Just because you land a $10K freelance project doesn’t mean it all goes smoothly. Jacqueline’s back to share what *didn’t* go so great—and the one decision she regrets most. We unpack the lessons she’s learning around boundaries, overgiving, and setting clear terms from the start. Whether you’re early in your freelance business or landing big wins yourself, this episode is a must-listen for protecting your time, energy, and value.

Resources:
260: How Jacqueline Landed Her First $10K+ Freelance Fashion Project (Part 1)
196: How This Freelancer Does Sourcing & Product Development for Factories (and is making bank)
197: How to Sell Yourself As A Freelance Fashion Designer (without feeling gross) with Nikki Rausch
250: The $6K Freelancer: How She Replaced Her Salary in 30 Days
Conscious Fashion Collective
The Power Pause, Neha Ruch Book

About Jacqueline:
Jacqueline is a freelance denim designer who collaborates with ethical brands. Denim production has significant environmental and social consequences, mainly due to chemical dyes, excessive washing, and unethical labor practices. Her work aims to raise awareness that the denim industry should prioritize not only sustainability but also fairness, ethics, responsibility, and promoting slow consumption. Jacqueline is dedicated to contributing towards steering the industry in a positive direction for the future.

Connect with Jacqueline:
Email her at [email protected]
Check out her website

Follow on Instagram 

Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

You ever wonder what it *actually* takes to land a $10,000+ freelance project in fashion? Jacqueline’s back for her third appearance—and this time, she walks us through how a total stranger found her on Google, filled out her project form, and signed a $10,498 contract without negotiating. We get into the exact pricing strategy, mindset shifts, and proposal she used to close it—and what she did *before* the contract even landed to help seal the deal. Let’s get into it.

Resources:
196: How This Freelancer Does Sourcing & Product Development for Factories (and is making bank)
197: How to Sell Yourself As A Freelance Fashion Designer (without feeling gross) with Nikki Rausch
250: The $6K Freelancer: How She Replaced Her Salary in 30 Days
Conscious Fashion Collective
The Power Pause, Neha Ruch Book

About Jacqueline:
Jacqueline is a freelance denim designer who collaborates with ethical brands. Denim production has significant environmental and social consequences, mainly due to chemical dyes, excessive washing, and unethical labor practices. Her work aims to raise awareness that the denim industry should prioritize not only sustainability but also fairness, ethics, responsibility, and promoting slow consumption. Jacqueline is dedicated to contributing towards steering the industry in a positive direction for the future.

Connect with Jacqueline:
Email her at [email protected]
Check out her website

Follow on Instagram 

Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

You’ve probably been told never to say yes to cheap work. But what if that project could launch your freelance career? That’s exactly what Max Guemto did. With no reviews and a fresh Upwork profile, he got a message from a client offering just $150—and instead of walking away, he saw a smart opportunity. In this episode, Max unpacks the mindset, strategy, and communication that made this “cheap” project totally worth it. If you’ve ever debated whether a low-budget job is worth your time, this story will shift your perspective.

About Max:
Max Guemto is a freelance 3D fashion and activewear designer currently based in Korea. After earning his degree in textile and clothing technology in Germany, he interned across the globe—from lingerie brands to spinning factories—before diving headfirst into freelancing. With a sharp eye for detail and a deeply strategic mindset, Max helps brands bring functional, innovative activewear to life.

Connect with Max:
Email him at [email protected]
Check out his website 

Follow on Instagram 

Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

What if you could build a thriving freelance fashion business… while raising a toddler at home? That’s exactly what Philippa Cooper—aka Pip—has done, working just two days a week. In this episode, Pip shares how she went from a COVID layoff to building a client roster using platforms like PeoplePerHour and LinkedIn. You’ll hear how she doubled project rates, started integrating Clo 3D into her services, and got consistent inquiries without even having a website. If you’re trying to make freelancing work in the margins of your day, Pip’s story proves it’s 100% possible.

What if you could build a freelance career during nap time and weekend evenings? That’s exactly what Philippa Cooper—aka Pip—has done. Specializing in technical outerwear, she shares how she turned part-time hours into consistent £1K+ months, how Clo 3D transformed her workflow, and why LinkedIn has become her go-to marketing tool. This episode is packed with real strategies, mindset shifts, and tactical advice for freelancers trying to make it work with limited time.

Resources:
216: What 3D Fashion Design Software Is the Best? With Sylwia Szymczyk
Facetuneapp.com for professional AI headshots

About Philippa:
Philippa “Pip” Cooper is a freelance pattern cutter and outerwear specialist based in Southeast England. She helps UK startups develop technical outerwear with a focus on fit, precision, and performance. Using tools like Clo 3D and leveraging her extensive industry experience, Pip creates efficient workflows that support startup founders from concept to production.

Connect with Philippa:
Email her at [email protected]
Check out her website

Follow on Instagram 

Connect on LinkedIn 

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

What happens after you hit $100K on Upwork? For Afroditi, it meant finally stepping away. In this second half of our in-person interview, she shares how she scaled her freelance business, raised her rates, and built a system that brought clients to her. But she also reveals why she chose to leave it all behind. From pricing mindset to proposal tips and her 2025 pivot strategy, this is an honest look at what growth really takes.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Afroditi, we pick up after her rocky first year and dive into how she built a stable, high-paying freelance business. She talks about growing from $15 projects to $70/hour clients, using Upwork to teach herself strategy, and why she ultimately chose to leave the platform.

Resources:
Afroditi's Upwork Profile
253: Tabitha’s First $1K Month (and Why She’s Quitting Her Day Job to Go All In on Freelancing)
256: From $15 to $100K: Afroditi’s Fashion Freelance Journey on Upwork (Part 1)

About Afroditi:
Afroditi is a fashion technical designer who earned $100K on Upwork while living in Greece. She now helps early-stage brands with tech packs and development—and is shifting her freelance business off-platform to gain more control.

Connect with Afroditi:
Follow on Instagram
Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

What if your first freelance project paid just $15 and took a week to complete... would you keep going? In this first episode of our two-part series, I sit down in person with Afroditi, a Greek fashion freelancer who started on Upwork with no clients and no portfolio. She opens up about landing that first $15 sketch job, the fear and uncertainty she faced, and why Upwork felt safer than anything else.

Afroditi shares the raw, unfiltered truth of her first year freelancing: her strategies, the emotional toll of working without boundaries, and the surprising reasons she didn’t give up.

Listen to this powerful story of grit and growth, especially if you’re just starting out or need a reminder that every expert was once a beginner.

Resources:
Afroditi's Upwork Profile
253: Tabitha’s First $1K Month (and Why She’s Quitting Her Day Job to Go All In on Freelancing)

About Afroditi:
Afroditi is a fashion technical designer based in Athens, Greece. She transitioned from teaching cello to fashion, and after a tough start in the industry, she built her career on Upwork (eventually crossing $100K on the platform).

Connect with Afroditi:
Follow on Instagram
Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

Could you land a $75/hour freelance gig without even showing a portfolio? Sara Bleske did—and her story might just change the way you think about pitching.

After being laid off from her full-time design job, surface and textile designer Sara Bleske didn’t wait until everything was “ready.” Instead, she led with sincerity, curiosity, and a desire to be helpful—and ended up landing her dream client from a cold email (yes, really). In this episode, Sara opens up about the moment she hit “send,” the nerves that followed when she thought she got ghosted, and the surprising way it all came together.

You’ll hear how she navigated the leap into freelancing while juggling motherhood and self-doubt, and how she figured out her niche when her skills felt all over the place. From crafting thoughtful outreach messages to experimenting with social media and tools like ChatGPT, Sara shares the real, raw, and refreshingly simple strategies that helped her get started—and get paid.

If you’re new to freelancing or have been at it a while, click play now to hear how genuine connection and a little courage can open big doors—even without a perfect portfolio.

Resources:
008: Freelance Textile Designer: How to Have A Successful Career with Michelle Fifis

About Sara:
Sara Bleske is a textile and surface pattern designer with over 15 years of in-house corporate experience in home textiles, decor, apparel, and craft ribbons/trims. She is passionate about creating patterns and surface designs that make people happy.

Connect with Sara:
Email her at [email protected]

Follow on Instagram

Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

From Zero Reviews to $4K Clients: How Danielle Steman Broke Into Freelance Fashion With Just 8 Pitches

Ever wondered how to stand out on Upwork without a single rating, review, or testimonial? Danielle Steman did just that—and banked $4,000 from her first two freelance clients.

In this episode, you’ll meet Danielle, a former engineer from The Netherlands who left behind a stable tech career to carve out a bold new path in fashion. Specializing in made-to-measure and latex pattern making, she built a niche business from scratch—landing high-paying clients with just eight targeted pitches and zero experience on her profile.

You’ll hear how her technical background gave her an edge, how she uses mobile scanning and CAD to wow clients, and why saying no to non-niche work helped her grow faster. She also shares the mindset shifts that helped her go all-in, and the exact steps she took to start attracting international clients (hint: it’s simpler than you think!).

If you're new to freelancing or have been at it a while, click play now to learn how confidence, clarity, and a super-specific niche can unlock your freelance fashion career.

About Danielle:
Danielle Steman is a freelance patternmaker for liberated brands committed to sustainable practices and inclusivity.

She specializes in designs that fit like a glove, focusing on made-to-measure and latex garments. A fashion tech aficionado, she thrives on technical challenges and is a strong advocate for Made to Measure and Made to Order as the future of fashion. Over the past two years, she has been deeply engaged in exploring the integration of 2D, 3D, and scanning technologies to craft perfectly fitting patterns at the touch of a button.

Connect with Danielle:
Visit her website: https://daniellesteman.nl/
Email her at [email protected]

Follow on Instagram
Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

No degree, no industry connections, no Illustrator skills—and still crushing it as a fashion freelancer! Tabitha Calvin proves you don’t need the "perfect" background to make it happen. Just a year ago, she was a Spanish teacher with a dream—and now she’s designing streetwear collections for clients, including a former NBA player!

In this episode, we get real about what it’s like to build a freelance fashion career from scratch. From teaching herself Illustrator to landing $2,500 streetwear clients through LinkedIn and Upwork, Tabitha’s story is packed with hustle, discipline, and major mindset shifts. We talk about hitting that first $1,000 month, dealing with tough client feedback, and the confidence it takes to own your worth as a freelance fashion designer. If you’ve ever doubted whether you can break into fashion without a degree, connections, or years of experience, this episode will leave you fired up to chase your freelance dreams.

If you're just getting started or ready to go all in on your freelance fashion career, click play now and see what’s possible when you bet on yourself.

About Tabitha:
Tabitha is a certified Spanish teacher and freelance fashion designer, finally living the dream she’s had since she was 8. After getting into her dream fashion school but unable to afford it, she studied Spanish instead—but fashion never left her heart. She tried the boutique life in college but realized she just wanted to design. Everything changed when she discovered FAST through Heidi’s YouTube channel and went all in. Now, she’s building a steady client base, growing her network of fellow designers, and working toward her ultimate goal: transitioning into full-time freelance fashion design.

Connect with Tabitha:
Email her at [email protected]

Follow on Instagram
Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price

Curious how a self-taught freelancer with zero fashion experience charged 4x the going rate—and landed the client anyway? Fathima’s story is the bold confidence boost you didn’t know you needed.

This episode follows Fathima Thasneem’s surprising entrance into the freelance fashion world, where a single LinkedIn message turned into a high-paying opportunity. With no degree and no prior design clients, she faced tough questions about her background—and didn’t flinch. Instead, she leaned into her worth, set bold boundaries, and delivered with confidence. You’ll hear how she used LinkedIn to find leads, why she priced higher than anyone expected, and how her honest, strategic approach paid off.

If you’re new to freelancing or have been at it a while, click play now to hear how trusting your instincts and taking risks can lead to your first big client win.

About Fathima:
Fathima Thasneem is a freelance womenswear designer specializing in Young Contemporary fashion, with a passion for fun, playful, and feminine designs. She helps brands create standout collections that blend creativity with wearability, turning ideas into polished, production-ready visuals. Her streamlined approach refines concepts quickly and ensures a smooth transition into production. With precise fashion CADs and thoughtful detailing, she brings clarity to the design process, ensuring every piece aligns with the brand’s vision.

Connect with Fathima:
Email her at [email protected]
Follow on Instagram
Connect on LinkedIn

Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price