15 Minute Freelancer

This is part two of my conversation with visual storytelling expert Jude Charles. If you haven’t yet listened to part one, go back and check that out first.

“As a freelancer in 2023, it is no longer an option whether or not you tell stories, it is imperative for you to tell stories.”

In this episode, Jude shares more tips and examples of how visual storytelling can build trust with clients, and we dive into the practicalities of usin...

How can a pair of white shoes help someone land a new client?

Jude Charles is an expert in visual storytelling – and specifically, using video to tell stories that build trust with potential clients. Because Jude had SO much brilliant advice to share, this episode is split into two parts.

In this first part, Jude explains how to harness the power of storytelling to connect with clients. As well as telling a few of...

Today we're taking a look at what the future of freelancing might look like as working culture evolves. My guest is Paul Evans, director of Fourth Estate Creative and creator of the Freelance Fellowship platform. As a small business owner and someone who hires freelancers, Paul sees the opportunities and challenges from both sides.

Our conversation unpicks what recent shifts in working culture might mean for freelance...

Keeping the project pipeline flowing means we always need to be on the lookout for the next lead. But rather than chasing down new clients, why not focus on creating an amazing experience for your existing clients?

Happy clients are more likely to come back again and again – and refer you to their contacts. 

My guest today is Gigi Davarashvili from Yocory, an all-in-one business hub for freelancers and small busin...

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It's the last episode of 2022, which means it's time for everyone's favourite format at this time of year: the annual review.

Do you review the ups and do...

This week I take you behind the scenes at the Magazine Street conference. 

(You may remember my interview with Nikki Simpson, organiser of Magazine Street, back in Episode 75.)

I share my top takeaways from a few of the many brilliant speakers who shared their stories of creativity, resilience and problem-solving – relevant to all freelancers, not just those in the magazine industry. 

• A cocktail-loving couple w...

"All freelancers should have an email newsletter for their business, 100%, without a doubt!"

My guest today is Eman Ismail, email strategist, email copywriter extraordinaire and host of the excellent Mistakes That Made Me podcast. If you've been thinking about starting a newsletter, this episode is packed with tips to help you get set up, grow your list, and use email marketing to attract clients.

We discuss:

Are you missing a trick if you don't use TikTok to market your freelance business?

My guest today is Chloe Barnes, a freelance copywriter at The Write Chloe who successfully operates a TikTok-first marketing strategy for her business. Chloe shares her top tips for navigating the platform and makes creating “real person TV” easy and effective, including:

• What makes TikTok different from other social media apps
• Why you should t...

It's the health episode! Working alone, from home, jumping from one task to another – it's all too easy to forget to take care of our physical and mental well-being properly.

Sally Duffin is a freelance writer and nutritional therapist, and she joins me to share some of her favourite healthy habits to help you feel and perform at your best.

We pack a lot into this one, including:

• Why we must stop self-care from falling o...

One way to charge more (and work less) as a freelancer is to shift from implementing the client's brief to selling strategy. When you help to set the direction for a project, you're also far less likely to find yourself navigating the awkward gaps in expectations that can arise from missing or outdated strategies.

But how do you transition to selling strategy? What do the deliverables look like? How much should y...

Do you have a niche or specialism as a freelancer?

Choosing a niche can be a powerful way to use your expertise to stand out, attract clients and charge more – but what if you want to change your mind?

People have big opinions on this topic, but the truth is you can run a perfectly successful business whether you decide to niche or not.

And crucially, that decision isn't irreversible.

In thi...

So you know you should be working ON your business as well as IN it, but how do you actually do that when you're busy? If you've got more work than you can handle, need some help to trim your to-do list, or want to outsource but are not quite sure where to start, this episode is for you.

Outsourcing expert Lisa Tennant runs a virtual assistant service and joins me on this episode to talk about all things delegation and out...

Want to attract great freelance clients? You've probably tried content marketing and cold pitching – but what about PR? 

My guest for this episode is Melissa Hobson, a PR consultant who is here to help us with how to get started with PR and get those all-important eyes and ears on our businesses. We discuss:

• Why you shouldn't overlook PR as a strategy to attract clients
• Melissa's "tea and biscuits" PR stra...

Regular listeners know that I love hearing how other freelancers stay organised – if you do too, I think you'll enjoy this episode.

Bonnie Harrington, freelance writer, host of Tomato Tuesdays, and Pomodoro enthusiast joins me to discuss:

• The life-changing magic of the Pomodoro technique
• Using Pomodoros for time tracking so you can charge correctly for future projects
• Pomodoro co-working for accountability, networking and conn...

Are you worried about what the current economic situation might mean for your business? If so, please know you are not alone. 

In this solo episode, I share the questions I'm considering to prepare my freelance business for economic disruption, including:

• How is the downturn affecting my niche?
• Should I change my services?
• Should I raise or lower my rates?
• How can I bring in more work if needed?
• How can I make my business more f...

Do you need to make a change in your business? Feeling a bit daunted? This episode is for you.

My guest is Heather Pownall, a media marketing and comms specialist who has been making some big changes in her business. Heather shares what prompted her to pivot and how it’s going so far.

We discuss:

• The scary vs exciting aspects of change
• Reframing change as an opportunity to learn new things
• Adding a subscription model to your busines...

Forget those "find your purpose" pdf worksheets that get forgotten about as soon as you hit save and get back to the day job – this episode will help you figure out what really drives your business so you can transform it from ticking along to truly thriving.

Matt Saunders, former freelance web designer and creator of the Freelance Business Builder, shares how finding his vision set him on the path to building a ...

• All the det...

One of my goals for 2022 was to shift from working five (or sometimes seven!) days a week to a consistent four-day week. If you listened to episode 66, you'll know how that has been going... My guest this week heard that episode and offered to share her experience of reducing her hours while still delivering fantastic work for clients.

Alicja Tokarska is a freelance translator and subtitler who, after working round the clock fo...