Hi Reader,

Happy Friday!

This week has gone so quickly. I'm currently wrapping up things for a week off starting next week, so I'm frantically hitting deadlines and getting my ducks in a row. That's one thing I miss about employment--at least when I had time off, I could just shut down my computer and forget about everything!

P.S. This week I shared some insights on Instagram into why you're doing yourself dirty if you charge hourly. Watch it here.

Anyway, here's what I've been up to this week work-wise:

👉 I wrote 3 pieces for clients (including Circuit, Klaviyo, and Salsify)

👉 I refreshed 3 pieces for Shopify

👉 I had a kick-off call with my new assistant

👉 I had a call with someone to help me with ads

⏱ Approx hours spent on client work this week: ~18

⏱ Approx hours spent on non-client work: ~2

💰 Total revenue this week: £4,760

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Check out my three practical courses that have helped 500+ people get more clients, earn more money, and create better content.

Friday Freelance Tip​​ ✨ ​

Look, things are tough out there right now.

A combination of heavy competition, mass layoffs, and sweeping budget cuts means it feels a bit like dog-eat-dog in the freelance world. Hundreds of freelancers are competing for a smattering of jobs—so if things feel off-kilter right now, you’re definitely not alone.

In fact, I’ve received quite a lot of emails from fellow freelancers recently asking whether freelancing is actually viable anymore.

So, I want to be candid with you today.

I’m going to be as honest as possible here because I know that things are pretty fragile.

To put it simply: I still think it’s viable to be a freelance now, BUT…

It takes a lot of work.

When I started 10 years ago, there was less competition, but it still took me about 2-3 years to build up enough of a client roster to outearn my previous role on a consistent basis.

The thing is, you have to really want it.

If you’re just in it for the money, it’s probably not the best business to be in right now.

The vast majority of freelancers don’t become profitable overnight and it can take months (or years!) to build up a client base.

But if this is what you want to do—for reasons other than the money, like you want the freedom or you really enjoy working on multiple projects at once—there’s absolutely hope.

But again, it’s going to take work and persistence.

It’s easy to look at people on LinkedIn who are killing it after a year and think “Well, that’s not me, so I’m a failure.” It’s easy to see what everyone else is doing and assume there’s no hope for us because we’re not at the same level.

But there’s one thing that’s got me this far: not giving up.

Obviously, there are situations where “giving up” is the best option (even though I don’t think “giving up” is the right phrase). If you’re struggling to pay the bills and you don’t know how you’re going to pay next month’s mortgage, it might be time to move to Plan B.

But most of the time, the key to success as a freelancer is sheer, dogged persistence.

Just. Keep. Going.

When you’ve got one client, work on getting the next. Then work on getting another. In between, you can build up your portfolio, attend some events, and spruce up your website.

I always recommend getting two or three clients to give you a stable base. Once you’ve got that, THEN you can figure out what niche you’re going to go into, what you want your website to look like, and what you’re going to post on social media.

But first… get those clients.

As humans, we need that sense of safety and security to do our best work. There’s a reason it’s easier to get a new job when you’ve already got a job.

Top of your priority list should always be: “Do I have enough clients to feel safe right now?”

If the answer is no…

It’s time to change that.

For a solid month, I’d:

• Write a list of 50 brands and pitch them
• Set Google alerts for new freelance opportunities
• Spend 10 minutes each day looking for new opportunities on LinkedIn
• Join Slack channels and get involved/apply for jobs
• Book as many virtual coffee chats as possible with content leads and fellow freelancers
• Scour job boards for relevant roles
• Join newsletter lists that send out daily job opportunities (try Freelance Framework and the Freelance Opportunities newsletter)

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And here’s where it gets controversial. I’d also take on work that’s lower than my usual rate. I know a lot of freelancers warn against this, but if times are tough you gotta do what you gotta do. I’ve often taken work I wouldn’t take if my business was doing better just to get some money coming in.

Nothing’s forever and you can always replace them when business gets better.

Then, I’d keep asking myself the same question each month:

“Do I have enough clients to feel safe right now?”

And again, if the answer is no, rinse and repeat, until you can comfortably say “yes”.

This week, we have a diary from a Canadian freelance writer.

Where are you based? Vancouver, BC 🇨🇦

How long have you been freelancing? 13 years

What do you do? I’m a B2C writer without a well-defined niche.

What was your 2023 revenue? $133,000

The writer freelances full-time and it wasn’t their highest-earning year.

How much did you take as a salary? $55,000

I switched from sole proprietor to corporation last year and didn't pay myself as much in order to grow some cash in my business account. I had personal savings to live off of.

What are your business expenses? On average $2,800/mo

Do you contribute to a pension? Yes, RRSP & TFSA & CPP

[Editor note: These are various gov pension schemes and tax-free savings accounts, available to Canadian residents]

Do you have any hot money-management tips?

I always make sure I have an emergency fund in case work is slow.

As always, happy freelancing :)

Lizzie ✨

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