I’m a big believer in defensive freelancing — handling problems before they become a problem. Tactics like using contracts, expectation management (which we’re covering in the Academy this month), and even using your website to communicate your price ranges and processes can go a long way in preventing freelance issues…and if there’s one area where […]
Startups Making Freelancing Look More Like Employment
With the gig economy in full swing and the percentage of freelancers exploding toward 50% in the U.S., we were bound to see some entrepreneurial folk stepping in to take some of the edge off. Right now it looks like the primary targets are going to be the inevitable freelancing gaps like receiving a steady […]
How to Become Your Own Mini-Marketing Department
This post will help you with Phase 3 of the BlackFreelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! Marketing is the hardest part of freelancing. No, really. That’s why so many freelancers stay at the mercy of platforms like Upwork or shouting into the void of social media, hoping […]
Ready to run back to employment? It’s time to take action.
This post will help you with Phase 1 of the BlackFreelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! I really can’t blame anybody for wanting to go back to relying on employment. I mean…they send you checks on a regular basis, they keep your work flowing…they set up your vacations and sick […]
What is “Strategic Freelancing” Anyway?
I’m a big believer that most freelance “failures” come down to not having a plan. If you follow me over on Twitter you’ve probably seen me mention “Strategic Freelancing”. It’s a concept I credit for my own freelance career and what everything here at BlackFreelance points back to. A strategic approach to this whole […]
Short, Mid, Long — Which Marketing Level are You Missing?
This post will help you with Phase 3 of the BlackFreelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! I just had broccoli greens for dinner (did you know they’re a cousin to collards? I didn’t). That’s a direct result of being a freelancer. Back when I was employed, I tried to […]
5 Ways for Web Designers and Developers to Build Trust
I should probably start this post off with why you should even listen to me in the first place. I’m not a developer. I’m not a designer. Without a solid template to start with, I’m basically dead in the water. So this is an advanced request for forgiveness if I use any terminology wrong. […]
4 Simple Mindset Shifts for Black Freelancers
This post will help you with Phase 1 of the BlackFreelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! Getting your freelance business started on the right track involves a lot of practical steps…marketing, developing your skills, getting your strategy written out. Those are critical, but what trips most people up? It’s […]
The Best (and Shortest) Intro to Freelancing I’ve Ever Heard…
I’ve been following Seth Godin for years now, and while he occasionally can get a little bootstrappy, he’s hands down my favorite marketing guru (he’s one of the few people I’ll use that title for seriously) AND he has a long history of working as a freelancer. That’s why I’m always excited when he takes […]
Don’t Know the Value You Provide as a Freelancer? Read This.
If there’s a trick to building a freelance business, it’s focusing on value. Whenever you listen to experienced freelancers (the ones who’ve been running successful businesses for 10, 15, even 20 or 30 years) talking about how they’ve survived and thrived, that value concept is going to come up. That’s because value is everything. Value […]