Doing It For The Kids

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to an excellent question from copywriter Lucette Funnell.

She says:

“I’ve been approached by a local charity about a volunteer position. I’m interested in what they’re doing and definitely feel I could add value. But where on earth would I find the time?!

And as a chronic over-thinker who always ends up taking longer than planned to do everything… And who already has a list as long as my arm of things to do for my own business… How would I keep it to just 3-4 hours a week?

Will it add value? Or would I be better off working on marketing my business/ exercising/ making lunches that aren’t biscuits or toast?”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.

• • •

A BIG thank you to Patch and The Quick Brown Fox Video Production who supported our meetup in London.
 

About Patch

Patch is a new type of workspace and community hub, an accessible and family friendly place to work, discover and meet on the high street. We believe in a better balance for family and our health, in less commuting and more community by combining co-working with culture near to where you live.

We are actively expanding across the country and would like to hear from you if you'd like one near you. Head to www.patch.work or check out instagram.com/patchplaces/
 

About The Quick Brown Fox Video Production

The Quick Brown Fox Video Production is a growing video production company based in southwest London with a real love for the carefully crafted moving image. We offer our clients over 20 years of filmmaking and video editing experience combined with creative backgrounds in Architecture and Sound Design.

Our social media savvy team can help put your business on the map with engaging video content. We proudly help businesses and organisations tell their story in a captivating way that captures their audience's imagination. Head to www.thequickbrownfox.co.uk for more information.

•••

Lucette Funnell's website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to an excellent question from Sophie Greenwood, founder of Ink & Bear.

She says:

“I recently invested in a rebrand of an online event that I run (Super Seconds Festival) — I worked with an illustrator (Vicky Hughes) and loved the process from start to finish. I loved setting a brief and having someone else be able to do the work a million times better that I could do it. 

Now I'm slightly addicted to the idea of getting people to support my business! So, my question is... 

What's the best thing you've ever invested in / outsourced in your business and what's on your wish list for the future?”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.

• • •

This episode is supported by AXA Business Insurance

At AXA Business Insurance, we know that running any small business is hard work; but making your freelance business a success while looking after the kids can be a real challenge. That’s why it’s AXA's mission to make your business insurance easy through tailorable cover to suit your freelance business and a 24-hour legal and tax helpline for when you need a tricky question answered.

And while we’re making insurance easier, you can focus on what matters — making your business a success for your family.

Work hard, insure easy.

Visit AXA’s Business Guardian Angel for more business help and support.

AXA Insurance UK Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

•••

Sophie Greenwood's website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to an excellent question from artist and illustrator Lisa Callaghan.

She says:

“As an aspiring creative freelancer, what do you recommend as being the first steps towards generating paid work? How do you get those very first paying clients?

I'm already on social media, putting my work out into the world (well, to all of my 25 followers!). I've also looked at platforms like UpWork and haven't found any projects that fit — either they're looking for much more experience than I can offer, or I have what they want but they'd like me to do it for less than minimum wage.

Help!”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.

• • •

This episode is supported by AXA Business Insurance

At AXA Business Insurance, we know that running any small business is hard work; but making your freelance business a success while looking after the kids can be a real challenge. That’s why it’s AXA's mission to make your business insurance easy through tailorable cover to suit your freelance business and a 24-hour legal and tax helpline for when you need a tricky question answered.

And while we’re making insurance easier, you can focus on what matters — making your business a success for your family.

Work hard, insure easy.

Visit AXA’s Business Guardian Angel for more business help and support.

AXA Insurance UK Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

•••

Lisa Callaghan's Instagram
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to an excellent question from designer Jason Hunt.

He says:

“I occasionally get the urge to approach a company who I think are doing their brand absolutely no favours and underselling what I know to be brilliant. I'm a designer, so approach this from a branding and design perspective (though of course their copy might also be shit!)

This has never worked, and I rarely even entertain it these days, but I have a company that I am dying to approach as they are brilliant at what they do, have a great and friendly reputation and would even probably have money to spend on all these things. I just can't fathom out for the life of me why they haven't upped their game?

Has anyone ever done this (successfully) and do you have any tips on how to write the initial approach to not sound like just a mansplaining twat?”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.

• • •

This episode is supported by AXA Business Insurance

At AXA Business Insurance, we know that running any small business is hard work; but making your freelance business a success while looking after the kids can be a real challenge. That’s why it’s AXA's mission to make your business insurance easy through tailorable cover to suit your freelance business and a 24-hour legal and tax helpline for when you need a tricky question answered.

And while we’re making insurance easier, you can focus on what matters — making your business a success for your family.

Work hard, insure easy.

Visit AXA’s Business Guardian Angel for more business help and support.

AXA Insurance UK Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

•••

Jason Hunt's website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to an excellent question from wedding videographer Charlene McNabb.

She says:

“Hi Frankie and Steve! Happy New Year!

I'm sitting here with a notepad. Two actually. One has my 'to-do' list on it that I created before Christmas (check me out for being super organised). The other has what to prioritise over the next 6 weeks, but here's where the overwhelm has come flooding in.

When you're running your own business and need to do ALLLLL the things, how do you prioritise stuff when everything is a priority?

The list ranges from loads of paid client work (editing and stuff), to updating the website and portfolio (important, as it’s key wedding-planning season), to marketing and SWOT analysis, accounts and even stripping the bloody paint off the stairs.

I mean, I'm happy to push that last one back, it's been on the back burner for 8 years now anyway, but still…

Do you think you can send some wisdom my way please?

Thanks, Charlene”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.

• • •

This episode is supported by AXA Business Insurance

At AXA Business Insurance, we know that running any small business is hard work; but making your freelance business a success while looking after the kids can be a real challenge. That’s why it’s AXA's mission to make your business insurance easy through tailorable cover to suit your freelance business and a 24-hour legal and tax helpline for when you need a tricky question answered.

And while we’re making insurance easier, you can focus on what matters — making your business a success for your family.

Work hard, insure easy.

Visit AXA’s Business Guardian Angel for more business help and support.

AXA Insurance UK Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

•••

Charlene McNabb's website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to an excellent question from website lead generation consultant Tom Garfield.

He says:

"Are awards worth it?

Do you get business from them? Is it worth the effort of entering? Do clients care about them? Should we be applying for as many as we can?! It seems like winning awards is a good idea, but I just don't know what to think."

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.

• • •

This episode is supported by AXA Business Insurance

At AXA Business Insurance, we know that running any small business is hard work; but making your freelance business a success while looking after the kids can be a real challenge. That’s why it’s AXA's mission to make your business insurance easy through tailorable cover to suit your freelance business and a 24-hour legal and tax helpline for when you need a tricky question answered.

And while we’re making insurance easier, you can focus on what matters — making your business a success for your family.

Work hard, insure easy.

Visit AXA’s Business Guardian Angel for more business help and support.

AXA Insurance UK Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

•••

Tom Garfield's website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week me (Frankie Tortora) and him (Steve Folland) have a chat in response to an excellent question from Dex Sorbet AKA Anonymous.

They say:

“I’ve worked on two excellent projects for a really high profile client in the past year. 

When the projects finally went live I dropped them an email to say how great they were and how happy I was to have been a part of them. 

I got a lovely reply that ended with — ‘please do keep in touch for any future projects that might be up your street.’ 

But I don’t quite know what to do with that! 

How can I turn that vague and polite sign-off into something I can be proactive about? Do I send occasional emails to say “Hi” in the hope that they might have something in the works? Or will that make me seem a bit desperate? 

How do I maintain a relationship with a client who might have work in the future without being a bit weird?”

• • •

This episode is supported by AXA Business Insurance

At AXA Business Insurance, we know that running any small business is hard work; but making your freelance business a success while looking after the kids can be a real challenge. That’s why it’s AXA's mission to make your business insurance easy through tailorable cover to suit your freelance business and a 24-hour legal and tax helpline for when you need a tricky question answered.

And while we’re making insurance easier, you can focus on what matters — making your business a success for your family.

Work hard, insure easy.

Visit AXA’s Business Guardian Angel for more business help and support.

AXA Insurance UK Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to an excellent question from brand and visual identity designer Matt Jones.

He says:

“After years of having a full-time job, I always knew exactly when I would be off for Christmas, when I would be returning and not having to worry about projects or answering emails while I was off.

This is my first year as a full-time freelancer approaching Christmas and I'm worried about being able to 'switch-off' over the holiday season…

What advice do you have about managing client expectations? When to set an out of office? And any other tips or tricks on how to switch off (not checking emails, editing to-do lists etc)?

Oh… and also throw into the mix that it's both my daughters birthdays smack bang in the middle of December!”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.

• • •

This episode is supported by AXA Business Insurance

At AXA Business Insurance, we know that running any small business is hard work; but making your freelance business a success while looking after the kids can be a real challenge. That’s why it’s AXA's mission to make your business insurance easy through tailorable cover to suit your freelance business and a 24-hour legal and tax helpline for when you need a tricky question answered.

And while we’re making insurance easier, you can focus on what matters — making your business a success for your family.

Work hard, insure easy.

Visit AXA’s Business Guardian Angel for more business help and support.

AXA Insurance UK Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

•••

Matt Jones' website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to an excellent question from accountant Claire Owen-Jones.

She says:

“I have a ‘boring’ business and make a ‘boring’ podcast. I’m okay with that — I’m an accountant so I am very familiar with DULL — but I struggle with how to market it.

Via the podcast I answer common accountancy questions. This week’s episode is 7-10 minutes of me explaining payments on account, for example.

How can I make the un-fun more memorable and/or appealing?”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.

• • •

This episode is supported by AXA Business Insurance

At AXA Business Insurance, we know that running any small business is hard work; but making your freelance business a success while looking after the kids can be a real challenge. That’s why it’s AXA's mission to make your business insurance easy through tailorable cover to suit your freelance business and a 24-hour legal and tax helpline for when you need a tricky question answered.

And while we’re making insurance easier, you can focus on what matters — making your business a success for your family.

Work hard, insure easy.

Visit AXA’s Business Guardian Angel for more business help and support.

AXA Insurance UK Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

•••

Claire Owen-Jones' website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from writer, editor and proofreader Louisa Ellins.

She says…

“Dear Frankie and Steve, 

As much as I love my office in the box room, I keep hearing that co-working spaces are a great place to meet potential clients, and I sometimes miss the office chat from my employed days. 

I've decided to dip my toe into co-working spaces after the school summer holiday break, and I've found that there's several different options in my town. I wouldn't go full time, but it would be nice to have the option of a hot desk to work from sometimes. What tips do you have for making the most of my time there?  

Thanks so much! 

Louisa”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.
 

• • •

This episode is supported by AXA Business Insurance

At AXA Business Insurance, we know that running any small business is hard work; but making your freelance business a success while looking after the kids can be a real challenge. That’s why it’s AXA's mission to make your business insurance easy through tailorable cover to suit your freelance business and a 24-hour legal and tax helpline for when you need a tricky question answered.

And while we’re making insurance easier, you can focus on what matters — making your business a success for your family.

Work hard, insure easy.

Visit AXA’s Business Guardian Angel for more business help and support.

AXA Insurance UK Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
 

•••

Louisa Ellin's website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi