Filmmaker & Digital Artist Wayne Sables

From big cat zookeeper to taming words as a freelance copywriter, Adri's freelancing story starts a little differently. Burnout led to her quitting the zoo before even securing a paying client. A persistence in cold emailing, dealing with rejections that would have made many give up has led to warm relationships and a niche in emails themselves.

Adri shares her approach to cold and warm emailing. And discusses the way she pays attention to what in her work gives her energy. 

Adri appreciates the freedom and flexibility that freelancing offers and talks about how she deliberately chose to work less hours to avoid burnout, even if it meant earning less money.

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This time we're off to India to chat to self taught Logo & Brand Identity Designer Blesson Varghese.

We cover the importance of networking, 'silent' mentors, balancing work and life, and the challenges faced by freelancers in a society that doesn't yet fully value creative professions. 

Additionally, Blesson shares insights on his approach to handling clients and projects, and his continual quest for learning in his field

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Meet VA & Social Media Assistant Erin Buck. Not that she knew what that was 5 years ago.
But then, she was happy working in a school. She didn't need to know.

But then a twinge in Erin's back turned her world upside down.

Nerve damage could left her housebound, watching daytime TV. 
Instead she propelled herself into an online business world she hadn’t known existed.

Erin’s optimism, hard work and ability to figure things out, won out.

She has ‘ideas’. Ideas that found her a constant stream of work. That took her into online communities, that then supported her back out into the offline world. Ideas of a future spending winter in the sun. When the real ray of sunshine is her being her true self all along. 

It’s an inspiring listen. The flexibility of freelancing. Business growth and personal growth going hand in hand. 
Buck up your ideas.

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Early success on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork led to Andréa expanding her services and horizons. Using video and podcasts she built trust. She also built an agency.

Dealing with the challenges of managing a team, working around family, and staying focussed in a world of shiny objects.

With the 'Savvy Social' Podcasts, YouTube, Membership, courses, retreat… as Andréa points out: it can be summed up quickly, but it happened slowly… With client work still the bulk of her income. Building intentionally as her family grows too.

Andréa is the host of the Savvy Social Podcast - so, since you like podcasts, go track that one down too.

As ever, Transcript for this episode is at beingfreelance.com

You can also find a video version of this podcast on YouTube.

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In this episode, Steve catches up with previous guest Rebecca Shipham, a freelance exhibition designer with 13 years of experience. 

They first spoke for the Being Freelance podcast in October 2015 - you can hear how Rebecca got started by listening to that.

Here we are, eight years on - time to hear what happened next, through the challenges and rewards of working directly with clients, her strategies for attracting and maintaining clients, the impact of the pandemic on her business (as exhibitions closed down overnight!), but the positives that emerged from it too.

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In 2014 Eddie started the Very Good Copy blog. Using it to educate himself, to explore copywriting techniques whilst working in-house. But he wasn’t the only one reading it. As it grew in popularlity, people started reaching out, offering him work.

He turned them down. Until eventually in 2020, an opportunity came along that was too good to refuse. So he quit his job and went full-time-freelance.

In our conversation Eddie shares the process of building his newsletter audience, his decision to create courses whilst not abandoning client work, the danger to work/life balance when you get a high from creating, and the importance of not just growing for growth’s sake.

FULL SHOW NOTES and TRANSCRIPTION AT BEINGFREELANCE.COM

02:04 The Growth of Very Good Copy

02:58 Transitioning to Freelance

03:52 The Power of LinkedIn for Growth

05:12 Taking the Leap into Full-Time Freelancing

06:02 Maintaining a Steady Stream of Leads

06:57 Choosing Projects and Setting Rates

08:44 The Importance of Testimonials

10:37 The Role of Regular Content Creation

15:14 Launching a Course

17:19 Balancing Work and Life

18:52 The Challenges of Freelancing

20:23 The Role of Social Media in Growth

23:59 The Importance of Craft and Growth

25:10 The Support System Behind Very Good Copy

26:55 Advice for New Freelancers

27:57 The Role of Luck in Success

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
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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.
 

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From starting as a PR freelancer to accidentally heading a small agency, working with her husband and then transitioning back into solo freelancing, Lucy shares the challenges she's faced along the way - both professional and personal.

As the creator of ‘Hype Yourself’, we hear how showing up daily even in her darkest days has built Lucy’s reputation. But maybe she wouldn’t quite do it all the same again. This episode is practical, fun, candid. And very much worth the hype.

You'll find full show notes and transcript for this episode at beingfreelance.com
 

EPISODE SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by Freelancer Magazine - SUBSCRIBE today and get those sweet glossy pages in your hands!

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
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NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!

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There’s no ‘one way’ to be a successful freelancer, but this course will help you avoid the many mistakes that most of us make. Learn from the experience of Steve and hundreds of guests of the podcast.
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.

Find out more about the course.
 

FREELANCER MERCH
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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.
 

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Study, determination, and a knack for design were going to take Robert out of his poor upbringing in South Africa. But the death of his brother, drew him back again. To help young people see a brighter future for themselves, he needed time. To have time, he needed to go freelance.

Faced with the daunting reality of having to survive without savings or a backup plan just one month before COVID kicked in, Robert shares how he made the most of platforms like LinkedIn and ultimately doubled his income during the pandemic.

He eventually had so many leads, he started hiring others. Plus, through content creation and organising meetups, he’s giving back, while moving forward.

You'll find full show notes and transcript for this episode at beingfreelance.com
 

EPISODE SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by Freelancer Magazine - SUBSCRIBE today and get those sweet glossy pages in your hands!

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
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JOIN YOUR BFFS AT  beingfreelance.com/community
 

NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!

The Being Freelance course is made for you!

There’s no ‘one way’ to be a successful freelancer, but this course will help you avoid the many mistakes that most of us make. Learn from the experience of Steve and hundreds of guests of the podcast.
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.

Find out more about the course.
 

FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop

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JOIN THE COMMUNITY
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NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!

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Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.
 

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Hannah wondered how the people she met whilst travelling could afford to travel non-stop. It turned out, they were freelancers.

And so began a journey into figuring out how she could make that happen, whether she’d like it when she did - and finding her niche along the way. Now back in the UK, she is ‘Hannah from Shiny Happy Digital Design’.

Happy when working. Happy when on holiday. Happy to put her prices on her site thanks very much.

You'll find full show notes and transcript for this episode at beingfreelance.com
 

EPISODE SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by Freelancer Magazine - SUBSCRIBE today and get those sweet glossy pages in your hands!

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
A place to ask questions, sense-check, laugh and support.
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JOIN YOUR BFFS AT  beingfreelance.com/community
 

NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!

The Being Freelance course is made for you!

There’s no ‘one way’ to be a successful freelancer, but this course will help you avoid the many mistakes that most of us make. Learn from the experience of Steve and hundreds of guests of the podcast.
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.

Find out more about the course.
 

FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop

Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
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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.
 

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Joel was originally on the Being Freelance podcast in November 2015.

Now it’s time to catch up on the intervening 8 years. As he’s gone from a single solo copywriter to being a married father and founder of a company.

We hear how Case Study Buddy grew out of a freelancing side project into a company with major clients and seven figure revenue. But is the grass greener? 

From freelance to founder - Did being his own boss set him up well to be a boss of many?

You'll find full show notes and transcript for this episode at beingfreelance.com
 

EPISODE SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by Freelancer Magazine - SUBSCRIBE today and get those sweet glossy pages in your hands!

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).
A place to ask questions, sense-check, laugh and support.
With LIVE Q&As, Coworking, Meet-ups, Socials and more.

JOIN YOUR BFFS AT  beingfreelance.com/community
 

NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!

The Being Freelance course is made for you!

There’s no ‘one way’ to be a successful freelancer, but this course will help you avoid the many mistakes that most of us make. Learn from the experience of Steve and hundreds of guests of the podcast.
Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.

Find out more about the course.
 

FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop

Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

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
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Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
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YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland