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 […]
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 […]
How’s Your Relationship…with Work?
This post will help you with Phase 1 of the BlackFreelance Strategy Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! If anybody needs to examine their relationship with work, it’s freelancers. We have more opportunity to shape our lives the way we want (instead of squeezing life in around a career)…but we also have […]
Are You Asking Your Niche for Too Much…or Too Little?
This post will help you with Phase 1 of the BlackFreelance Strategy Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! Sometimes we ask people for more than they can give. And sometimes we do the same of our niches. Here’s what I mean. I started in the world of paid writing in combat sports. […]
Lifestyle Design — During a Pandemic
I was telling my cousin last week that time restricted eating had left me with nasty cravings for egg sandwiches. She was amazed that I’m even trying to keep any semblance of a fitness or dietary routine going right now. I told her that I’m keeping it up for one reason — control. I’ve been […]
Discovering Your Niche: What Can I Do with Storytelling Skills?
This post will help you with Phase 2 of the BlackFreelance Strategy Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! Narrowing down your niche is one of the hardest things you’ll do as a freelancer. It’s also one of the most important. If you take the time to choose, test, and refine […]
You Should Be Able to Afford Health Insurance.
This isn’t a PSA for ACA open enrollment because honestly, if you can’t afford health insurance right now, you can’t afford it. What I’m here to tell you is that even if health insurance seems like an expense too far today, eventually, it should be within reach. I’m mostly talking to those of us who […]
The Fastest Path to Freelance Confidence
Track your wins. That’s it. That’s the solution. It seems like it takes more than that, and sometimes it does. But for most of us, giving yourself real, tangible credit (that we can revisit) is the first step in keeping healthy confidence as a freelancer. And that’s because we forget. We forget […]
5 Ways to Use Trade Publications to Master Your Niche
This post will help you with Phase 2 of the BlackFreelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I’m quick to recommend trade publications to basically everybody. That’s because they changed my career (more on that later) but it’s mainly because trade […]
It’s Time to Reset Your Freelance Expectations — With Some Numbers
What do you expect from freelancing? Low pay? Consistent income? Long hours? A quick start? I know when I got going, I had ZERO idea of what this life would be like. I had to cobble together my ideas of what ‘normal’ and ‘possible’ looked like from podcasts, Facebook groups, and random conversations online. I […]