I’ve seen freelancing change so many people’s lives—complementing intentional lifestyle design, filling in gaps of unemployment, and creating new career options. It even opened up a world of possibility in my life when I started over 10 years ago. But too many people step into this world and end up disillusioned, frustrated, and let’s be […]
How to be the best employer you’ve ever had—Advice for growth as a freelancer
Think of the best employer you’ve ever heard of. It might be a job you had, or maybe a parent, or a friend. As a freelancer, you can do better. All of us can. That starts with changing how we engage with ourselves as workers. I’ve talked about role-based freelancing before in terms of your […]
“What are my career options as a freelancer?” 8 paths for your career planning
Freelancers can have career development plans just like employed people do. Because we have less structure built into our work life, we need them more. It’s something we should think about early in our freelance journey. Since they aren’t ready made for you like they would be under an employer, they take more focus and […]
Best Starter Niches for Black Freelancers
Wondering what niches are bests for Black freelancers to start their careers? This list might help.
Freelance Lessons From Employment: Communication
Employment has its share of issues, but it also has a ton of lessons for freelancers. This is especially true on the communication front, since you’re likely working with people who are employed themselves and/or working in an employed environment. Learning how to shape our styles and habits to meld with the employment standard can […]
How I Use Linkedin Ads as a Freelancer
This post will help you with Phase 3 of the BlackFreelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! Happy 2022! So to kick things off, I’m going to give a quick overview of how I used paid advertising on LinkedIn. (If you’re tired of cold contacting prospects, this is the post for […]
Here’s How You Turn Your Employment Experience into Freelance Elevation…
So a few weeks ago I asked the community about a theme for the next year or so…using employment to our benefit as freelancers. I got really good feedback, so that’s what we’re doing! The theme is going to evolve as the year does, but to kick things off, let’s talk about some practical steps—ways […]
Designing Your Day as a Freelancer: 4 Questions to Ask
The freedom to design my day was a little bit of a shock. Sure, I knew I wanted to reclaim my time and create a flexible schedule when I started freelancing, but when I actually got it? The realization of what I’d actually done was a little disorienting. I’d broken the deal…the deal of letting […]
Are Toxic Employer Habits Leaking Into Your Freelance Business?
This post will help you with Phase 1 of the BlackFreelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! Low pay. No work-life balance. Leadership with no vision. Unreasonable production expectations. Pressure to do unpaid work. If most of us heard all that about a traditional job we’d label it “toxic” without a […]
5 Silent Threats to Your Freelance Business (And What to Do About Them)
You can define freelancing a lot of different ways, but my favorite is looking at it as “taking responsibility”…responsibility for marketing, taxes, vacation — in other words, the stuff employers take on in exchange for control over your sleep schedule, availability, and free time…you know how it works. Some responsibility is obvious, but some of […]