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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Why a Recession Doesn’t Matter for Freelancers (But how to Get Ready Anyway)
We’ve been hearing rumors of a recession looming for a while now, and with the abysmal track record of that man people put in charge of the United States, it’s pretty much inevitable. But I’m going to tell you a little secret — as a freelancer it doesn’t really matter. Don’t get me wrong. Recessions […]
Companies Making Freelancing Look More Like Employment (Updated for 2020)
Updated 12/27/2019 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 […]
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 of our freelance “failures” eventually point back to not being able to state why we’re freelancing in the first place, and then not having a plan that’s grounded in that ‘why’. If you follow me over on Twitter you’ve probably seen me mention “Strategic Freelancing”. It’s a concept […]
4 Reasons I Pay My Freelance Taxes Monthly (U.S.)
Updated 12/24/2019 I know taxes are something most freelancers trip over at some level from the get-go, but I’m still embarrassed at how long it’s taken me to get comfortable. As much as I loved international accounting in business school, freelance taxes just turned out to be a much different, and much more personal game. […]
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 […]
Intro to Value (Read this even if you’re employed…especially if you’re employed)
There’s an uncomfortable little truth to freelancing that I think some of us are just starting to accept. It’s a truth that’s so fundamental to business, that eventually, even employed people are going to have to start paying closer attention to it. It’s pretty straightforward and might be a tad confusing at the same time, […]