klettke
- Col Skinner
- Dan Bailey
- Alison Battisby
- Mary Cameron
- Louisa Heinrich
- Hollie Arnett
- Ross SimmondsJOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Jessica Hartshorn was trained as an illustrator, but unable to get work as one she went in another direction. Jessica spent the next 16 years working in museums and galleries. But the itch to illustrate never went away.
So she set up a secret Instagram account and started painting again without telling a soul.
Seven years on, she's a successful illustrator, freelancing with museums, galleries, heritage sites and parks across the UK. And her 16 years behind the scenes at the museum? Turned out to be her biggest selling point.
Hear Jessica, AKA Jessi Illustrates, chat with Steve Folland in the episode of the Being Freelance podcast which covers:
Going from a secret Instagram to an being known as the go-to specialist How 16 years working inside museums became her unique selling point as a freelance illustrator COVID as an unexpected turning point: when museums couldn't open Why she goes to museum conferences and networking events (and is often the only illustrator in the room) Using a printed pricing list not just to give costs, but to give inspiration as to what she could be hired for Investing £500 a year in her business - and what that's bought over the years, from a videographer to a badge-making machine Working with a creative mentor to cut out the work that looked good but wasn't worth the time Co-mentoring with Jo (a graphic designer from the BF community) Saying no with a standard copy-paste email - and why taking the emotion out of it makes all the differenceJessica is part of the Being Freelance Community — come and hang out with Steve, Jessica and plenty of friendly freelancers who get what it's like!
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
New episodes with fresh freelancing stories coming very soon.
But as Jess Bruno said on her episode of Being Freelance: "Content can always blood wait".
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Charles Commins handed his notice in at his pub management job with no plan and no business.
His partner gave him one month to figure it out. All he knew was that he wanted to love his job.
Seven and a half years later, he's an award-winning freelance podcast producer whose almost entire client chain traces back to one decision: making a football podcast about Northampton Town.
That podcast would act as his show ground and his playground. Testing and ultimately proving to clients that he should be freelancing for them.
Along the way he's had a succession of word-of-mouth freelancing clients, realised his dream of appearing on BBC Radio, and made all of it work around being there for his family.
This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers:
Starting It's All Cobblers To Me as a portfolio piece, and how a Northampton Town fan indirectly led to a four-year retainer Why and how 90% of his work comes through referrals The "starting from…" pricing approach: why he won't publish fixed rates, and how he edges prices up with each new client Work-life balance: from pub late nights to home office, to a new baby derailing everything, to finally getting it to 60/40 The never-ending circle of freelance guilt - working, not working, being with family… there's always something to feel bad about Co-running MIC's Podcast Club with Vic Turnbull - 1,400 members, monthly virtual meetups, and why running a community full of "competitors" is actually brilliant Launching The Warrington Scoop, a hyperlocal monthly podcast, as a low-lift way to generate local business leads Co-mentoring with Amy: how a monthly accountability call became one of his most valuable freelance tools The biggest challenge: not finding clients, but believing work will come when you're in a troughCharles is part of the Being Freelance Community - come and hang out with Steve, Charles and plenty of friendly freelancers who get what it's like!
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Perryn Ryan didn't set out to become a freelance illustrator.
After a degree in computer information systems (to keep her parents happy), years in tech,, and a long stint in the fashion industry, she eventually gave herself permission to just... draw stuff she liked. Nothing serious.
Then a stranger with a million followers re-shared her work, the enquiries started flooding in, and a freelance illustration career was born almost overnight.
In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, Perryn talks about:
How a career in fashion taught her to cost properly - including the "invisible costs" most freelancers miss What happened when she dived into her first illustration brief without a contract, and what she learned from it Why she approaches every client relationship as a partnership - but with clear limits on revisions, timelines, and communication Her surcharge system for clients who insist on net 30 or longer payment terms How her niche grew organically by simply making what she loved - flowing line art, wellness themes, women-focused brands Why she's stepped back from Instagram and leans on direct outreach to art directors instead The Illustrator's Business Journal; her writing project sharing business lessons through storytelling rather than how-to lists Her four-bank-account system for managing freelance finances without the end-of-year panic Protecting her creativity with time blocks, no weekends, and Field Trip FridaysEnjoy a story with a few twists, a couple of false starts, and the reminder that every weird job you've ever had is probably preparing you for something.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Laura Whitehouse didn’t follow the usual path into graphic design.
While studying archaeology and anthropology (told you) at university, she started designing posters for student theatre shows. At first for free, then for £20 here and there (or sometimes just a pint). What began as a creative outlet quickly became the foundation of a freelance career.
Thanks to word of mouth clients and the help of various mentors, she built skills and confidence.
Until five years on, one of those mentors simply told her: "Just do it".
So she did. She quit. And start freelancing full timeIn this episode Laura talks about:
Building a business through word-of-mouth referrals Gradually increasing her rates after nudges from other freelancers Showing only certain types of work online to shape perception Running her one-woman studio Mighty Fine Why she prefers working with freelancers rather than building an agency The reality of managing 45 projects at once Being completely unapologetic about chasing unpaid invoices Why the financial side of freelancing can be the most stressful part And the strange phenomenon of people wanting to “just grab a coffee” to pitch startup ideasLaura also talks about working in film and TV graphics, co-hosting the podcast Opening Credits, and how reading fantasy novels recently helped her switch off from work in the evenings.
It’s a fun and honest conversation about building a freelance business your own way, without necessarily following the usual advice about niches, marketing strategies, or growth.
Sounds like a mighty fine idea.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
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YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
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Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
In this short compilation episode, Steve revisits conversations from across 11 years of the Being Freelance podcast archive to explore what actually happens when freelancers specialise in a niche. Full of stories of how these freelance creatives found their niche and the impact it had.
You’ll hear:
THE IMPACT OF NICHING
How specialising can make marketing simpler and sales conversations easierWhy expertise can lead to higher-value opportunities
HOW TO FIND YOUR NICHE
How to choose a niche based on experience, enjoyment or valuesWhy your niche doesn’t have to be permanent
Featuring insights and stories from James Barnard, Liz Painter, Katie Chappell, Ayo Abbas, Louise Shanahan, Eman Ismail, Estelle Hakner, Ebonie Allard, Hannah Dossary and Stephen Adams.
Whether you’re just starting out or rethinking your positioning years into freelancing, this episode might help you scratch that niche itch.
FULL EPISODES for each guest
James Barnard
Liz Painter
Katie Chappell
Ayo Abbas
Louise Shanahan
Eman Ismail
Estelle Hanker
Ebonie Allard
Hannah Dossary
Stephen Adams
Paul Jarvis Q&AHosted by freelance podcast editor and video podcast editor Steve Folland.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
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NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
For years, Mark Grainger’s freelance business ticked along nicely.
Referrals. Word of mouth. Repeat clients.
And then… things went quiet.
In this episode, we explore what happens when the reliable stream of freelance work slows down. And what it really takes to respond proactively rather than panic.
Durham-based freelance brand copywriter Mark shares how he:
- Repositioned himself from a company name back to his personal brand
- Niched by service rather than industry
- Started experimenting with LinkedIn outreach
- Refocused on building more durable business foundations
- Leaned into community rather than retreating
Mark is refreshingly honest about the uncomfortable parts of freelancing, especially business development.
“I have a business, but I’m not a businessman.”
We also talk about lifestyle businesses, pricing flexibility, work-life balance, and why it’s vital to acknowledge the harder seasons of self-employment rather than pretending everything’s fine.
If freelancing has felt quieter lately…
If you’ve relied on referrals and now need a Plan B…
Or if you’ve ever felt uncomfortable selling yourself…This conversation will reassure you - and might just nudge you to get proactive too.
Go say Hi to Mark on LinkedIn!
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
This is the first time I've done this as an episode.
A quick behind the scenes of what I'm up to with my own freelancer business - as a freelance video and podcast editor.
If you'd like to go even more behind the scenes, check out my freelancing life vlog on YouTube.
If I'm going to pay for an advert for my services, there's something I need to do first...
And you can do this too.
It's not about a major overhaul of your website.
Instead sit with a fresh cuppa and fresh eyes and see as if you're someone discovering you for the first time.If someone clicks through on LInkedIn to your profile, what will they find?
Mine is linkedin.com/in/stevefolland
Likewise to your website.
Mine is stevefolland.comLook at your LinkedIn profile.
Is it up to date for the work you're doing today? Do the links they click out function properly?Look at your website.
Are the services you want to be known for the most obvious?
Does your contact form work?
Is your blog active or making it look like you've gone out of business?If you're going to shout about yourself so that people pay attention, make sure what they find is true to you today.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Laura has been a professional graphic designer for over 20 years, but her freelance journey began in 2008 after the birth of her first child. With daycare in Manhattan costing more than rent, Laura started piecing together freelance work from home; juggling projects from a tiny dining table in a fourth-floor walk-up.
Freelancing wasn’t always smooth. But eventually, after settling in Massachusetts, it clicked.
After a particularly harsh freelance interview left her devastated, Laura made a decisive shift. She stopped calling herself Rizby Designs and became Rizbee Studio instead - a small but powerful change that reframed how clients perceived her work. And how she saw herself and her business.
Laura began positioning herself as a studio, using “we”, and gradually building a trusted team of contractors around her.
Over time, Laura discovered what she truly loved: designing brand systems, particularly for consumer packaged goods in the food and beauty industries. Finding her niche was the next big change.
Laura’s growth has been fuelled by intentional networking. From women-led business groups locally, to major industry expos across the US. Laura shares how she approaches events, follows up thoughtfully, and builds genuine relationships that often turn into work, even if it’s months later.
Laura also shares why she’s invested heavily in her business over the past few years: hiring a business coach (who’s helped her double revenue year-on-year), bringing on a social media manager, fractional CMO, director of operations, CFO, and freelance designers - all while remaining the creative heart of the studio.
Beyond client work, Laura has created something rare: a true client community. Including hosting a client appreciation dinner (first time we’ve heard that on the podcast!). She explains how fostering connection between clients has become a defining part of her business.
It feels amazing the difference defining herself as a ‘studio’ instead of a freelancer has made.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Cold outreach can often get a freelance business started.
But in this episode I propose even those of us years down the line don't give it the cold shoulder.When you need to bring in clients, maybe a period of cold outreach, or even a consistent long term pattern of it, could be exactly what warms our business back up again.
Cold emails. Cold calls. Reaching out to people who didn’t ask to hear from you. It can feel awkward, uncomfortable, and very easy to put off.But again and again on the Being Freelance podcast, freelancers have shared how proactive outreach - in many different forms - played a huge role in getting their business started, or getting it moving again when things felt quiet.
This episode is a little different from the usual Being Freelance format. Rather than a single guest interview, it’s a reflection on conversations with freelancers who’ve taken a deliberate approach to outreach.
You’ll hear how copywriter Adri Kopp refined her cold email process, worked out who she should actually be reaching out to, and set herself daily outreach targets - discovering that volume and timing mattered just as much as personalisation.
You’ll hear how fintech copywriter André Spiteri approached cold outreach as a simple, repeatable habit, deliberately avoiding emotional attachment to individual emails so he could keep momentum going.
Designer and illustrator Iancu Barbarasa shares how sending hundreds of emails wasn’t about asking for work, but about starting conversations - conversations that later led to some of the biggest projects of his career.
The episode also explores outreach beyond email. Sustainability copywriter Raymond Manzor talks about cold calling, sending physical letters with samples, and following up by phone. Standing out simply because hardly anyone else was doing it. Whilst visual storyteller Ashwin Chacko shares how self-publishing a book and proactively sharing it opened doors to workshops, conversations, and paid work.
Alongside the tactics, there’s plenty of honesty about rejection. Most people won’t reply. Some will say no. A few might tell you to get lost. And that’s all part of the process. The freelancers featured here talk candidly about learning not to take it personally, separating their identity from their work, and trusting that being in the right place at the right time often comes from showing up consistently.
What comes through most clearly is this:
Cold outreach doesn’t have to be spammy, pushy, or salesy.And while outreach often becomes more selective as a business grows, it never completely goes away.
So even if your work mostly comes through referrals, word of mouth, or SEO, this episode is a gentle nudge to ask:
Is there still a place for cold outreach in your freelance business?Featuring insights from these brilliant freelance guests, whose full episodes you should absolutely check out:
Copywriter Adri Kopp
Fintech Copywriter André Spiteri
Designer & Illustrator Iancu Barbarasa
Sustainability Copywriter Raymond Manzor
Visual Storyteller Ashwin Chacko
Conservation Illustrator Stefán Yngvi Pétursson
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
Katie Chappell is a freelance live illustrator based in the UK - and her story takes some unexpected turns.
After being sacked from a graphic design job, Katie slowly built a freelance illustration career through side jobs, teaching guitar, working in retail, and even becoming a nanny abroad. A 100-day drawing project helped her find confidence, momentum, and visibility - and eventually led her into live illustration and graphic recording.
Things really took off during the pandemic, when Katie adapted quickly to online events and found herself booked solid. At one point, she scaled the business into an agency-style setup with salaried staff and 24 illustrators on the books.
On paper, it looked amazing.
In reality, it nearly broke her.
In this episode, Katie talks honestly about scaling up, scaling back, pricing, niching, marketing, work-life balance, and the moment she realised something had to change.
We also get into the practical stuff: working with a virtual assistant, setting clear prices, and why “make work, share work” is still the foundation of her marketing.
Katie is part of The Good Ship Illustration - an education and community space for illustrators, that she founded with two of her friends. If you enjoy Katie on here, do check out The Good Ship Illustration podcast!
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
As freelancers, it’s easy to spend most of our time in the business - delivering client work, meeting deadlines, keeping things ticking over. But if we never step back, time has a habit of running away from us. We can be swept along on a current of what people ask us to do, not thinking about if it's where we want to be heading.
This episode is a little different from the usual Being Freelance podcast format. Instead of a single guest interview, it’s a reflection on conversations with freelancers who consistently make time to work on their business - not just once a year, but regularly.
You’ll hear how different people approach this in their own way:
Some take themselves off on solo business retreats - sometimes to a hotel, sometimes just to a different room in the house — with no client work allowed. Others hold quarterly CEO retreats, stepping away from day-to-day delivery to review what’s working, what isn’t, and what they want more (or less) of.
One even does a 'Weather Report', seeing what's on the horizon for their work, personal life, creativity, and the wider world - treating their business like something that moves in seasons.
What they all have in common is this:
They don’t leave their freelance business to chance.Regular reviews help remove mental load, bring clarity, and often make client work feel more enjoyable - because you’re no longer carrying half-finished thoughts about marketing, pricing, direction, or next steps in the back of your mind.
You’ll also hear a very practical reminder: if you want thinking time, you usually have to put it in the diary first. Two or three hours, a half day, once a month or once a quarter - it all counts.
This episode isn’t about grand five-year plans or fancy frameworks. It’s about creating space to ask better questions:
Is this still working?
Am I enjoying this?
Is this profitable?
Is this taking me where I want to go?
Because freelancing doesn’t have to be something that just happens to you. With a little regular reflection, you get to design it - deliberately.
Featuring the insights of these fantastic freelance guests, whose full episodes you should totally check out.
Follow these links for their podcast conversations.
- Writer Rebecca Rosenberg
- Designer Brennan Gilbert
- Writer & Editor Melanie Padgett Powers
- Voiceover Emma Clarke
- Market Research Consultant Katie TuckerJOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. -
From an overworked designer posting “a visual diary” on Instagram to running a multi-stream creative business, Itzel Islas has built a freelance life entirely on her own terms.
After almost a decade in apparel design, she started illustrating for fun - and quickly realised people loved her colourful, playful style. “Little by little I started creating art… and then I started getting clients through it.”
Today she runs YAY Itzel, blending branding work, her online shop, Patreon sticker club, brand partnerships with Adobe and Wacom, murals, workshops and even organising pop-ups, all rooted in her Mexican culture. “I’m just chasing whatever is fun for me. And if it sounds fun, I’m all in.”
She talks building a business organically, finding clients who share her values, and why being authentic is her biggest asset. “I’ve always seen everything I do as a big package of what is my business and how I sustain myself as an artist.”
Hosted by freelance podcast and video podcast editor Steve Folland.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance.
Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
beingfreelance.com/community
NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!
The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland. - Visa fler
