Being Freelance

By Steve Folland

Freelancing? Being boss of your own life and business can be tough and isolating. But it can also be totally rewarding. Pick up tips, advice and thoughts on how to make it as a freelancer, an entrepre... more

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4242 ratings

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FAQs about Being Freelance:

How many episodes does Being Freelance have?

The podcast currently has 350 episodes available.

Being Freelance episodes:

March 19, 2023 Lettering Artist Jackson Alves
This is actually the fourth time Jackson’s been freelance. He’s not just quit jobs, he even once quit his own company.

But whereas the other times he was a ‘regular’ graphic designer, this time he’s spent a decade as a specialist: a lettering artist and calligrapher.
Regularly posting to Instagram and Behance got him noticed and grew an audience as commissions from around the world reached him at his home in Brazil.
He’s since launched online courses, prints, fonts and NFT collections, building his reputation so he can work when he wants around his family. There’s no sign of him quitting this time around.

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

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 vlog - 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
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
...more
58min
March 12, 2023 Copywriter Anna Rogan
Anna had built a career across corporate and government comms in Melbourne. But if she wanted to move her family out of the city and that meant first meant transforming the way she worked.
Anna set out to prove she could match her past income, now as a freelance copywriter.
The seeds she planted in the city are now bearing fruit. From a farm in rural Victoria she’s reaping the rewards - a business that feels good and that runs around her kids.
Today she’s questioning the external pressures that tell us to ‘scale’. The farmers before them planted olive trees. That doesn’t mean it’s a business for her. Just because other copywriters before her have grown with subcontractors and products, does she have to follow them too?
Anna goes into detail about how she has built her website and her business to work around her family. So much insight AND the sound of Australian birds too - you're in for a treat!

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

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 vlog - 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
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
...more
54min
March 05, 2023 Motion Designer Alex Liou
Alex trained as a musician. He followed a drumming dream to Nashville along with an internship at a 'mom & pop' business.
There, they had him creating graphics and videos - those two things came together when Alex discovered motion graphics. He took to studying and developing as a motion designer. Self taught, he’s always been constantly trying to learn and improve.
He didn't want to be the best in his company. He wanted to learn from the best...
Finding an internship in LA working on big Hollywood movies, he kept at it. Swapping socialising for learning, upskilling and sharing his self initiated projects on Instagram - he made a name for himself and studios started coming to him.
Now, post-pandemic, he’s trying to rebalance work-life. 4 day weeks are in. Snowboarding weekends are the norm. But it’s a slippery slope when you stop learning - the instability of freelancing is still keeping him on his toes.

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

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 vlog - 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
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
...more
51min
March 05, 2023 Motion Designer & 3D Artist Alex Liou
Alex trained as a musician. Self taught as a motion designer, he’s always been constantly trying to learn and improve.
Finding an internship in LA working on big Hollywood movies, he kept at it. Swapping socialising for learning, upskilling and sharing his self initiated projects on Instagram - he made a name for himself and studios started coming to him.
Now, post-pandemic, he’s trying to rebalance work-life. 4 day weeks are in. Snowboarding weekends are the norm. But it’s a slippery slope when you stop learning - the instability of freelancing is still keeping him on his toes.
...more
44min
February 26, 2023 Marketing Consultant Ayo Abbas
Spring 2020. A pandemic lockdown. Doesn’t sound like the ideal time to build a business, but Ayo had 20 years of marketing experience as her foundations. And a love of marketing that she’d put to good use on herself.
Specialising in the ‘built environment’ - think construction, engineers, architects - Ayo launched a podcast that raised her profile and brought her clients. Repurposing content across socials and her newsletters, Ayo put the same plans, systems & processes she uses with clients to boost her own business.
With award-winning added to her LinkedIn profile, she’s built something pretty special. Maybe we can learn by studying the blueprints.
Seriously so much to learn on the content marketing strategy Ayo is using!

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

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 vlog - 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
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
...more
41min
February 19, 2023Graphic Designer Victoria O'May
Brazilian creative Victoria was working in advertising in London when in 2013 she fancied a change.
A change of pace, country and language, and to help her do that she figured she’d go freelance in Spain.
After 3 years she took a job in an agency. Four years on she felt ready to freelance again. A pandemic and motherhood making the flexibility of working from home even more appealing.
Second time around Victoria felt much more prepared. In her positioning, her processes, her dealings with clients… in running her own business.
In this conversation we cover, amongst other things:
the importance of a network of fellow freelancers
getting to know clients properly
working around having a child
how some things you want to do just can't be done right now, and that's okay...
You'll find full show notes and transcript for this episode at beingfreelance.com

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 vlog - 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
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
...more
40min
December 11, 2022 Fashion Photographer Marcelle Adrianna
It’s quite a winding route that’s taken Marcelle to be known as a fashion photographer. But from working in shops on London’s Oxford Street as a teenager, now her photos can be seen in those windows instead.
Marcelle did lots of work for free early on but it built a network, a portfolio and a reputation that has since served her well. Whilst her training as a graphic designer has kept her working at times when she didn’t have a camera in her hand.
She loves her job and is a self professed workaholic, but her thirty year plan finds her sitting in a beach far away from the streets of London.
You'll find full show notes and transcript for this episode at beingfreelance.com

This episode is sponsored by AXA Business Insurance.
Get cover for your work, your tools, your reputation. It feels better being protected, being freelance.
Work hard, insure easy. Check out their site or Search AXA Business Insurance.
AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority

This episode is sponsored by IPSE
The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed - support for UK freelancers.
Advice, networking, events, perks - and sort your pension, insurance, legal, tax..
There's a lot to think about when being freelance, and IPSE have your back.

New to freelancing? The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Steve’s rolled up everything he’s learnt from over 6 years of conversations with more than 250 freelancers.
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 our experiences.
Find out more about the course.

FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Looking to learn from and connect with other freelancers?
Check out the website beingfreelance.com, and be part of the Being Freelance Community!
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance vlog - 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
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
...more
50min
December 04, 2022 Motion Designer Kyle Hamrick
Kyle left agency life and started his self-employed journey working with friends as a collective. 8 years on though, he’d built his own name through hosting meet-ups and speaking at events to the point where it made sense to go solo.
From small meet-ups he ended up speaking on some of the biggest stages with the likes of Adobe as clients. Yet in 2020 decided to switch from being a freelancer to becoming a Creative Director in-house.
Now, full-time at School Of Motion, a fully remote company, he still has flexibility in his life. Kyle believes his years of working independently, general skill-set, and ability to get things done that comes from being freelance is actually making him a better employee.
You'll find full show notes and transcript for this episode at beingfreelance.com

This episode is sponsored by AXA Business Insurance.
Get cover for your work, your tools, your reputation. It feels better being protected, being freelance.
Work hard, insure easy. Check out their site or Search AXA Business Insurance.
AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority

This episode is sponsored by IPSE
The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed - support for UK freelancers.
Advice, networking, events, perks - and sort your pension, insurance, legal, tax..
There's a lot to think about when being freelance, and IPSE have your back.

New to freelancing? The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Steve’s rolled up everything he’s learnt from over 6 years of conversations with more than 250 freelancers.
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 our experiences.
Find out more about the course.

FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Looking to learn from and connect with other freelancers?
Check out the website beingfreelance.com, and be part of the Being Freelance Community!
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance vlog - 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
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
...more
47min
November 27, 2022 Market Researcher Jenna Kang-Graham
When Korean Hyunjin, or ‘Jenna’ as she’s also known, met her American husband, she moved to be with him and needed to find work in small town USA.
Whilst blogging tips about international relationships, Jenna found readers started to approach her for help with their own written English requirements like cover letters and applications. Her freelance journey had begun.
Years later she joined Elance, that became Upwork, and worked her way up to be one of the top 1% professionals on the freelancer job site.
Her blog meanwhile spawned what is now the largest community for Korean/international couples. Currently based back in South Korea, along with regular clients on Upwork, her free community brings her plenty of opportunities as her members recommend her too.
Maybe Upwork doesn’t have to be a race to the bottom after all. Hear Jenna's story. And her cat.
You'll find full show notes and transcript for this episode at beingfreelance.com

This episode is sponsored by AXA Business Insurance.
Get cover for your work, your tools, your reputation. It feels better being protected, being freelance.
Work hard, insure easy. Check out their site or Search AXA Business Insurance.
AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority

This episode is sponsored by IPSE
The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed - support for UK freelancers.
Advice, networking, events, perks - and sort your pension, insurance, legal, tax..
There's a lot to think about when being freelance, and IPSE have your back.

New to freelancing? The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Steve’s rolled up everything he’s learnt from over 6 years of conversations with more than 250 freelancers.
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 our experiences.
Find out more about the course.

FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Looking to learn from and connect with other freelancers?
Check out the website beingfreelance.com, and be part of the Being Freelance Community!
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance vlog - 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
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
...more
38min
November 20, 2022 Graphic Designer Luke Tonge
Luke needn’t have been scared of going freelance. He’d spent 10 years of agency life making great work and making a name for himself. Through writing, speaking and community, people knew he’d be a great freelancer even if he didn’t.
And whilst all of his income is derived from client work, that’s definitely not where all his time is spent
Luke devotes huge amounts of energy to Birmingham Design. Joining forces with his friend Dan to organise events, workshops, a shop, website, directory, mentorship scheme and a massive festival celebrating and nurturing the creative scene around them.
You'll find full show notes and transcript for this episode at beingfreelance.com

This episode is sponsored by AXA Business Insurance.
Get cover for your work, your tools, your reputation. It feels better being protected, being freelance.
Work hard, insure easy. Check out their site or Search AXA Business Insurance.
AXA Insurance UK plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority

This episode is sponsored by IPSE
The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed - support for UK freelancers.
Advice, networking, events, perks - and sort your pension, insurance, legal, tax..
There's a lot to think about when being freelance, and IPSE have your back.

New to freelancing? The Being Freelance course is made for you!
Steve’s rolled up everything he’s learnt from over 6 years of conversations with more than 250 freelancers.
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 our experiences.
Find out more about the course.

FREELANCER MERCH
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Looking to learn from and connect with other freelancers?
Check out the website beingfreelance.com, and be part of the Being Freelance Community!
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance vlog - 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
Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop
Like VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:
Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance
YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland
...more
55min

FAQs about Being Freelance:

How many episodes does Being Freelance have?

The podcast currently has 350 episodes available.

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