Doing It For The Kids

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Rosie Bakewell aka Anonymous.

She says…

“I’m working alongside another freelance consultant on a project, and our client is a big corporate organisation.

As a mum to a 5-year old daughter, I only work in school hours and during school term-time.

However, none of the people I work with have children, so they work 9 to 5 (and more). AND the client has team members in the US who aren’t available until 2pm in the UK.

A few times I’ve ended up having to work after 3pm, juggling work with looking after my daughter, because nobody else was available to move an urgent task forward.

I’ve had enough of this, and with the new school year coming, I’d like to set some firm boundaries. But I’m worried that I will seem awkward and unhelpful if I say I’m not available after 3pm??

Do you have any tips on setting and maintaining boundaries with clients who don’t have children and so don’t understand the challenges associated with being a working parent?”

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.

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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.

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This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from inclusion and equality consultant Beth Cox. She says:
 

“How do I get into the zone earlier in the day?

Pre-child my working hours were 10-7, with my best work done between 3 and 7 - it took me that long to really get into the flow. The thing I've struggled with since having a child at nursery and school is that I tend to hit the elusive 'flow' approximately 20 minutes before I have to pick up my child. Pre-child I could have leant into it and created my best work, but now I have to drop what I'm doing and take another day to get back into that zone again (if at all).

When I mentioned this in the DIFTK community, Tori Beat felt the same. She said:

"I get so frustrated when I feel like I’m about to have a mild epiphany and then POW, it’s pick up time.

It’s akin to when one of those magicians whips a tablecloth from underneath a beautifully laid table but, instead of leaving everything in miraculous good order, EVERYTHING IS SMASHED ALL OVER THE FLOOR. And I’ve got to tidy up."

It is so frustrating, and I just don't know how to change it. Even now, I've got a clear day for focused work but it's only 10am and I'm clearly very distracted.

My son goes to a childminder two days a week after school so I do have two 'long' days, but even then the flow doesn't happen until about 4pm (I rarely get it on the short days). I'm a solo parent so can't take turns with a partner to just work through, and rarely get child-free time other than that I pay for, which doesn't help. 

HELP. How can I take less time to get in the zone of doing my best work?”

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.

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This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from WordPress developer Morena Fiore. She says:
 

“Hi Frankie and Steve,

I'm a web developer specialising in WordPress and SEO.

I'm still fairly new to freelancing and am wondering if my clients' contract is strong enough. 

I think I've covered myself for scenarios I've already experienced, but I worry there might still be things I haven’t accounted for because I've just not experienced them yet??

So my question is: What butt-saving clauses have people got in their clients' contracts?

Thanks!

Morena”

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 on Facebook.

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This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from copywriter and freelancing mentor Laura Smith. She says:
 

“Hey Frankie and Steve,

Can you help me figure this out?

I'm a freelance copywriter that has worked with a lot of small business owners on their content. The more I worked with them, the more I realised I really liked the extra conversations they were having with me about how to start a business. So much so, I launched a mentoring programme for new freelancers. So far so good.

So at this point, I already I have two different things to focus my marketing on — copywriting and mentoring. 

BUT. The more mentoring I do, the more things it uncovers that people find really helpful — mostly how to review your business and create strategy — and I'm really enjoying it. So, I'd like to offer more specific sessions around this kind of thing but I'm concerned I'd be spreading my services too far and my audience won't be able to easily recognise what I actually offer (which would be three different things by now, if you're counting).

Can I successfully offer these new business sessions without compromising my existing copywriting services? Is there even time in the day? Is it possible that my brain just hates me? 

Help! Oh, and there's a 7 month old who doesn't sleep in the picture too. Obviously! 

Thanks, Laura”

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 on Facebook.

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This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from interior and events stylist Sally Cullen. She says:
 

“Hey Frankie, Steve and the DIFTK community,

Last year when we were still deep in lockdown I was asked if I would like to cover maternity leave on a magazine for a year. I wasn't sure what was in store for my freelance career as an interiors stylist at that point (thanks Covid) so I said yes on the proviso I could still keep all my regular client work and fit that around the full time job.

That was nearly 8 months ago and far from slowing down, my freelance work has increased way more than I could have predicted and I have basically been working 2 full time jobs since then. Gulp.

I have been trying to survive week at a time doing my best not to let any of the (many) balls drop but I have the niggling feeling in the back of my mind that I should be making more of this unicorn time as an employed person, but I'm too knackered to think what that looks like!

I have ceased all social media updates because I just do not have the bandwidth right now but what else could I, or should I be doing with the handful of weeks I have left in-house?Should I be getting training? Using this high profile magazine job to get more freelance work? Using it as a way to create more portfolio work? I need to act soon before it all feels a dream and I'm back on the other side of the commissioning fence!

Yours, Completely-Spent-Sally”

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 on Facebook.

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This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from project manager and editor Rose Parkin. She says:

“Talk to me about school holidays.

We’re currently in the second week of Easter, but the summer break is looming.

Both me and my partner are freelance and we have two kids aged 5 and 8. 

We don't tend to do a huge amount of holiday clubs (maybe 1-2 days a week at most) so the kids end up having a fair bit of screen time so that we can juggle work, cooking, house chores and our own downtime.

Our routine tends to be 7-8am TV, then 'full on' parenting (with one parent, then the other) until 3pm, then they have an hour of technology time, then a film.

Today I'm seriously feeling the guilt of them being in front of screens and missing out on the sunshine. 

I’m interested to know how others juggle holidays and maintain some flexibility while also having some structure to ensure work gets done?!

Is that too much to ask??”

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 on Facebook.

•••

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This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Rene Hammer aka Anonymous. They say:

"Hi Frankie & Steve, 

My partner hates their job. Like, really hates their job.

Meanwhile, they see me being busy and wearing all the hats — but happy working freelance. So I’ve been softly encouraging them to become self-employed too.

They’re coming round to the idea. But crucially, they haven’t fully figured out what it is they would actually DO as a freelancer. 

I don’t want to say too much about their job in case it gets back to their employer but hopefully you can still answer my question — How do you pin down what your freelance business is and does??

Thanks!"

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 on Facebook.

•••

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This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from website marketing specialist Tom Garfield. He says:

“Life costs so much more now!

Fuel, heating, food, clothes, EVERYTHING is way more expensive. I shudder every time I hear the letterbox clunk, wondering what bill is coming for me next. 

I don't want to dip into savings or reduce my pension payments. That feels like a bad plan… Do I raise my prices to keep up instead? Can I use the cost of living crisis as justification??

Other than pulling my kid out of nursery, living life as a recluse and doing nothing at all (I've had quite enough of that, thanks covid!), what’s the best way to keep financially afloat when the water just keeps rising? Heeeeelp!”

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 on Facebook.

•••

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This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from coach Rachael Middleton. She says:

“Dearest Frankie, Steve and the DIFTK crew,

I've been working on my business about a year now and have a name and logo already BUT I recently attended a webinar where the host made a point about words that trigger potential clients. This can have a negative impact too.

My ideal client base are traditionally a weary group (farmer's stressed out partners who may be frowned upon for seeking help!) and as coaching still isn't an accepted norm in their world I'm starting to question whether my business name is having a negative effect...

So, my question is how do you choose a suitable business name and how important is a logo to go with it? I appreciate for certain professions it helps, but how much can the wrong name and logo impact your business?

Thanks in anticipation,

Rachael”

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 on Facebook.

•••

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Frankie Tortora's website
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This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from accountant and business consultant Caroline Boardman. She says:

“How is everyone getting back out into the real world?

Obviously everyone feels differently about this — some of us can't wait for more face to face client meetings and networking events, some have enjoyed the online world and Zoom and comfort of own homes...

How is everyone managing the transition back to reality? Slow and steady or 100 miles an hour back into it?”

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 on Facebook.

•••

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Caroline Boardman's website
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Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
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