Bryce Bladon discusses an awards gala specifically for freelancers, how much designers and developers earn as freelancers, and a few ways designers and devs can earn even more.

Episode Summary

Bryce discusses:

• The first annual Freelancers Unite Awards in Canada
• Co-Op founder Adam Roach's reasons for the awards
• Matthew Brown, The Founder of Bonsai, a freelance invoice and contracting app
• The big takeaways from the Bonsai's freelance rate explorer:
  • Developers earn 30% more than designers.
  • The hourly rates of designers (especially graphic designers) remain sticky at under $60 an hour at all geographies and experience levels.
  • Developers quickly begin increasing their hourly rates after gaining 3 years of experience
  • Designers tend to increase their hourly rates at a slower pace.
  • The biggest increase in hourly rates happens when freelancers reach 3–5 years of experience
• Ways to increase your rate, such as:
  • Proving the value of your services
  • Knowing and understanding your ideal client
  • Scheduling rate increases
  • Changing the philosophy that drives your prices

 Extra resources:

> Freelancers Unite Awards

> Freelance Rate Explorer

> The hourly rates of freelance designers and developers

> Bonsai

> 7 ways to raise your rates

> Make more money as a freelance designer

Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

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Paul Minors joins Bryce Bladon to discuss his new book, Guidelines. It offers concise, straightforward advice that's equal parts summary and inspiration people like Marcus Aurelius and Tim Ferris.

Episode Summary

We discuss:

• The philosophy of self-improvement
• Saying no to everything that's not important
• The value of showing your appreciation
• Why you need to be quick and dirty when it comes to executing ideas
• Getting more sleep. Seriously. Do it. 
• Affirmations and whether or not they actually work. 

 > Paul Minor's Guidelines

Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

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Jennifer Fryer joins Bryce Bladon to share their experiences as student freelancers. They go on to debate why every student should consider freelancing before graduating. 

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Episode Summary

We discuss:

• The benefits of starting your career sooner than later
• Imposter syndrome and why no one ever feels "ready" to start
• The safety nets that come with being a student
• The skills you'll learn
• How to get started
• The value of personal project
• The unexpected resources and connections you get at school
• The answers to FAQs from student freelancers 

Find Jennifer on:

> Her website
> Tumblr
> Instagram

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Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

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Passion is temperamental, ethereal, and a weak material to build a business on. It should be your guiding star, not the foundation for your business.

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Episode Summary

In this episode, Bryce discusses:

• The challenge of finding your passion
• How working on your passion can snuff it out
• How outside influences affect your passion
• How freelancing allows the flexibility to pursue your passion -- but that passion can't be the only thing fueling your freelance business
• How work shaped Bryce's passions
• The importance of "not losing the magic"
• What, exactly, is the creative "spark"
• How passion and the creative spark can be snuffed out by real life
• Bill Murray's advice for being a competent human being (and baseball player)

Extra resources:

> Don't Lose the Magic via Austin Kleon

> George Saunders Writing Education Timeline via The New Yorker 

> Bill Murray's speech

Notes:

• Bryce refers to fantasy author alumni  "Tom Erikson." He is, of course, referring to Steven Erikson. 

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This episode is sponsored by MightyDeals!

MightyDeals offers fantastic (and exclusive!) deals for web professionals. Use coupon code CFHPodcast to save 15% on your next purchase!

Here are a few deals we recommend:

> 500,000+ vectors, illustrations, and icons -- $39 (save $628!)

> Freelance Starter Kit with contract templates, identity sets, ebooks and more -- $29  

--

Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

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Bryce takes a look at the state of the freelancing economy, offering hard figures and explaining what it means for the future of freelancing. 

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Episode Summary

Key points for this episode include:

• 15.5 million people in the US are self-employed -- though that number is closer to 53.7 million people if you include moonlighters and temp workers
• By 2020, more than 40% of the American workforce (60 million people) are expected to be independent workers
• More than 80% of large companies plan to increase their use of a flexible workforce
• Corporate downsizing, shifting economic conditions, employee dissatisfaction, platforms for pairing talent with businesses and co-working spaces are all reasons for the growth of independent workers
• Simply put, freelancing allows businesses to find targeted and qualified talent to address their needs at a lower cost. 
• 50% of freelancers wouldn't stop freelancing for any amount of money
• Over 60% of freelancers earn more than they did via traditional employment, with 78% of them earning this in their first year
• 83% of freelancers believe their brightest days are ahead
• Bryce also covered the statistics that showcase why freelancing is worth it
• He also addresses the principled benefits for freelancing

Extra resources:

> Rise of the Supertemp (Harvard Business Review)

> Intuit 2020 report

> Freelancing in America: 2015 report (led by Emergent Research and commissioned by The Freelancers Union and UpWork)

--

This episode is sponsored by MightyDeals!

MightyDeals offers fantastic (and exclusive!) deals for web professionals. Use coupon code CFHPodcast to save 15% on your next purchase!

Here are a few deals we recommend:

> 500,000+ vectors, illustrations, and icons -- $39 (save $628!)

> Freelance Starter Kit with contract templates, identity sets, ebooks and more -- $29  

--

Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

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Celina Wong once again joins host Bryce Bladon to discuss premium pricing -- why it works, why clients and customers actually like it, and the funny psychology behind pricing. 

Click here to read how Celina got started as an artist (without a website and WITH premium pricing).

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Episode Summary

This episode addresses:

• Why selling yourself short may be costing you clients. 
• How raising her price lead to a flourishing freelancing career for Celina
• Why 'more expensive' is equated with 'higher quality'
• How comparative pricing works
• Why selling "time" and experiences results in better money
• How price anchoring works
• Our weird fascination with charm pricing and the number nine. 
• How context informs how much someone is willing to pay. 

Extra resources:

> How premium pricing kickstarted Celina's art commission career

> KissMetrics on Pricing Psychology

> Effects of $9 Price Endings (study via MIT and The University of Chicago)

> Nick Kolenda's 46 Pricing Strategies (it's shocking Nick isn't charging for this)

--

This episode is sponsored by MightyDeals!

MightyDeals offers fantastic (and exclusive!) deals for web professionals. Use coupon code CFHPodcast to save 15% on your next purchase!

Here are a few deals we recommend:

> 500,000+ vectors, illustrations, and icons -- $39 (save $628!)

> Freelance Starter Kit with contract templates, identity sets, ebooks and more -- $29  

--

Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

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Host Bryce Bladon suggests that most work-life balance solutions are part of the problem -- before offering real advice for dealing with the real issue. 

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Episode Summary

Bryce addresses:

• The problems with most work-life balance self-help articles
• The real issue at hand
• The hilarity of freelancing as a solution to the problem 
• Signs that you're struggling with work-life balance
• How to actually establish work-life balance WITHOUT the bull

He also says sorry, like, 40 goddamn times this episode, not the "one or two times" he thinks he does. 

Sorry about that. He's working on it.

--

This episode is sponsored by MightyDeals!

MightyDeals offers fantastic (and exclusive!) deals for web professionals. Use coupon code CFHPodcast to save 15% on your next purchase!

Here are a few deals we recommend:

> 500,000+ vectors, illustrations, and icons -- $39 (save $628!)

> Freelance Starter Kit with contract templates, identity sets, ebooks and more -- $29  

--

Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

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Your current clients are pre-qualified and ready for repeat business. Dan Englander tells you how to make the most of them. 

> Get Dan's book Mastering Account Management for free!

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Episode Summary

Dan Englander, the founder of Sales Schema, outlines why your current clients are an underutilized resource -- and how you can make the most of them

We discuss:

• Dan's story
• How Dan grew a small animation studio into a seven-figure business
• How to drive repeat business
• Tips for re-engaging your current clients:
  
  • Letting clients know about the work you do for them
  • Keeping it personal
  • Passing on information
  • Following up on old projects
  • Asking for feedback

Simply put, the best way to drive repeat business from current clients is to be personal, present, and proactive with them.

Resources

Dan's Book: Mastering Account Management 

--

This episode is sponsored by MightyDeals!

MightyDeals offers fantastic (and exclusive!) deals for web professionals. Use coupon code CFHPodcast to save 15% on your next purchase!

Here are a few deals we recommend:

> $1340 worth of fonts -- $29 (98% off!)

> 500,000+ vectors, illustrations, and icons -- $39 (save $628!)

> Freelance Starter Kit with contract templates, identity sets, ebooks and more -- $29  

--

Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

Clients From Hell on iTunes | Soundcloud
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Networking is a matter of approaching people the right way. Celina Wong shows you the way.

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Episode Summary

Celina Wong, a longtime friend of the Clients From Hell blog, offers her insights and proven practices for networking effectively. 

We discuss:

• The problems with typical networking tactics
• The advantages, like:
  • Referrals that can get you opportunities that are closed off to everyone else.
  • Future proofing your business
  • Insight and feedback into your work
• How to network:
  1. Offer value; be helpful
  2. Ask for something small
  3. Follow up

Resources

Celina's article: Networking and the Shy Syndrome

Raghav Haran's Ultimate Guide to Networking

--

This episode is sponsored by MightyDeals!

MightyDeals offers fantastic (and exclusive!) deals for web professionals. Use coupon code CFHPodcast to save 15% on your next purchase!

Here are a few deals we recommend:

> $1340 worth of fonts -- $29 (98% off!)

> 500,000+ vectors, illustrations, and icons -- $39 (save $628!)

> Freelance Starter Kit with contract templates, identity sets, ebooks and more -- $29  

--

Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

Clients From Hell on iTunes | Soundcloud
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Liam Clisham manages to make over five figures a month as a freelancer -- and he's still in his first year. We discuss how that's possible

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Episode Summary

Liam Clisham, a longtime listener, reached out to Bryce to discuss how this podcast influenced his first year as a freelancer. 

We cover:

• Liam's story
• The confidence necessary to succeed
• The importance of work-life balance
• The difference between perfectionism and professionalism
• Creating consistent quality work for clients
• Learning and pushing yourself
• The importance of networking
• Why patience is non-negotiable
• The value of a support system

Liam's site: Five-31.com

Liam's twitter: @_five31

Liam's Instagram: @_five31

--

This episode is sponsored by MightyDeals!

MightyDeals offers fantastic (and exclusive!) deals for web professionals. Use coupon code CFHPodcast to save 15% on your next purchase!

Here are a few deals we recommend:

> $1340 worth of fonts -- $29 (98% off!)

> 500,000+ vectors, illustrations, and icons -- $39 (save $628!)

> Freelance Starter Kit with contract templates, identity sets, ebooks and more -- $29  

--

Questions? Episode ideas?

Talk to Clients From Hell or Bryce Bladon on Twitter. Or shoot us an email! 

Clients From Hell on iTunes | Soundcloud
Subscribe on iTunes | Android | RSS