March 09, 2015

Brand/Web Designer Liz Elcoate - Becoming A Business Professional

35 minutes

Steve Folland chats to Brand and Web Designer Liz Elcoate. How she went from pension advisor to banking on a freelance career for her future. It's not enough to be a passionate freelancer, you need to be a business person and this episode includes cracking thoughts on: payments, contracts, commanding respect and finding a niche. This conversation also touches upon mental health issues: if this resonates with you, please do check out the 'useful links' at the bottom of these Show Notes. Liz co-hosts The Freelance Web podcast - it's great, so check it out!

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Here’s some of the key takeaway points:

As a freelancer, being passionate about your field isn’t enough, you

have to become a business person

Be professional and be firm over your terms or clients won’t respect

you

Break large projects into smaller sections and take payment on each

deliverable

30 days payment terms can kill your business (Liz never accepts them)

Try and work with people you like - it makes a difference

Find a sector or industry you want to work with, it helps you market

to those people - it can also help you become known in that field

Being a freelancer can be tough mentally as it's so isolating; become part of a community (Liz met many on Twitter)

More from Liz

Liz on Twitter

Liz's site

The Freelance Web Podcast

Useful Links

Behance

How to Kill Your Business: 30 Day Payment Terms

Andy Clarke's Contract Killer

Sean Johnson's T&C's

Everything from Geek Mental Help Week including resources

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Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

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