The Other Side

This week we catch up with Alex Fearon on how she moved from charity generalist work to running Maybe Later, a specialist email marketing business for charities. If you’ve ever wondered whether email is “done”, Alex makes a strong case that charities have barely scratched the surface. 

We also talk about the less glamorous foundations that stabilise self-employment including revenue planning, setting realistic targets that respect seasons, keeping a tax pot, and having a monthly money date. Alex explains how she protects her energy with a four-day week, having no calls for one week each month, and planning her schedule so deep work happens when it’s easiest. 

Subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations, share this with a colleague who’s curious about freelancing, and leave a review to help more charity professionals find the show.

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You can connect with Alex on LinkedIn or head to her website at maybelater.uk

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Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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You can be brilliant at fundraising and still feel stuck when it comes to going self-employed. I sit down with Michelle Stein, founder of Handmade Fundraising, to unpack what it really looks like to move from senior charity roles into a thriving fundraising consultancy.

We get into the practicalities of treating business development like major gift fundraising: setting clear income targets, planning out your pipeline, and focusing on the actions you can control. Michelle talks us through how she structures her time, why she keeps a dedicated day for sales and marketing activities, and how boundaries are essential to protect your energy and income.

We delve into the messy stuff: the fear of making the leap, the impact of a toxic work environment, and the mindset shift from being subcontracted to owning your positioning. Michelle shares a handy pricing resource she wishes she had from day one, including a method for setting a day rate based on real capacity and costs. Finally, we look into AI and what it could mean for nonprofit consultants, plus some ways to future-proof your work.

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, share it with a colleague who's considering freelancing, and leave a review to help more charity professionals find the show.

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You can connect with Michelle on LinkedIn or head to her website at handmadefundraising.com.

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Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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We talk with Dawn Newton about moving from charity comms roles into long-term freelancing, and what it takes to build a career that fits your brain, your life, and the impact you want to make. Her move didn't just change her workload, it changed how she thinks about impact, confidence, and sustainability in the charity sector.

We explore Dawn's “teach someone to fish” approach: coaching and mentoring comms staff, helping charities tailor messages to different audiences, and using an iterative cycle of testing and learning rather than chasing perfection.

Charity Meetup networking is a big part of Dawn’s story. We unpack how facilitation and play can make meeting new people feel safer, and also what it takes to keep sector events going when venues are expensive and budgets are tight. Along the way we tackle bigger themes of scarcity mindset, why optimism matters, and how LinkedIn can be a powerful place for human storytelling, and credibility building.

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Find out more about Charity Meetups

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Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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Steve Allman discovered the charity sector as a teenage volunteer and loved it so much he never left. Coaching charity leaders and facilitating workshops, he’s designed a freelance life that works around real family needs.

We talk about how to make self-employment work after a long charity career: what resilience looks like when you’re responsible for your own income, how to avoid burnout, and why boundaries matter more than hustle. Steve shares how he moved through different freelance phases, from saying yes to almost everything (and undercharging for years) to getting clear on an offer that plays to his strengths and protects his energy.

LinkedIn is a big part of Steve’s story. During lockdown he posted daily to tackle professional isolation, and with 45,000 followers he's now well-known for his light-hearted approach to content. We dig into how he finds ideas, why humour can validate tough truths for charity CEOs and managers, and what “being yourself” looks like when you want clients without sounding like every other beige post.

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You can connect with Steve on LinkedIn. 

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If you want practical insight on freelancing in relation to pricing, workload boundaries and LinkedIn content that actually sounds human, you’ll get a lot out of this episode. Please subscribe, share, and leave a review so more charity freelancers can find us.

If you're looking to replace your 9 to 5 salary without working 24/7, check out my website where you can sign up to weekly tips to help you earn more doing work you love. 

Send us Fan Mail

Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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Cold outreach can feel like shouting into the void, especially when you’re under pressure to hit ambitious fundraising targets. That’s why this conversation with Michelle Benson lands so well: she’s been a fundraiser, she’s been a funder, and she’s built a thriving business by turning visibility into income.

Michelle shares what she learned after moving from charity roles into a trust fund environment. We unpack what happens when charities keep pushing one-to-one tactics while funders build pipelines through research, referrals, and signals of credibility. The result is a gap many fundraisers feel every day: you’re told to raise more money faster, yet the route to decision makers gets less straightforward.

We get practical about LinkedIn strategy as Michelle explains her “digital twin” approach, why a one-to-many platform changes the game, and how she uses data to refine what works. We also talk about building a LinkedIn-friendly case for support, improving your profile so you’re easier to trust, and staying consistent so your marketing doesn’t disappear when client work gets busy.

Please subscribe, share, and leave a review so more charity professionals can find their way to the other side.

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You can connect with Michelle via LinkedIn, or head to her website.

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Send us Fan Mail

Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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Your job can give you purpose, structure, and a handy answer to “what do you do?” but what happens when that label no longer fits? I’m joined by Ceri Sunu, an accidental fundraiser turned entrepreneur and CEO of Brabble, an inclusion consultancy serving arts, culture, heritage, and creative organisations. Ceri shares the real story behind leaving the charity sector, building a portfolio career, and learning how to “master my own time” without letting work take over her identity.

She opens up about time poverty, unexpected outcomes, and why creating from rest matters more than forcing productivity. Ceri explains why one-off diversity and inclusion initiatives don't lead to embedded inclusion, why inclusive recruitment needs a repeatable strategy, and how better business modelling and more commercial practices can help charities survive.

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations, and if this resonates please share and leave us a review. What's the one boundary you need to protect to make freelancing sustainable?

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You can find more details about The Recruitment Reboot on the Brabble website.

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Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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What if redundancy wasn’t a setback but your invitation to design work on your terms? We sit down with Bethany Helliwell-Smith, a former fundraiser who turned crisis into clarity, building a coaching practice that helps freelancers and fundraisers do good and be well. 

We explore the habits that transfer from fundraising to freelancing, diving into the mindset work that frees many charity professionals: deprogramming nine-to-five thinking, moving from time-based pricing to output-based value, and holding boundaries so other people’s urgency doesn’t run your week. Expect practical tips on building community online and offline, protecting your energy from compassion fatigue, and planning your year around rhythms so you can thrive without burning out.

Enjoy the conversation, then subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

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Keep in touch with Bethany via LinkedIn, Instagram, or her website.

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Send us Fan Mail

Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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Ready to design work that fits your brain, your values, and your life? Jane sits down with Rebs, a digital communications and fundraising specialist who left senior charity roles to build a flexible consultancy. We unpack the practical steps behind a smooth transition: testing services as a side hustle, building a client base before quitting, and shaping a week that blends strategic work with hands-on delivery.

Rebs shares how being autistic led them to rethink productivity and energy. We talk candidly about feast-and-famine cycles, why a financial buffer beats bravado, and the one safeguard too many freelancers skip. Rebs also explains the unique value of bridging fundraising with digital comms, especially when social platforms shift under our feet and charities need both quick wins and sustainable systems.

Community plays a starring role. From Slack groups to local fundraisers’ meetups and outdoor networking, we explore how to stay connected, visible, and supported. And we look ahead at AI in the charity sector: where it helps, where it risks harm, and why transparent AI policies will soon be standard in contracts and training. 

Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe, share it with a colleague who’s freelance-curious, and leave a review to help more people find the show. Got a question or a story about your own leap? Message us on LinkedIn or sign up to the Charity Freelancing course.

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Visit Rebs' website or connect with them on LinkedIn.

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Send us Fan Mail

Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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Thinking about trading a senior charity post for a life with fewer meetings and more meaning? We sit down with fundraiser-turned-freelancer Analiese Doctrove to map a path that balances family, focus, and real sector impact. 

We get practical about the move: lining up early clients through warm contacts, announcing the shift on LinkedIn, and joining supportive communities that value collaboration over competition. Analiese shares how core fundraising skills translate seamlessly to consulting, while self-promotion needs a fresh mindset. 

You’ll hear what the first month really feels like: quiet mornings without Slack pings, deep work that finishes on time, and the strange urge to fill every free minute. We unpack how to handle peaks and troughs, when to say no, and why capacity-led planning beats wishful thinking.

If you’re a charity professional eyeing up the freelance route, this conversation offers a clear view of what’s possible. Subscribe, share this with a colleague who needs it, and leave a review to help more charity professionals design work that serves their lives and their purpose.

Head to Analiese's website to find out more about her work.

Send us Fan Mail

Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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We sit down with Craig Linton, co-founder of Thread Fundraising and co-author of Donors for Life, drawing out practical steps for a low-risk move into consulting.

Across this candid chat, we dig into the skills that transfer directly from fundraising to business ownership: clear storytelling, supporter care reimagined as client care, and evidence-led decisions. We also grapple with pricing: where generosity meets boundaries, and why working for free can undercut your impact.

Craig explains how to build private AI brains from your proven frameworks, using a “critical friend” prompt to catch blindspots, and turning blank pages into first drafts without losing the human aspect that wins trust. 

Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe, share with a colleague who’s considering the leap, and leave us a review. Your feedback helps more charity professionals find a path to meaningful, independent work.

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You can connect with Craig on LinkedIn, or check out the Thread Fundraising website. 

Send us Fan Mail

Jane Curtis, founder of The Charity Freelancing Course, host of The Other Side Podcast and Co-founder of The Rich & Restored Retreat. 

Jane has spent 26 years in the charity sector, is a former events fundraiser, and now supports well over 100 charity sector freelancers to replace their in house salary without working 24/7 through a group mastermind programme, charity freelancing course and 1:1 work. 

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