All About Self Employment

By Julia KermodeBusiness

All About Self Employment episodes

July 14, 2021026 The Future of Self Employment
Today we share with you our thoughts on the future of self-employment, and some emerging issues that might affect working in this way. Firstly, it has to be said that now seems to be a really good time to seriously consider setting up because there are serious shortages in some sectors, businesses are looking to cut their overhead costs and ethics have moved up the agenda with many wanting to buy local and support their local community. And don’t forget the gig economy too – this is flourishing and well worth checking out how you could use this as an opportunity to work how, where and when you want.
There are some emerging issues for self-employed people, including:
New tax compliance checks required for taxi drivers and private hire vehicle drivers;
Potential tax and NIC changes for self-employed are being broached by the government;
Possible changes to self-employed accountancy rules regarding taxable profit.
Here at IWORK we will lobby government on your behalf and keep you informed of all developments which might affect how you choose to work independently.
15 min
June 30, 2021025 Enjoy Pitching: Using Imagery
This the third episode of a trilogy on enjoying pitching, and today we are focussing on using imagery so that you can enjoy pitching. We’re talking to Crocodile Wrestler Martin Barnes about how essential visuals are to getting your message across – they are not a luxury and shouldn’t be an afterthought. We cover everything from idea showers, to processing your ideas, wire-framing and then creating your pitch.
Key takeaways include:
A pitch or presentation is not a brochure!
Images should amplify your message without words;
It’s easier to remember key points with good visuals;
Slide design is easy when you know what you want to say;
If you have boring slides, you will probably come across as boring.
Listen in to hear where Martin gets his best images from, and where you can find them too. Martin is on a mission to help everyone to enjoy pitching, and this is a fun session with loads more brilliant insights in using images to give you confidence next time you pitch.
Resources
20 discovery questions to figure out your goals and your audience download here
About Martin Barnes
Martin is a crocodile wrestler and pitch coach who provides coaching and consulting to help businesses and start ups. He has worked with an impressive list of clients, has written CEO conference talks, created investor decks, developed brand stories and much more. From his 20 years of experience in design, film and advertising pitching to clients, Martin believes that every time you increase your value as a professional it is because you are pitching. His business is about helping you to enjoy pitching and be successful in the spotlight.
Contact Martin:
29 min
June 16, 2021024 Enjoy Pitching: Using Storytelling
This the second episode of a trilogy on enjoying pitching, and today we are focussing on using storytelling so that you can enjoy pitching. We’re talking to Crocodile Wrestler Martin Barnes about how essential storytelling is to getting your message across – it’s not a luxury and shouldn’t be an afterthought. We cover everything from planning how to use storytelling, to rehearsing and delivering your pitch.
Key takeaways include:
If you just present data, facts and figures they are meaningless without a story;
All a story is is a means of conjuring up images in peoples minds;
Place your audience at the heart of your story so it’s all about them from the beginning;
Use storytelling as a doorway in to explain the value of your data;
With good storytelling your audience will be actively listening to what you’re saying.
Listen in to hear about the best pitch Martin has ever heard, and what made it so impactful in just 3 words. Martin is on a mission to help everyone to enjoy pitching, and this is a fun session with loads more brilliant insights to simplify your storytelling and give you confidence next time you pitch.
Resources
Francisco Mahfuz Storytelling YouTube:
About Martin Barnes
Martin is a crocodile wrestler and pitch coach who provides coaching and consulting to help businesses and start ups. He has worked with an impressive list of clients, has written CEO conference talks, created investor decks, developed brand stories and much more. From his 20 years of experience in design, film and advertising pitching to clients, Martin believes that every time you increase your value as a professional it is because you are pitching. His business is about helping you to enjoy pitching and be successful in the spotlight.
Contact Martin:
27 min
June 02, 2021023 Enjoy Pitching: Using Your Mindset
This the first episode of a trilogy on enjoying pitching, and today we are focussing on using your mindset so that you can enjoy pitching. We’re talking to Crocodile Wrestler Martin Barnes about how your way of thinking can be converted from hating pitching to enjoying it. We cover everything from boosting your confidence, to the importance of rituals, dealing with nerves, and giving yourself the best chance of success.
Key takeaways include:
Pitching is just story-telling, problem solving and communication;
Information is not a problem, it’s what we do with it that matters;
Your audience wants you to succeed, they’re listening because it will be useful for them;
The importance of rituals in helping your mindset know you’re ready;
When you’re comfortable you’re in control of how you feel and then that really influences how you present and pitch.
Martin is on a mission to help everyone to enjoy pitching, so join us for a fun session with loads more brilliant insights that will give you confidence next time you pitch.
Resources
Jimmy Cannon YouTube:
About Martin Barnes
Martin is a crocodile wrestler and pitch coach who provides coaching and consulting to help businesses and start ups. He has worked with an impressive list of clients, has written CEO conference talks, created investor decks, developed brand stories and much more. From his 20 years of experience in design, film and advertising pitching to clients, Martin believes that every time you increase your value as a professional it is because you are pitching. His business is about helping you to enjoy pitching and be successful in the spotlight.
Contact Martin:
24 min
May 19, 2021022 Using Your Entrepreneurial Mindset to Make Things Happen
Today we’re chatting with David Barker, who in his own words is an accidental entrepreneur. We actually think he is a serial entrepreneur, but that’s not the point! In 1994, David was one of the UK’s first internet entrepreneurs and we wanted to find out how to use your mindset to make things happen. Cue lots of really interesting chat with David generously sharing some secrets of his success including:
It’s easy to give up too soon – always have a plan B, but don’t start it until you have exhausted plan A.
Don’t be afraid of failing, most people do at some point. Failure is just working out how something doesn’t work, so you’re adapting and evolving.
True entrepreneurs are not just about money, all of us will always lock into a dream, an idea, a thought, something that is burning inside us that we’ve got to do.
Be willing to say no to people who advise against doing something that you truly want and believe in.
Most disruptive entrepreneurship occurs because a system or process is not good enough and we need to make it better.
David’s career and business history demonstrates lots of innovation, and inevitably some challenges, so he’s the perfect choice to tell us about the mindset and what has worked for him.
About David Barker
David always wanted to work in technology and as his school careers advisor said he wouldn’t make it, David was determined to prove him wrong. He did this spectacularly by being an early adopter of the internet, and co-founding one of the UK’s first ever digital marketing agencies in 1994 – way ahead of the rest of the world! David has an impressive track record in business and entrepreneurship, and much of what he does is driven by a wider social purpose to dispel inequalities. You can contact him here:
24 min
April 28, 2021 021 Surviving the Pandemic & Coming Back Stronger
Today we’re talking to technology entrepreneur David Barker about his experience of the pandemic as a contractor, how the loss of funding meant the closure the business he was contracted to, and also how he created new opportunities for himself. It’s very interesting to hear about the different options facing David, and what led him to take certain decisions which have subsequently borne fruit later. Here are just a few of insights from our conversation:
Always make sure you’ve got a plan B, and a plan C!
Always exit contracts in the right way as you never know when you will work with those people again.
The world is always changing, so you need to ensure your professional skills are always up to date.
Luck is being in the right place at the right time, but you need to be strategic to ensure that you are in that right place at that right time.
Be mindful that there will always be disruption and economic shocks that you need to adapt to.
It’s a wide ranging conversation which includes the power of your professional networks, the importance of doing the right thing, and the benefit of supporting others.
About David Barker
David always wanted to work in technology and as his school careers advisor said he wouldn’t make it, David was determined to prove him wrong. He did this spectacularly by being an early adopter of the internet, and co-founding one of the UK’s first ever digital marketing agencies in 1994 – way ahead of the rest of the world! David has an impressive track record in business and entrepreneurship, and much of what he does is driven by a wider social purpose to dispel inequalities. You can contact him here:
27 min
April 14, 2021 020 Dealing With Trauma - A Smorgasbord of Options
Recently we have seen many heart-breaking social media posts from self-employed business owners facing the prospect of closing their business through no fault of their own – because the prolonged impact of the pandemic has meant no other option. The trauma of closing your business should not be underestimated, it is like losing part of you, and particularly so if the business has been running successfully for a number of years.
We wanted to bring you some practical support to help anyone going through a trauma, particularly if you are making the difficult decision to close your business, so we chat to the amazing Diksha Chakravarti. In Diksha’s words, we bring you a smorgasbord of help including:
Identifying good and bad stress, and the impact it can have on our wellbeing;
Simple measures to help us manage stress and trauma;
Physical wellbeing in helping us deal with trauma;
The incredible power of the mind;
How visualisations and affirmations can help.
There is a selection of different tools and techniques for you to choose from. You will enjoy listening to Diksha, she has a way with words which is both empathetic and also very practical so if you are looking for a new perspective on things, then this is the episode for you.
A quick snapshot of some key insights are:
“the past has gone, the future isn’t here yet, this right now is the only moment that matters”
“all you are surrounded by are possibilities, and the way to find that possibility [that you are looking for] is to focus on it”
“visualisation is not easy, right at the start I said to Julia it isn’t easy, but it really works”
We also loved hearing one of Diksha’s favourite quotes “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” by Dr Wayne Dyer.
There is so much we can do to help ourselves when faced with trauma, so let this podcast episode point you in whichever direction is best for you.
Resources
Slide – Bridge Analogy here
Book – ‘You Are The Placebo’ by Jo Dispenza here
About Diksha Chakravarti
Diksha has worked as an integrated Anxiety, Pain & Trauma Therapist for over 20 years. She has helped more than 800 clients and has published articles in BackCare & Private Dentistry; she is a regular guest on BBC Radio Berkshire. Diksha’s family were victims of Uganda’s 1972 exodus so she has first hand experience of becoming a refugee and having to negotiate changing cultural landscapes. She lives with her 93 year old mother in Berkshire, UK, and has 2 wonderful daughters. Climbing mountains, playing tennis and drawing horses are her favourite pass times. You can contact Diksha here:
1 hr 5 min
March 29, 2021 019 Going Freelance Mid-Pandemic
We all know that unfortunately many people have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic, and a number of those have since gone on to set up their own self-employed business. Today we’re chatting to one such successful entrepreneur, Jessica Ross, about her experience of setting up her business mid-pandemic. When we invited Jessica to be interviewed she immediately agreed, saying that she hopes it will help others in a similar situation. Jessica’s story starts with being furloughed, which led to freelancing “on the side”, being made redundant, getting a new job and then setting up on her own, and Jessica shares with us the challenges she overcame along the way.
Here are just some of the insights from our chat:
You’ll never get everything 100% right at the outset, things will go wrong – learn from these and “own the mistakes”
Don’t be afraid to put your head above the parapet and ask complete strangers for help, they are generally receptive to helping and supporting
So many people during the last year have really connected with their empathetic side, it’s also about the human side not just business
Your values are important to your business and should inform what you do “my personal brand is authentic, I am my business”
Having a fantastic support network (both personally and professionally) makes all the difference
Although it was amicable, the redundancy affected Jessica’s confidence, and whilst she was lucky to find another job straight away it quickly made her realise that she wanted to work for herself. Cue several months of working double-time, doing both her new job and developing her business until she got to a point where she could resign and focus solely on her clients.
One of Jessica’s initial challenges was the nightmare experience of a client refusing to pay and breaching their contract, which was devastating and Jessica shares with us how she dealt with it. Reflecting on what happened Jessica says it made her stronger and gave her a real sense of achievement once it was sorted, and in a way it’s good that it happened so early in her business as it won’t happen again! Jessica shares this and a number of other challenges along the way with us, and we reflect on how they have all contributed to making her the businesswoman she is today.
About Jessica
Having worked for some of the best-known brands in the UK, Jessica set up her marketing business mid-pandemic in 2020. Jessica has a flair for writing edgy content that can make your business stand out against the competition in a way that is both relatable and engages people. She specialises in SEO & copywriting, marketing strategy, social media audits, community management, campaign planning and marketing consultancy. You can find out more by contacting Jessica directly:
46 min
March 22, 2021 018 Price With Confidence - What to Charge for Your Services
When you set up as self-employed deciding what to charge for your services is critical for the success of your business. But how do you go about deciding your rate? Like so many things it isn’t as straight forward as it might seem so today we’re chatting with The Pricing Queen, Sally Farrant – she loves a spreadsheet! Surprisingly a lot of our conversation is not about money, because pricing is actually about clarity, boundaries and confidence. Want to know more?
Here are some of our key insights:
“Don’t be the cheapest just because you’re new” and “People don’t value what’s free”
Pitching and pricing is often about the mental blocks and awkwardness we feel about money.
Always ask for feedback when someone doesn’t buy from you, it’s rarely about the price
Know the difference between giving a general view and business-specific advice, the latter is consultancy and should be paid for
Talk about the transformation to the client and how they will get what they want by choosing your services
We chat about fixed price packages, project specific costs, invoice timing, payment terms, and hidden costs. It is essential that all of you business costs are factored into your pricing, so check out Sally’s pricing calculator (link below) to make sure you don’t miss anything. Also, it’s worth being mindful of what activities you are spending your time on, so that you are consciously deciding what you are doing in terms of profit generation.
In short, this episode is jam-packed full of practical advice and tips!
About Sally Farrant
Sally is a pricing expert. Coming from 25 years of corporate accounting, she now helps small businesses get to grips with their numbers and pricing. She is on a mission to get you to understand your numbers and how to have a successful business on your terms. Instagram is the main social media place to find Sally, link below:

Resources
Pricing calculator is here
The Pricing Queen podcast is here
40 min
March 15, 2021 017 How To Find Your Next Client
When you start working for yourself you need to ensure that you have a constant supply of clients, otherwise you risk having gaps in income. Sounds obvious right? But without a conscious strategy and client pipeline you risk panic-pitching to fill those gaps. It doesn’t have to be that way. Today, we chat to renowned Freelance Lifestyle Coach, Emma Cossey, who shares with us the secrets to ensuring you always have clients.
Key insights include:
It doesn’t have to be onerous, doing small tasks often make all the difference
How to pitch, hint – it’s nothing like you see on Dragon’s Den or The Apprentice on TV!
How to deal with “brain-pickers” who want free advice
The secret to success as a freelancer is spreading your risk
Emma reveals how she got started in freelancing and lots of brilliant top tips that Emma uses every day to avoid that panic pitching situation!
About Emma Cossey
Emma launched her blog and podcast in 2011 to provide freelancers with down-to-earth support, and practical advice. She wanted it to be a kind, supportive place to get tips and advice on living a great freelance life – the sort of thing Emma wished was there to help her when she started! Her business is very successful and Emma’s straight forward, practical approach to support her clients is second to none. You can find out more by contacting Emma directly:

Resources
5 Ways To Find Your Next Client – download here
Freelancer’s Tea Break podcast – listen here
38 min

About All About Self Employment

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The podcast that is All About Self-Employment. We’ll be sharing expertise on getting started, getting noticed, and getting it right, as well as dealing with getting it wrong. Your host, Julia…

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