Writer Shea Karssing

Shea was changing jobs every couple of years. Boredom setting in again.
Taking freelance projects on the side to keep things interesting, she eventually realised she didn’t need a ‘job’ after all.

Building a business without the help of social media, growing a network on a one-on-one basis. Now the freelancing side hustle has firmly become the main income. Boredom banished thanks to Shea being ‘niche resistant’. Her flexibility has become her calling card - it keeps her interested, learning, and happy - keeps her a freelancer.

copywriter, illustrator, designerSteve Folland19 May 2024pricing, business name, side business, career changeComment

Designer And Illustrator Andy Hau

Meet freelancer Andy Hau, who shifted his career from architecture to design after a chance encounter with musician Imogen Heap.

From goals achieved to those reworked, this is Andy’s experience across 10 years as an ‘agency of one’. The importance of human connections in a world of AI and digital noise. He’s a lot happier with freelance life than that photo suggests.

copywriter, illustrator, designerSteve Folland5 May 2024pricing, business name, side business, career changeComment

The Wrinkly Writer - Mary Cameron

Aged 58 Mary found herself staring ageism in the face. Full time work wasn’t coming her way. But perhaps she didn’t want it to. Maybe it was time for a change.

Aged 68 Mary finds herself staring at the face of The Wrinkly Writer. Owning that age with pride.

10 years of successfully freelancing with people who love working with her. Mentoring new writers. Switching Australia for life in France. Prioritising health in mind and body alongside the work that she loves. You get the sense Mary is only just getting started.

copywriterSteve Folland21 April 2024worklife balance, pricing, niche, relocation, mentoring, community, business nameComment

Logo Designer James Barnard

Going viral on Instagram and TikTok transformed James' freelancing career, bringing in a flood of clients and opportunities.

But how did he get to this point? We hear his journey from generic graphic designer to niche logo specialist. From making a difference to his clients, to making a name for himself for designers around the world in the content he creates.

designer, logo designerSteve Folland7 April 2024worklife balance, agency work, content creator, brands, instagram, tiktok, course, pricing, nicheComment

Designer & Illustrator Dan Bailey

Dan went freelance twice. First for creative freedom. Secondly to free him up for his family.

With a lot of time freelancing in agencies, Dan learnt to stand out, be indispensable and build relationships. He also flexed himself creatively with illustration side projects (illustration that college tutors said he’d never make a living from!)

Adding a unique flair to his personal brand as 'Rubber Penguin’. He says there’s too many Dan Baileys. But here’s one you won’t forget.

designer, illustratorSteve Folland17 March 2024worklife balance, agency work, side projects, business nameComment

Copywriter Adri Kopp

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.

copywriterSteve Folland3 March 2024cold emailing, worklife balance, nicheComment

Logo Designer Blesson Varghese

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

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

logo designer, brand designerSteve Folland18 February 2024instagram, podcast, overseas clientsComment

Virtual Assistant Erin Buck

A twinge in Erin’s back didn’t go away.
The pain and operations, all could have left her housebound, watching daytime TV.

Instead she propelled herself into an online business world she hadn’t known existed. From an awful trauma, freelancing has given Erin the flexibility to do something she really loves.

virtual assistantSteve Folland4 February 2024health, disability, instagram, community, podcast, yo, time managment, retainersComment

Social Media Strategist Andréa Jones

Early success on platforms like Fiverr and UpWork led to Andréa expanding her services and horizons. Using video and podcasting to build trust with clients, she ended up building an agency.

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

A membership, courses, retreat… as Andréa points out, it can be summed up quickly, but it happened slowly…

copywriterSteve Folland21 January 2024course, product, social media, LinkedIn, Blog, Newsletter, expert, worklife balanceComment

Exhibition Designer Rebecca Shipham - Revisited

Rebecca first shared her freelancing story on the Being Freelance podcast in October 2015.

So what happened in the next years?! Through the challenges and rewards of working directly with clients, Rebecca’s strategies for attracting and maintaining clients and how she got through a pandemic that closed down her industry overnight.

exhibition designerSteve Folland7 January 2024social media, worklife balance, google adwords, client relationships, covid, pivotComment