081: Stop Dumpster Diving for Clients | Joshua Lisec

The vast majority of the people that could be amazing clients for you are not currently looking for your services. Only about 3% of your target audience is actively looking for a freelancer. So you end up dumpster diving for those 3% and competing as a commodity. Stop! Joshua Lisec shares how you can reach the 97% who have the specific problem that you know how to expertly solve and convert them into paying customers. Joshua shares how he positions himself as the trusted advisor in the community, thus cultivating desire for his services. http://freelancetransformation.com/episode81

29 Mar 10:14

082: Build a Personal Brand to Win Clients | Louie La Vella

If you feel like you can’t be the one that gets in front of the great clients, if you’re wondering why the heck anyone would listen to you, if you’re wondering how to build up a personal brand from scratch and get it in front of the right people, the ones that can buy from you, this interview is for you. Louie La Vella has interviewed and sometimes partied with A-List celebrities, built up a consulting practice helping entertainment personalities, concerts, and festivals market themselves, and he built all this with a deceptively simple approach to his career and business. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode82

29 Mar 10:14

083: Freelance to Freedom | Vincent Pugliese

The goal for many freelancers is freedom. Freedom from the stress of debt, making payments on time, and saving for the future. Freedom to schedule your time the way you want to so you can make time to spend with your children and go on vacation. And freedom to run a business the way you want so that you enjoy your job and your life. Vincent Pugliese and his wife made freedom a priority in their life so they set up their own photography business, paid off their debts, started a family, and get to run their own lives while making ten times more than what they made working full time. Vincent shares how. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode83

29 Mar 10:14

084: From LinkedIn Connections to Clients | Rachel Pedersen

Rachel Pedersen's daughter was going to start school in a few months and Rachel suddenly had this vision of someone else driving her daughter to school and picking her up and spending time with her while Rachel worked in an office 9-5. This image was Rachel's breaking point and her drive to give freelancing another go. The first attempt at freelancing on her own left her stressed out because she didn't know how to get clients. But for the second attempt, Rachel had a plan. She leveraged her network on LinkedIn to make connections to over 7,500 people. After only 1 year, she no longer has to actively search for clients and makes a 6-figure income. Rachel shares how she went from being a hairstylist to a social media manager and strategist. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode84

29 Mar 10:14

085: Think Like an Entrepreneur | Cole Hatter

Why is it that some people seem to pull off seemingly impossible feats, such as winning incredible clients, scaling their business, or just getting something that they really want? Meanwhile others seem to get stuck at every obstacle that’s put in their way. To be a successful freelancer, you have to think like an entrepreneur. That’s true whether you’re looking to stay solo and small, or you’re looking to build multiple seven figure businesses. Cole Hatter is a serial entrepreneur, and somebody that embodies finding a path forward instead of giving up. Cole started out as a fireman, found himself wheelchair bound after a really bad accident, started a real estate business, had that fall apart in the 2008 crash, learned his lessons, then rebounded with new companies, and helped others along the way. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode85

29 Mar 10:14

086: Lead with Generosity to Build Relationships | Esther Kiss

Esther Kiss is the founder of Born to Influence, a boutique publicity firm that helps her clients get featured on TV, newspapers, magazines, and top podcasts. In a sea of people all claiming to do the same thing, Esther stands out and gets noticed by both clients and the media that she gets them booked on. Esther shares how she built up her business from very humble beginnings, why she’s able to connect with influencers, how to attract the right clients through referrals, how to qualify if a client is a great fit, and much much more. http://freelancetransformation.com/episode86

29 Mar 10:14

087: Leverage Your Time as a Freelancer | Nina Kaufman

If the primary product that you sell is your labour, then how can you leverage your time so that the money you earn isn’t directly tied to the number of hours that you work? Nina Kaufman is the founder of Business Exponential, where she helps service-based entrepreneurs build companies that don’t rely completely on them. Nina will share the story of the hard truths she discovered when she tried to sell her law firm, and several ways that you can leverage your time, from simply freeing up more time while charging the same, all the way up to building a business that you could even sell. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode87

29 Mar 10:14

088: Win Clients Through Outreach (and Cake?) | Jake Jorgovan

Jake Jorgovan is the founder of Outbound Creative, where he helps consulting companies and agencies win their dream clients. But he doesn’t just talk the talk. Before starting this agency, he did business development at a video production agency where his strategies allowed him to bring in multiple fortune 500 clients and A-list touring artists. Jake shares strategies to reach out to clients directly as well as strategic partners who have the same clients that you want to target. Jake shares how to identify your dream client and dream strategic partner, how to do the research to figure out who to talk to and how to contact them, and how to reach out through email, conferences, podcasts, and cake. Yes, cake. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode88

29 Mar 10:14

089: Win Clients through Facebook | Cassie Howard

Cassie Howard is a business consultant for bad-ass women entrepreneurs who aren't afraid to be themselves and say what they need to say in order to help their community. Cassie got into coaching two years ago when she started to engage with potential clients in Facebook groups and started her own group. Cassie loves it and doesn't even feel like she is doing work. She is excited to connect with her clients and create significant things for her clients and community that impact so many people's lives. Plus she gets paid well for it. So well that she hit 6 figures within her first year. The secret to her success? Being her authentic self and Facebook. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode89

29 Mar 10:14

090: Freelancing Work and Life Challenges | Sherry Walling

  Freelancing can grant you tremendous control over your life and your day-to-day work, but being your own boss comes with some challenges. For example, the anxiety and weight of dealing with stressful work situations and clients, the isolation of working alone, and managing all aspects of your life efficiently and responsibly, which includes having the difficult discussions about finances and time management with your significant other. Sherry Walling is a clinical psychologist, one of her specialties is working with entrepreneurs, and she is the wife of an entrepreneur so she has both the clinical and personal perspective. Sherry reviews how you can balance self care with productivity in your business by identifying and working through anxiety triggers, catching early signs of stress and preventing stress from building up, and maintaining a healthy, supportive relationship with your significant other. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode90

29 Mar 10:13

091: Win Work with Bigger Companies | Jana Sedivy

Jana Sedivy performs customer experience research for B2B companies. She helps companies that create and sell software to other businesses better understand their customers and identify ways they can improve the customer experience. Jana has worked with companies such as Adobe and Nuance, and she also holds twenty-one technology patents and is published in peer-reviewed user experience journals. In this episode, Jana shares how she got started consulting and how you can start building the authority and connections so you can start winning these big clients as well. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode91

29 Mar 10:13

092: Productize Your Services | Joe Sanok

Joe Sanok, founder of Practice of the Practice, shares how you can stop thinking of selling your services as a strictly time for money deal. The secret is thinking about your business as a system that you can build processes around, rather than doing everything yourself. Joe will be sharing how he built his counselling clinic so it ran without being completely dependent on him, how and why he decided to start coaching other practitioners, how he productized the services that he offers to them, and how he built highly systematized funnels for finding and winning them as clients. http://freelancetransformation.com/episode92

29 Mar 10:13

093: Win Freelance Work for Agencies | Mark Fromson

Mark Fromson is a freelance digital project manager who works for agencies rather than the end client. Agencies frequently rely on freelancers as a way to gain access to skills they otherwise wouldn’t have, and to be able to grow or shrink their team to meet a changing workload. As a freelancer there can be some advantages to having agencies as clients, such as the possibility of working on larger projects than you’re likely to win on your own, collaborating with a team, and not having to be the one that goes out there and wins the end client. Mark Fromson shares the ins and outs of what agencies are looking for in a freelancer, how to connect with them and build long-term relationships, and the pros and cons of targeting agencies instead of the end client. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode93

29 Mar 10:13

094: Winning Clients by Niching Down | Khierstyn Ross

Khierstyn Ross, of Crowdfunding Uncut, is a crowdfunding strategist, working on campaigns that raise hundreds of thousands of dollars on Indiegogo and Kickstarter. Khierstyn didn’t start there of course, but discovered what she was best at and most enjoyed while working through client projects. Once she decided to niche down, she became one of the highest in-demand crowdfunding experts. Khierstyn shares how she went from a generalist to a specialist, what that did for her business, how she built authority in this space, how she finds clients, and how she prices herself for a service where the results are so uncertain. http://freelancetransformation.com/episode94

29 Mar 10:13

095: Your Freelance Manifesto

What type of clients will you take on? What rates will you charge? Having the answers to these questions can help you very intentionally make the rest of your business decisions throughout 2017 and beyond.  To help you in this process, and in the spirit of the holidays, Freelance Transformation has a small gift for you. We are going to go through a small exercise together that Matt's students have universally found helpful in defining what they want their freelancing to look like, and consequently, how to make better decisions in their freelancing. http://freelancetransformation.com/episode95

29 Mar 10:13

096: Get More Referrals | Steve Gordon

Are you you asking your clients to pass along your name to anyone they know who needs work done? Once in awhile you might get a lead, but it doesn’t yield a lot of business. Sound familiar? Well the good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Steve Gordon, author of Unstoppable Referrals, shares how to build a systematic referral system. Steve has published hundreds of articles on marketing and selling high trust services, learned in his previous career as the CEO of an engineering consulting firm. Steve shares how you can consistently earn referrals in a way that works and generates value for everyone involved. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode96

29 Mar 10:13

097: Winning Clients Through Influence | Josh Steimle

Josh Steimle, founder of the web agency MWI, started out building sites in 1999 and now sells 7 figures worth of business per year. Josh struggled between 2007-2013, and almost had to close his doors. But he persevered. Josh built up his business through persistence and by becoming a thought leader in his niche by implementing strategies such as writing for Forbes. Josh shares how to win clients through influence, how to build a scalable agency, and how to overcome the challenges along the way. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode97

29 Mar 10:13

098: Selling High Ticket Services | Frank Bria

A common objection about running a service business, such as being a solo freelancer, is not wanting to just trade time for money. But that is only one model to run your service business, and it's not the most useful. Instead, think about your services as a product that you’re offering. A client signs-up, and you perform some defined result for them, and they pay you for that result rather than for the number of hours that you spent working on it. You can achieve financial success if you can build your service as a system that you can deliver over and over, instead of creating a completely 100% custom solution each time. Frank Bria calls this strategy the creation of a High Ticket Program and has applied it when consulting with Fortune 500 companies on multiple continents to help them structure and sell their own offerings. We are talking anywhere from tens of thousands to tens of millions of dollars in services sold. Frank shares how he thinks about turning a custom service into a repeatable high offering that you can sell at a high price over and over again, including the 5 key building blocks that are at your disposable when creating your own offering. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode98  

29 Mar 10:13

099: Why Do Clients Buy Our Services? | Dov Gordon

Why do your clients buy your services? Why is someone willing to pay you for your skill set? What are they really buying? To get clients, you need to understand the underlying human psychology at work. Dov Gordon, from the Alchemist Entrepreneur, helps consultants and coaches find their ideal clients through structure and process, instead of jumping straight to tactics. Dov shares why clients buy, how we get their attention, his 6 step marketing process, and why some people can seem to make any client generation tactic work, while others just can’t seem to get clients. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode99  

29 Mar 10:13

100: Top 10 "Mic Drop" Freelancing Moments

In the past 99 episodes, numerous guests have shared their freelancing journeys, their setbacks, and the revelations that allowed them to build successful, sustainable freelancing businesses. In honour of this arbitrary and yet very special number, episode 100, Matt has sorted through the catalogue of FT episode and brought back ten of the most epic guest insights shared on the most popular episodes of Freelance Transformation. These are the mic drop moments, played back to you, along with a bit of explanation of why they are so important for all of our freelancing businesses. This episode features advice from Einar Vollset, Patrick Mckenzie, Nagina Abdullah, Naveen Dittakavi, Joshua Lisec, Brennan Dunn, Michael Port, Laura Elizabeth, Jeffrey Shaw, and Kai Davis. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode100

29 Mar 10:13

101: Create a Client Acquisition Funnel Through Paid Traffic | Chris Evans

When you start out as a freelancer, your journey consists of figuring out who your ideal clients are, how to reach them, and building a service around one of their burning problems. Now what? It's time to build a funnel. Chris Evans is the cofounder of Traffic and Funnels with his business partner, Taylor Welch. Their agency specializes in building out funnels for consultants and service providers. So we’re not talking about selling ebooks here, we’re talking about using these strategies to sell $10,000+ services. Chris shares with us the process of building out an effective sales funnel for selling higher priced services and how to use paid traffic to attract your target market to your funnel. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode101

29 Mar 10:13

102: Build Authority & Attract Clients Through Book Publishing | Chandler Bolt

Past FT guests, such as Philip Morgan, Jane Portman, and Jonathan Stark, have written and self-published books as a very effective way to establish their authority in their field and as a means to attract their ideal clients. Chandler Bolt is the founder of Self Publishing School and teaches students how to write and self-publish their first book. Chandler shares why a book is a feasible endeavor with a lot of benefits, his process for writing a book, how to get a book published, and critical tips on how to get listed and found on Amazon. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode102

29 Mar 10:13

103: Rapidly Grow an Agency | Gini Dietrich

Gini Dietrich, founder of Arment Dietrich and Spin Sucks, quit her job one day and decided to go out on her own to start a PR agency that does PR for its clients the way she knows it should be done. Right away, she had her first client, and a few months later, her first employee. Then, over the next two years, she had her first fortune-500 client, then her first 14 employees, and her first $2 million in revenue. Ten years later, she has a 30-person agency that mostly runs itself so she can focus on doing the things she really likes to do, such as teaching, writing, and figuring out where the industry is going. There is a lot to learn from Gini’s journey, from how she used her connections and sticking to her values to get her first clients, how her content marketing took off, how to hire the best people for her team, and how she had to change herself to become a better leader. But, as Gini says, it all comes down to going out and just doing it, rather than getting caught up on what people say you should do. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode103

29 Mar 10:13

104: Mindset Shifts of a Digital Nomad Freelancer | Joel Bergeron

Being a digital nomad isn't about sitting on a beach with your laptop. It's about choosing to live a certain lifestyle as you start and grow your own business. And it can be really hard if you are plagued with toxic mindsets. Joel Bergeron, co-founder of The Future is Creative and Freelance Business Success Summit, shares how he got started as a digital nomad, the lifestyle of the digital nomad, the critical mistake he made with his first business, and the key mindset shifts about freelancing that he had to make in oder to find success. Joel shares what you have to do as a freelancer to have a business that you enjoy. http://freelancetransformation.com/episode104

29 Mar 10:13

105: Stop Writing Sucky Copy | Laura Belgray

Laura Belgray, of talkingshrimp.com, is a freelance creative copywriter who helps people with all the words they use in their businesses. She started out writing promos for TV networks and won numerous awards for her work. While she continues freelancing for the big networks, she also offer copywriting for small business and has collaborated with Maria Forleo to create a copywriting course called The Copy Cure. Laura shares the strategies she used to get started as a copywriter, why good copy matters when you are trying to get your audience to know, like, and trust you, how good copy can help your business, and how to write good copy yourself. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode105

29 Mar 10:13

106: Stop Begging for Clients | Taylor Welch

In FT episode 101, Chris Evans, from Traffic and Funnels, laid out a strategy for using paid traffic to get clients for high-ticket services (a service that is at least $10,000). Chris's business partner, Taylor Welch, shares how to convert the prospects coming from the paid traffic funnels and other sales funnels into paying clients. Taylor shares the three steps to his sales process, how to attract the right prospects who can benefit from your services, how to prompt prospects into recognizing that they have a problem that you can solve, how to close a sale through honesty and recognizing whether a prospect is a good fit, and how to set expectations so you have happy clients. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode106

29 Mar 10:13

107: Build a Profitable Agency | Drew McLellan

One of the hardest things about owning an agency, or being a solo operator, is that a lot of us get into it without necessarily being an expert on how to run this type of service business. We tend to have nothing to benchmark ourselves against, because we don’t really know how other agencies are doing, and if we’re on the right track. Drew McLellan is the head of the Agency Management Institute, an organization devoted specifically to bringing agency owners together to help them build better agencies. Through research, AMI has figured out the formula to a successful agency: What are the key financial benchmarks? What is the role of the agency owner? https://freelancetransformation.com/episode107

29 Mar 10:13

108: Build Relationships that Lead to Client Work | Zvi Band

Zvi Band built a successful software consultancy directly from building and maintaining relationships with people. By networking and maintaining relationships, he was able to build software for agencies, startups, venture capital firms, and even fortune 500 companies like Ford. Zvi Band is also the cofounder of Contactually, an amazing piece of software that makes it easy to track and maintain the relationships in your network. Zvi shares how to connect with people, and how to maintain and manage relationships in a way that leads to clients. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode108

29 Mar 10:13

109: Manage a Self Organizing Team | Alma Abreu

Alma Abreu, from 360 Agile Pro, is a project management pro and specializes in showing small business owners, start-up founders, and entrepreneurs how to manage a virtual team and how to do project management for service based businesses. She also owns a content marketing business where she applies all of the best project management strategies, allowing her to take a step back from the day to day business management. Alma shares her story of stumbling onto her perfect niche, trying to do it all herself, getting overwhelmed, and then hiring freelancer writers and editors to complete the content work. Alma went beyond just removing herself from writing content to creating processes to manage her virtual team and training a virtual assistant to do the project management, allowing her to pursue the lifestyle she wants. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode109

29 Mar 10:13

110: Journey From Freelancer to Agency | Eric Covino

Getting started in freelancing might be a deliberate step or it might happen serendipitously. But how can you make sure that your freelancing business is successful? Eric Covino, founder of Creative Signals, shares his story about building an agency from freelancing. He started freelancing after he volunteered to make a website for his sensei. Over 8 years, he grew this side interest into an agency, through chance, deliberately seeking out knowledge, learning from mistakes, and actively deciding what he wants his business and his personal life to look like. Eric shares how he got started with freelancing, how freelancing became his full-time job, his decision to build an agency, and how he’s done it in a financially sustainable and stable way. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode110

29 Mar 10:13

111: Building an Agency Right the Second Time | Kevin Gibbons

Kevin Gibbons is the founder of the UK branch of Blue Glass, a content marketing agency based in London. Coming off the successes of his first agency, Kevin deliberately decided to challenge himself with something new, building a second agency, Blue Glass, from scratch. The many mistakes and learned many lessons along the way of building both agencies has allowing Kevin to create an agency that he, his team, and his clients love. Kevin shares his strategy for managing client relationships (spoiler alert, it involves coffee, football, and pubs), winning clients through his personal network and referrals, and how to grow by making the top priority to do great work for your existing clients. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode111

29 Mar 10:13

112: Million Dollar Consulting with Alan Weiss

A few years into building websites for people, in the very beginnings of my little agency, I picked up a book with a pretty bold title: Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss. Picking up that book was one of the biggest game changers of my entire consulting career. Alan Weiss wrote about how to create value for clients, how the amount of time that you spent on a project should have nothing to do with the fee that you charge, how the very idea of trying to sell your time for money was unfair to the client and to you. I wish I could say that this was an overnight change for me, but it took time for those lessons to sink in and to make the mindset shifts needed to realize that it really is all about finding ways to create value. Now, I’m very pleased to welcome Alan Weiss, best selling author, and million dollar consultant, on to Freelance Transformation. Here, Alan shares his personal journey through consulting and coaching, how to market yourself as a consultant, what makes a consultant, the psychological challenges of being a consultant and selling, and common mistakes made by beginner and not-so-beginner consultants. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode112

29 Mar 10:13

113: From Failure to $500,000 in Client Work | Pia Silva

The story begins with Pia Silva and her husband opening their own graphic design agency, complete with employees and office space, and selling massive $30,000 projects to their clients. Then finding themselves going out of business with $40,000 in credit card debt and no savings after a year and a half. But rather than giving up, they took a deep look at what was and wasn’t working in their business, scaled down the business and what they offered, and started again. Within the first year, they had half a million in sales and had completely turned things around into a successful business, Worstofall Design, where she and her husband, Steve, create Badass Brands for their clients over an intensive 1-3 days. It’s a brilliantly simple business, which is why it works so well. Pia shares how her business model works, why it is so successful, how she finds clients, and so much more. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode113

29 Mar 10:13

114: Surprisingly Short Proposal Format | Curtis McHale

Have you ever spent a crazy amount of time writing a proposal for a prospective client, only to have them say no? Or even worst, go completely dark on you and not respond at all? Curtis McHale shares his sales process and the approach that he takes to write super short and sweet proposals, only a page and a half long. And even better, he collaborates with the clients on these proposals, so that by the time the client receives the proposal, they have had a significant part in its creation and are completely on board with moving forward. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode114

29 Mar 10:13

115: Win Clients Through Pinterest and Blogging | Jessica Freeman

Jessica Freeman quit her full-time job at an agency, started freelancing, and booked herself up with clients. In fact, she now has a waitlist. Jessica, of Jess Creatives, built up her client base primarily through content marketing. Specifically, she built a blog, email list, and surprisingly enough, leveraged Pinterest as a major source of traffic and clients. It turns out that Pinterest is a very different social media platform that encourages content sharing, making it an excellent tool for getting your content out there. Jessica shares how she quit her job and decided to go full-time, how and why blogging has been so effective at keeping her booked solid, and how she’s been able to build up an audience of prospective clients through Pinterest. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode115

29 Mar 10:13

116: Play By Your Own Rules | Jason Resnick

Jason Resnick is a solo freelancer that has built his freelancing business very intentionally so that it works in the way that he wants to work. Jason is particular with the clients that he takes on, how he works with them, the highly automated processes that he uses to keep things running smoothly, and the approaches he takes to keep working with the clients. Jason shares how he built his freelance business, including why he failed the first time he started out, and the specific realizations and changes he made to create a sustainable freelancing business when he gave it a second shot years later. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode116

29 Mar 10:13

117: Rapidly Grow with Content Marketing | Johnathan Dane

If you are looking to build up a client base at serious scale, and have leads consistently coming in from your efforts, then content marketing is one of the most effective approaches out there. Johnathan Dane, of Klient Boost, is an expert content marketer. He built up a $3 million dollar a year pay per click management agency with $350,000 in monthly recurring revenue by relentlessly building a brand through their unique content marketing. Such as animated infographics, or gifographics. Jonathan shares how he used content marketing from the get go to rapidly build up a client base, and how he’s continuing to build the agency. Oh and he’s got a pretty crazy story of how he first got into business. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode117

29 Mar 10:13

118: Find and Land High Value Clients | Brent Weaver

Often as a freelancer it’s tempting to just work with whatever clients come our way, instead of figuring out who is really an ideal client and what you have to do to get in front of them. But being intentional about finding and winning the right clients can make a massive difference in the kind of freelancing business or agency that you end up building. Brent Weaver, of Ugurus, shares how he built and ran a web agency for 13 years until selling it. Now he helps other agency owners to build their business with Ugurus. Brent shares his experiences of identifying who high value client are, how to intentionally connect with those client, and the intentionally length process that he goes through when he believes that a client is a great fit. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode118

29 Mar 10:13

119: Win Clients By Educating Them | Andy Crestodina

Andy Crestodina is the co-founder of Orbit Media Studios, a Chicago website development agency that gets tonnes of local leads and excels at standing out to clients. How? He implemented a content marketing strategy from the very start, and one that didn’t rely on having a massive audience or huge success right out of the gate. Andy is also the author of Content Chemistry, a beautiful and comprehensive book on content marketing that doubles as his business card when he goes to meet clients. Andy shares how his agency used education to teach his way into landing client work. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode119

29 Mar 10:13

120: Clients Will Pay Thousands For Your Services | Adrienne Richardson

Adrienne Richardson manages Facebook ads. So how much is managing someone’s Facebook ads worth? Is it the $100/month that you’ll find on some offshore job boards? Is it $1,000/month? What about $5,000 a month plus 10% of the Facebook ad spend? That’s what Adrienne’s clients pay, and she is frequently booked solid. She’s also not a massive agency, as you’ll learn, her business is mostly her. In this interview Adrienne spills the secrets of why she is able to command these fees, and work with amazing clients, despite plenty of other people fighting to charge the lowest fees possible. Pay close attention to why her clients are actually hiring her. And pay attention to how she finds her clients, and I’ll give you a hint, it’s not super sophisticated, but it’s incredibly powerful. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode120

29 Mar 10:13

121: Create Content Efficiently | Austin Church

Content marketing is an excellent strategy for reaching clients at scale. But inevitably there’s a hiccup that holds people back. To execute a content marketing strategy, well, you need content. Austin Church is the founder of Wunderbar, an agency that helps consultants and tech companies to grow their businesses through content marketing. Austin shares how you can actually create content sustainably, and do so without it being an endless time suck. If you’re currently using content marketing, or considering doing so, this conversation can help make it much more feasible. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode121

29 Mar 10:13

122: How to Find a Great Assistant | Tim Francis

If you’re a solo freelancer, it’s so easy to think that hiring an assistant is just plain out of reach and expensive. But that’s just not true. Hiring an assistant is one of the biggest wins that you can create for yourself. When an assistant does the low value work of billing, invoicing, emails, scheduling, etc., then your time is freed up to do the high value client work or getting new business or levelling up your skills. But it is important to find the right person, the kind of person that will take work off your plate instead of creating more of it. Tim Francis of Profit Factory and GreatAssistant.com has spent a lot of time working with entrepreneurs to match them to great assistant. Tim shares what makes a great assistant and his process for finding that one amazing one. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode122

29 Mar 10:13

123: Win Clients Through Local Events and Referrals | Paige Wilhide

It’s no secret that there are a lot of very effective ways to find clients, but it can create the temptation to immediately try to jump into the fanciest and most complicated approaches, and to ignore the simple time-tested methods that will get you clients the quickest. Take networking and referrals for example. I don’t know of a faster way to find clients than using your existing network and going out and building that network, such as by attending events. Paige Wilhide used networking and referrals to build her business, Paige Media, a wonderful video strategy and editing business. Paige shares how she systematically used networking to build this business and, of course, how you can use those same strategies to find clients for yourself. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode123

29 Mar 10:12

124: Stop Pitching & Win Clients | Blair Enns

When most people think of sales, they think about walking into a potential client's office, or calling them up on the phone, and pitching them to convince them that their services are the best. The thought us unpleasant and has prevented many talented freelancers from getting great clients. But the good news is that winning clients does not have to look like that. In fact, approached properly, it doesn't really have to feel like selling. It's more of a diagnostic approach, like going to a doctor to find out the cause of your symptoms. Blair Enns, founder of Win Without Pitching, a sales training company for creative entrepreneurs, and author of A Win Without Pitching Manifesto, shares the philosophies behind the idea of winning without pitching and how to actually approach closing deals without feeling like your a sleesy salesperson. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode124

29 Mar 10:12

125: Let Consulting Firms be Your Sales Team | Jonathan Dison

Going out on your own, finding your own clients, not being tied to an employer, that’s what this podcast is all about. There are multiple ways to accomplish this and structure your own consulting or freelance business, just like there are multiple reasons that people do so in the first place. One of those ways is working, usually full-time, on a longer project at a giant company and, of course, at consulting rates. It can be the perfect opportunity to have tremendous freedom while not needing to find clients as frequently. Jonathan Dison, founder of Lightrock Consulting and Bench Watch, started his career working for Arthur Anderson, built his own consulting firm, and now helps people find and get matched with consulting positions at major corporations. Jonathan shares how you can break into the consulting market and start getting paid more to work on longer-term projects. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode125    

29 Mar 10:12

126: Play Away the Anxiety | Charlie Hoehn

Charlie Hoehn, author, speaker, and head of author marketing at Book in a Box, is the real deal when it comes to marketing expertise and achieving outsized results. He has worked for and advised great minds like Ramit Sethi, Tim Ferris, Seth Godin, and Gary Vaynerchuck. But behind the successes is a story of paralyzing anxiety. Charlie experienced terrifying panic attacks that made him think that he was going to die. One particular attack led Charlie to begin a long and difficult mission to cure himself of his anxiety, and ultimately to write the book Play It Away: A Workaholic’s Cure for Anxiety. Charlie shares that story and more importantly what worked for him for ultimately getting rid of his anxiety, getting his life back on track, and what he recommends for others in the same boat. Disclaimer: Hopefully, you find this episode helpful for bringing this important topic into the open, but it is not intended as medical advice. Everyone’s situation is different and you should consult your doctor before acting on anything in this episode. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode126

29 Mar 10:12

127: What Building a Business Really Looks Like | Josh Doody

It can be difficult to look at someone who has achieved success in something like building out a consistent way to attract clients, and to picture yourself ever being able to achieve that same level of success. It can feel like they got to where they are overnight, as if by magic. But obviously that’s not true. Behind all of these success stories are journeys with unexpected twists and turns of months and much more frequently years of consistent hard work to figure it all out. Josh Doody has an awesome niche: he is a salary negotiation coach. As the title implies, he helps his clients to negotiate a higher salary, helping them to be earn thousands of dollars more per year. Not a bad problem to solve. But Josh didn’t start out as an expert on salary negotiation. In fact, he originally worked as an electrical engineer, and the path he took from that career to salary negotiation was definitely not a straight or obvious one. Josh shares how this transition happened, the twists and turns along the way, and steps that he took to build his business, one small piece at a time. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode127

29 Mar 10:12

128: Demystifying Bookkeeping for Freelancers | Donna Zanger

One of the biggest mysteries of running your own business is bookkeeping. What does correct bookkeeping even look like? There’s a massive learning curve that comes with bookkeeping, and many freelancers have to tackle it on their own when they start their business. If your books just aren’t as great as they could be, this episode of Freelance Transformation is for you! Donna Zanger, owner and founder of Dbooks Bookkeeping, is a certified public accountant in Manhattan. She and her team of 20 CPAs help many business owners like yourself manage their books. She teaches business owners and freelancers how to do their own bookkeeping and keep track of their monthly invoices and expenses. Donna de-mystifies bookkeeping and shares how you can overcome the common mistakes freelancers make so that you can finally stay on track financially. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode128

29 Mar 10:12

129: Get Things Done Even When You Don't Want To | Chris Cooper

Being a freelancer and running your own business sounds pretty glamorous. There’s no boss, no schedule, and you have the freedom to do things the way you like to do them. But with no manager breathing down your neck, you don’t always have the motivation to get things done. Reality starts to sink in, and you suddenly realize that you’re responsible for the things you don’t really want to do. If you’re a freelancer who finds it hard to stay motivated and finish all those tasks you don’t really want to, tune in now! Today’s episode of Freelance Transformation is all about getting things done even when we don’t feel like it. Chris Cooper is a motivational speaker, mentor, and author. His book, The Power to Get Things Done, really speaks to freelancers like us. It breaks down ways to help prioritize our business goals and form consistent strategies to bring in new clients. If you’re running your own business or creating a freelance brand, your ultimate goal is to grow your business, right? You can only do that if you bring in new clients, and that’s exactly what Chris is talking about today. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode129

29 Mar 10:12

130: Turn Influencers into Client Referrals | Sean Smith

How do you connect with influencers in your industry and build a freelance business off of referrals that you receive from them, even when you’re just starting out? In this episode of the Freelance Transformation podcast, Sean Smith explains how you can connect with influencers in your industry and amplify your freelance business. Sean Smith is the co-founder of Simple Tiger, a small remote agency that specializes in search engine optimization. Sean started this agency – and the rest of his freelance endeavors – from the ground up. Through reaching out and networking with the people in his industry, Sean was able to create an entire client listen organically. Sean explains how you can connect with influencers in your industry and amplify your freelance business. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode130

29 Mar 10:12

131: Quit Corporate & Go Freelance | Hannah Lowe Corman

Hannah Lowe Corman left her cushy corporate job as an investment banker to become the artist she always wanted to be. Today she creates beautifully tranquil paintings to de-stress her corporate peers. Hannah paints a picture of what it’s like to start a creative freelance business from scratch. Not only does she have tips for things like pricing, budget, and marketing, she also shares exactly what it feels like to leave the comfort of a corporate job to take on the unpredictable exhilaration of freelancing. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode131

29 Mar 10:12

132: Specialize, Simplify, Profit | Kurt Elster

Kurt Elster appeared on the show two years ago when it was just getting started. In Episode 8, Kurt shared how he was building a business as an e-commerce developer on Shopify. Now, two years later, Kurt is known as the “Shopify guy”. He’s tapped into a niche and content marketing in such a way that his business has vaulted to the next level, and Kurt has since worked with big-name clients like Penn & Teller and Jay Leno. As is so often true, success and profit come from simplifying down and doing a few things really well, rather than trying to do everything for everyone. On today’s episode, Kurt is going to update us on how you can specialize in a niche to find the right kind of clients that will help you build your brand and your business. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode132  

29 Mar 10:12

133: Find Clients With Facebook Ad Funnels | Kurt Bullock

One of the best ways to find out if a freelancer is going to be successful is to see if they have implemented a repeatable system for finding clients, so they can always bring more business through the door as they need it. In this episode, Kurt Bullock discusses how to develop the skills to create perfect marketing funnels and how you can make Facebook’s algorithms work for you.  Kurt Bullock is the founder of The Produce Department where he helps Shopify store owners develop their technical marketing and sales skills. He used to be a record producer for MTV, so how did he get involved with Shopify? Freelance careers can take you on all sorts of professional adventures, but Kurt found his niche in marketing. Tune in now and learn how you can build your own customer funnels and transform your freelance career for good! https://freelancetransformation.com/episode133    

29 Mar 10:12

134: Hire Remote Workers Effectively | Nathan Hirsch

If you’re a solo freelancer or consultant there’s a good chance that at some point you’ve at least considered hiring someone. Perhaps a contractor that you can delegate some pieces of the client work to, or a virtual assistant to help you with administration, bookkeeping, project management or any number of seemingly endless tasks involved in being your own boss. Nathan Hirsch, is the founder of FreeeUp, a marketplace that specializes in pairing up freelance business owners with their ideal remote worker from anywhere around the world. He created a four-step vetting process based on his own hiring strategies in order to help other freelance entrepreneurs build and manage their own remote team. Whether you’ve just decided to scale your business or you’ve been working with a remote team for years, Nathan has advice for every stage of your business – starting with how to hire. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode134

29 Mar 10:12

135: The Real Experience of Freelancing | Sian Richardson

Find out what it's really like to start a freelance business and what goes into making that freelance lifestyle truly successful. All the way from Australia, our guest Sian Richardson speaks of going through the ups and downs of freelancing and loving every second of it. Sian Richardson is a graphic designer who left her professional career to pursue something more creative. Her freelance business has evolved from client work to digital publications. On this episode, Sian talks about what she learned from the pitfalls and what she’s proud of today. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode135

29 Mar 10:12

136: Brand Yourself | Sarah Hart

Freelancers know how important it is to stand out from the crowd. If you can brand yourself successfully, you’re guaranteed to outshine the other dime-a-dozen freelancers. You can start attracting the kind of clients you really want to work with. But how do you brand yourself? Where does one even start on that journey? Today’s episode features Sarah Hart, an epic web designer who teaches her clients how to develop their own personal brand and use it to build their business. Freelancers succeed when they can successfully brand themselves and their talents. Sarah discusses with us how using your personality can outclass the competition. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode136

29 Mar 10:12

137: The Most Unusual Consultancy | Steve Sims

It’s not impossible to work with your dream clients, even if that client list seems impossible to obtain. Steve Sims, a consultant and concierge to the daydreams of his clients, works with the kind of people who want to get married at the Vatican or spend 10 days in the International Space Station. Steve built his network of clients by working with the type of people he really wanted to work with, and by being honest and transparent with what he calls 'old school values.' So, if you’re trying to find out how you can work with the types of clients that you daydream about, tune in now. Steve is sharing his secrets for winning over your favorite clients and building the kind of business you wish to have. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode137

29 Mar 10:12

138: Find Clients in a New Niche | Jonathan Stark

Today’s episode is about finding and connecting with your perfect niche. Jonathan Stark is on the show for the second time to talk about what it’s like to find the right niche and reframe your brand around your new clients. Jonathan is a mobile consultant, advisor, and coach who recently shifted his position. He still helps clients increase their mobile engagement, but he focuses specifically on credit unions. Before, he was working with businesses all across the board. He had so many different clients in his rolodex that he was getting lost in the crowd. The leads stopped coming in because there was nothing that made him stand out.  Today's episode is brought to you by Harpoon. Harpoon is the all-in-one financial management solution built specifically for freelancers like yourself. Harpoon is the first online invoicing and time tracking tool, at least that we've seen, that helps you actively predict if your freelance finances are on track to meet your goals, instead of just reporting them in hindsight. Try now! Risk-free for 14 days. And then, if you love it you can use the coupon code transformation to receive 20% off the first 3 months of your subscription!  Learn more here: https://harpoonapp.com/ft https://freelancetransformation.com/episode138

29 Mar 10:12

139: Build a Company of One | Paul Jarvis

Growing your business isn’t always a good thing. Not if it’s the wrong kind of growth. Paul Jarvis talks about why he’s never grown his business in the way you’d expect that he would. His new book, "Company of One," breaks down the how and why it can actually be beneficial to run your business as lean as possible. Paul questions the stereotypical views of business growth and challenges freelancers to think outside of the box. Working for yourself really does mean you’re responsible for everything, but you can divvy that responsibility up however you want. Paul’s trick to working for himself is always doing the things he loves while avoiding the tasks he doesn’t.  https://freelancetransformation.com/episode139 Today's episode is brought to you by Harpoon! Harpoon is the all-in-one financial management solution built specifically for freelancers like yourself. Harpoon is the first online invoicing and time tracking tool, at least that we've seen, that helps you actively predict if your freelance finances are on track to meet your goals, instead of just reporting them in hindsight. Try Harpoon completely risk-free for 14 days. And if you love it use the coupon code TRANSFORMATION to receive 20% off the first 3 months of your subscription!

29 Mar 10:12

140: Win Clients w/ Cold-Calling | Olivier Lambert

If you’ve never considered cold-calling as a way to grow your freelance business, Olivier Lambert is going to open your mind to this approach. Olivier, of TactikMedia, worked hard to perfect his cold outreach tactics and now his cold calls account for nearly 40% of his client base. Olivier has since expanded his business to become a consultant for freelancers just like you. He creates resources and tactics for up-and-coming entrepreneurs who want to use cold outreach as part of their marketing plan. He’s here today to share some of these tactics and get you connected with the right outreach tools to build your dream client base. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode140 Today's episode is brought to you by Harpoon! Harpoon is the all-in-one financial management solution built specifically for freelancers like yourself. Harpoon is the first online invoicing and time tracking tool, at least that we've seen, that helps you actively predict if your freelance finances are on track to meet your goals, instead of just reporting them in hindsight. Try Harpoon completely risk-free for 14 days. And if you love it use the coupon code TRANSFORMATION to receive 20% off the first 3 months of your subscription!

29 Mar 10:12

141: Become Known In Your Niche | Mike Julian

You won’t become a recognizable name in your niche market overnight, but you can get a head start with these tips from Mike Julian of Aster Labs. His unique perspective on outreach and the way he uses social media can really put you at the forefront of your field and connect you with the right clients. Learn how to approach your niche the right way so you can start earning the income you need to make freelancing your full-time job. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode141 Today's episode is brought to you by Harpoon! Harpoon is the all-in-one financial management solution built specifically for freelancers like yourself. Harpoon is the first online invoicing and time tracking tool, at least that we've seen, that helps you actively predict if your freelance finances are on track to meet your goals, instead of just reporting them in hindsight. Try Harpoon completely risk-free for 14 days. And if you love it use the coupon code TRANSFORMATION to receive 20% off the first 3 months of your subscription.

29 Mar 10:12

142: How Introverts Can Win Clients | Luis Vazquez

Even if you’re an introvert, you can still be a successful freelancer. Being an introvert doesn’t put you at a disadvantage. It probably means you’re better at reading people and understanding their problems, which makes you an excellent freelancer. Luis Vazquez, founder of The Mighty Introvert, talks about how you can hone these skills and succeed as an introvert. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode142 Today's episode is brought to you by Harpoon! Harpoon is the all-in-one financial management solution built specifically for freelancers like yourself. Harpoon is the first online invoicing and time tracking tool, at least that we've seen, that helps you actively predict if your freelance finances are on track to meet your goals, instead of just reporting them in hindsight. Try Harpoon completely risk-free for 14 days. And if you love it use the coupon code TRANSFORMATION to receive 20% off the first 3 months of your subscription.

29 Mar 10:12

143: Master the Freelancing Journey | Jesse Gernigin

No matter what career path you choose as a freelancer, every freelancer must experience the journey. You can’t just magically skip to the front of the line and land on immediate success. If you want A-list clients, there are some skills you need to learn and experiences you need to put under your belt first. Jesse Gernigin of Live Gold Rich talks about some of those learning experiences. Jesse gave up an entertainment career as a magician to become a professional freelance consultant. But his experiences on the road and in front of crowds didn’t make his freelance transition any easier or faster. He still had to go through the process step-by-step, and the experiences he shares are going to give you a practiced perspective on your own freelance career and choices. www.freelancetransformation.com/episode143

29 Mar 10:12

144: Win Clients w/ LinkedIn | Jake Jorgovan

If you’ve never considered 'LinkedIn Prospecting' as a way to find clients, it's something that you may want to investigate as a freelancer. Jake Jorgovan is the founder of Lead Cookie - LinkedIn Lead Generation & Prospecting, but he’s been using LinkedIn as a way to connect with clients long before he started teaching other freelancers about it. LinkedIn is the only social network that acts as a comprehensive database of professionals and companies that could be in need of your special area of expertise. It is possible that if you connected with these professionals, you could easily find the ideal clients you would want to work with. The strategies Jake shares today won’t take you longer than two hours per day and could generate up to twenty leads per month. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode144

29 Mar 10:12

145: Target Clients w/ LinkedIn Ads | AJ Wilcox

Given the wealth of professional information that LinkedIn has about its users, including job titles, companies they work for, skills, industries, etc. It’s a natural fit when you are trying to market to companies, especially when selling higher priced services, and especially if you follow the best practices to build a successful LinkedIn ad campaign. AJ’s Wilcox of B2Linked specializes exclusively in helping B2B businesses to find customers with LinkedIn ads. That being said, AJ’s business is one of a kind in its focus toward creating ad campaigns with LinkedIn. His strategy will help you use LinkedIn in a new way and encourage you to niche down your freelancing business and teach you how to get in touch with more people who absolutely need your services. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode145

29 Mar 10:12

146: Fund a Product w/ Consulting | Austin Felton

Austin Felton is a unique freelancer who used his consulting business to fund his product business. He’s the creator of Entrecloud, a WordPress hosting software, and this product was inspired by his first consulting clients. While consulting influential entrepreneurs, Austin had the opportunity to ask clients directly what they were looking for and he tapped into a niche market that he could deliver to. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode146

29 Mar 10:12

147: The Worst-Case Actually Happened | Jason Swett

2018 is right around the corner! Are there any big life changes coming your way? Could this be the year when you actually quit (or lose) your job and start your own freelancing business? Jason Swett, a programmer and app developer, survived the worst-case scenario during his very first year as a freelancer. He has some entertaining stories, followed by some great advice on how you might be able to survive your own “firsts” as a full-time freelancer. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode147

29 Mar 10:12

148: 5 Ways to Boost Income in 2018 | Matt Inglot

Happy New Year! Welcome to a special New Year's episode where we will discuss 5 things that you can do to boost your freelancing income in 2018. The suggested five changes were inspired by past interviews conducted on this podcast, as well as a few of Matt's own mistakes and triumphs. These are things that have consistently been seen to create a significant impact on the businesses of the guests on this podcast, the students of Freelance Start and, of course, of Matt himself. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode148

29 Mar 10:12

149: Reach Your Financial Goals | Andy Johnson

If you’re trying to figure out your financial goals for 2018, remember that you are a freelancer. You’re not an employee. You are the boss of your own business, and that comes with its own unique challenges and financial burdens. Andy is a UI/UX design director and the creator of Harpoon, a finance management app for freelancers. He’s tested out his own financial theories, and he’s here today to talk about goal-based financial planning, and how this strategy can help you meet your financial goals this year. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode149

29 Mar 10:12

150: Master Your Finances | Jessica Moorhouse

Every freelancer needs a personal finance strategy in order to protect their income and their future investments, including retirement. But where do you start your financial planning when you’re just starting your freelance career? Jessica Moorhouse discusses a three-step framework that will help you get your finances in order. Jessica is a millennial money expert. She is a personal finance blogger and podcast host who teaches millennials and freelancers alike how to manage their finances. On this episode, she breaks down the common misconceptions about finance and talks about what it really means to manage your freelance income. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode150

29 Mar 10:12

151: The 'Grow Fast' Agency Formula | Jeff Sauer

Back in 2005, Jeff Sauer was teaching himself SEO when most businesses didn't even know what the heck that was. He realized he could combine this niche work with his computer science degree, and he turned his side hustle into a full-time career in only one year’s time. Today, Jeff is a digital marketer who teaches his secrets to university students and consults freelancers online. He has learned how to grow and scale a freelance business because he just so happened to stumble upon the magic formula using his own business model. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode151

29 Mar 10:11

152: Free Yourself From Chaos | Susan Fennema

We can’t all be organized all of the time. Sometimes our businesses get away from us, and we are consumed by all the little things we need to do to keep our business running. But you don’t have to let your freelance career consume you or your free time. If you’re struggling to find that work-life balance, this episode of The Freelance Transformation Podcast is for you. Susan Fennema is a project managing genius. She is the CEO of Beyond the Chaos, and she helps freelancers reclaim their lives. She has tips and tricks to help you keep track of all the little details, and we discuss the strategies she uses to help freelancers put systems in place to run a better business. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode152

29 Mar 10:11

153: Hire Your First Assistant | Gina Horkey

Are you thinking about hiring a virtual assistant but you're not sure where to start, or when might be a good time to do so? Fortunately for the modern-day freelancer and business owner, the advancements in technology and the internet have made it possible for businesses to flourish in the online environment. This means that you are now able to choose from a gigantic pool of candidates to help you with your business. Part-time, full-time, flex time? No problem. Hiring a virtual assistant gives you the opportunity to do the things that you do best in your business. You are able to outsource the tasks that are a time-suck and the things that often fall to the bottom of your to-do list.  On this episode, we are lucky to have Gina Horkey, Founder of Horkey HandBook, back on the show. On episode 45, Gina spoke about how you could hire and work with a virtual assistant, and she is back with more awesome advice and to help you take that first step to hiring your first assistant. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode153

29 Mar 10:11

154: Advantages of Productized Consulting | Jane Portman

Jane Portman, founder of UI Breakfast, is an amazing UI/UX consultant who loves helping entrepreneurs perfect their SaaS systems online and on mobile. She’s also an ace at productizing her skills. Productized consulting is a way to simplify your services and your rates in order to better serve your clients by offering them in neat, pre-priced packages. Jane is on this episode of the Freelance Transformation podcast all the way from Russia! To discuss how productizing her own skillset helped her build her business and reach out to the kinds of clients she truly loves working with. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode154

29 Mar 10:11

155: Go Freelance Faster w/ Agency Work | Seth Coelen

If you’re trying to find enough freelance work to finally quit your full-time job, tune in now for Seth Coelen’s first-hand experience. Seth is on the podcast today because he truly knows how to set freelancers up for success. His techniques for finding clients and determining rates will help you establish the strong starting point you need to jump successfully into a freelance career. Seth Coelen is a UI/UX designer who really loves his work. He had no problem working his corporate job all day and then coming home to pull in freelance projects on the side. But stretching yourself too thin is one of the fastest ways to burn yourself out. Seth and his wife knew that something had to give. So he gave up the corporate job to focus on his freelance pursuits. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode155

29 Mar 10:11

156: Solo Freelancing to Agency | Matt Kohn

Being a freelancer is often synonymous with being a "jack of all trades." You do everything in your business. You could be a web designer or writer, but you’re also a manager, a bookkeeper, and a marketer. Matt Kohn of Different Hunger Media shares his story of building his solo-freelance business into an agency. And how it's allowed him to focus on the development and future planning of his business. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode156

29 Mar 10:11

157: Story Selling to Clients | Crystal Smith

Crystal Smith is the mastermind behind Shine Consulting where she helps solo-preneurs tell their origin stories in order to sell themselves better. Crystal refers to this process as "story-selling." Story-selling is more than just talking about your experiences, it's about connecting your own personal story to your business.  Crystal shares her own origin story and offers some great advice on how to use this emotional marketing technique to build your personal brand! https://freelancetransformation.com/episode157

29 Mar 10:11

158: Websites in Highschool to 5 Figure Projects | Joe Kashurba

When it comes to freelancing, we all have to start somewhere. And the reality is that those beginnings are pretty humble. Your first client probably won’t be a giant account and you probably won’t be making hundreds of dollars per hour. In fact, the whole project might be $100. But how do you get from that point to better clients, higher paying, possibly building a team, and most importantly having a business that enables whatever lifestyle you’re looking for? Joe Kashurba went through this exact journey, and his started all the way back in high school and led to him ultimately winning $30,000 website projects and managing 6 figure advertising accounts. Joe will be sharing his journey in-depth, including the key realizations he made around his ideal clients, how he priced himself, what packaging his services did for him, and how he ultimately built a team. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode158

29 Mar 10:11

159: Starting an Agency | Duane Brown

Upgrading from freelancer to solo-preneur is the trajectory some of us take in our businesses, but taking that first step isn’t always easy. How do you know when you’re ready? Duane Brown, Founder of Take Some Risk - a digital marketing agency, discusses his transition from freelancing to starting his own agency. Duane shares some of the risks he took to make that first leap and why and how he's decided to build an agency. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode159

29 Mar 10:11

160: Elite Consultant Mindsets | Michael Zipursky

Michael Zipursky of Consulting Success has spent nearly two decades building consulting agencies. Over the last ten years, he’s dedicated his time to helping other consultants & freelancers alike to build better businesses. His experience has taught him that having the right mindset is what sets truly successful freelancers apart. Michael believes that most freelancers are held back because their mind isn’t in the right place. We all know the steps toward success, we can even have the tools to achieve them, but if you’re in the wrong mindset, you’re never going to unlock your true potential. Your mindset will get you in front of the high-quality clients you’re looking for, and help you achieve that freedom and flexibility you want from your career.  https://freelancetransformation.com/episode160

29 Mar 10:11

161: Focus on a Vertical to Win Clients | Brian Downard

Brian Downard wasn’t always serving one kind of client. He started in app development, but he found his calling in lead generation for home and garden businesses. Serving one vertical like this is even more specific than finding a niche. Brian talks about what inspired him to focus on this particular vertical and the mistakes and the successes that he's made that ultimately shaped his business and his brand. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode161

29 Mar 10:11

162: Freelance with a Purpose | Kevin Monroe

Being a freelancer can be harder than you think it is. We still dread going to work sometimes, even when we work from home. And there’s still that looming threat of “is this all there is?” If you’re looking for something more in your business, then today’s episode is for you. On this episode, Kevin Monroe talks about how we can all find a purpose for our freelance business. Kevin Monroe is a leadership consultant and executive coach who helps high achievers find and connect with their purpose in life. Finding a purpose goes beyond just making money for yourself, and it goes well beyond success too. It’s time to stop going through the motions and start working with some intention. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode162

29 Mar 10:11

163: Consult for Corporate Clients | Henrik Becker

On this episode of the Freelance Transformation Podcast, we get to talk about what it’s like to sell to and work with corporate clients. And when we say corporate clients, that typically means companies that are bigger than what we’d normally consider a small business. They have proper departments, multiple shareholders, and tens, hundreds or thousands of employees. Companies where you’re dealing with multiple stakeholders involved in decisions. And of course, usually bigger budgets. To speak to this topic is Henrik Becker. Henrik is a marketing automation consultant that very quickly realized that corporate clients are a much better fit for his services than smaller businesses, so he has focused on serving them. On this episode, we will discuss how he found his corporate clients, the reasons why he focuses on this group and some of the strategies around how to successfully work on contracts in the corporate environment. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode163

29 Mar 10:11

164: Scale Up w/o Burning Out | Breanne Dyck

Sometimes we underestimate how hard it really is to scale a business. Many of us fail to take a closer look at our business model before we get started and then we are overwhelmed when everything starts to take off all at once. So, is it possible to scale your business with your sanity intact? Breanne Dyck, Founder of MNIB Consulting Inc., is here on Episode 164 to reveal a few tips which could help you to scale your business without losing any (or all) of your sanity. Breanne generously shares what this framework looks like and how she helps freelancers and businesses to "scale up without burning out." She shows us how these methods are both sustainable and realistic. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode164  

29 Mar 10:11

165: Backdoors to Find Clients | James Johnson

There is more than one way to find clients. Set your pitches aside for a moment and tune in to today’s episode. James Johnson is on the show today to talk about the ways you can think outside of the box and snag the kind of clients you really want to work with. James Johnson is a freelance writer and founder of the Freelance Writers School. His grassroots approach to finding clients is a complete game changer. James teaches his unconventional methods to other freelancers in order to help them build relationships and find their ideal clients, and he’s sharing his techniques on The Freelance Transformation right now! https://freelancetransformation.com/episode165

29 Mar 10:11

166: Content Marketing Right | Devesh Khanal

If you think you can’t use content marketing to connect with your ideal clients - think again!  Content marketing is effective no matter what niche or skill you’re selling. If you’re having trouble making it work for you, then you might be doing it wrong. According to my guest today, a lot of us are doing content marketing wrong. Devesh Khanal is a content marketing guru who used to be just like us. He never thought content marketing would work for him until a fateful meeting with his future business partner, Benji Hyam. Together, the two of them started their own content marketing agency, and they help big businesses and freelancers alike manage their content marketing campaigns. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode166

29 Mar 10:11

167: Help Clients in a Cool Niche | Sophie Bujold

In order to be a successful freelancer, you have to create that human experience. Connecting with clients online can make that kind of experience really difficult, but it’s not impossible. Our guest today specializes in building connections with clients by creating online communities. Sophie Bujold is the creator of Cliqueworthy, an agency that connects clients with their ideal online communities. Sometimes her clients are starting from scratch, but most of the time these clients already have a community; they just don’t know what to do with it. You can use your online community to carry your message and build your brand. Sophie shares some tips on this episode to help us find clients and build relationships online that are both sincere and successful! https://freelancetransformation.com/episode167

29 Mar 10:11

168: Book $156K in Client Work from Upwork | Tom Casano

Job sites like Upwork aren’t just oversaturated watering holes for freelancers. There are ways to find real, high-paying clients on these sites. Don’t believe me? Well, our guest today is here to prove this point exactly. Tom Casano is an SEO consultant and founder of the Sure Oak consulting firm. He ramped up his business over the past 16 months by optimizing his availability on Upwork.com. On this episode, Tom discusses what cues you can look for when filtering through clients, and his proposal strategy might just change the way you look at job board sites. They are an amazing client source if you can tap into them. Tom’s refreshing perspective could inspire you to take a chance and create a profile today! https://freelancetransformation.com/episode168

29 Mar 10:11

169: Breaking Out of Banking to Become a Coach | Merideth Bisiker

Working for yourself isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. Our guest today left her career of over twenty years to start her own business. It was always something Merideth Bisiker wanted to do, and being there for her family finally inspired her to do it. Less than a year ago, Merideth left her full-time job to become Merideth the Money Coach. She helps clients with money management techniques and helps them recover from financial crisis. She’s on Freelance Transformation today to talk about the work-life balance that is sometimes hard to manage when working for yourself. And she shares how you can pull off the transition from full-time to self-employment and how she balances her career in order to be there for her family. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode169

29 Mar 10:11

170: VA to Agency Owner in 3.5 Years | Emily Hirsh

If you make the right moves, you can build an agency in just three years. Think it’s impossible? Think again! We have Emily Hirsh on the show today just to prove that it is entirely possible to build your brand and your business in only three years. Three years ago, Emily started as a virtual assistant. At first, she managed social media for her clients. Running successful Facebook campaigns turned into Emily’s niche, and she decided to break out on her own. She now runs her own digital marketing agency with 18 employees, and it’s steadily growing. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode170  

29 Mar 10:11

171: Be Clear on Who You Target | Lianna Patch

Start imagining your ideal client. Get as specific as you can. Pick out the things you love most about your freelance career… Today’s guest was able to narrow down her niche by focusing on the thing she loves most – humor. Lianna Patch is a conversion copywriter and conference speaker who uses her amazing sense of humor to create interactive content for her clients. She’s injecting personality into her business and working with clients she genuinely likes. Her advice today will loosen you up and help you build the client list you actually want to work with. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode171

29 Mar 10:11

172: What Is Your Contract Missing | Abbey Woodcock

Breaking out of the corporate world could be one of the best career decisions you ever make. Once you make that freelance transformation, you can start making your own schedule and picking your own clients. But what happens when you need to write a contract? Or when tax season rolls around? Abbey Woodcock is a copywriter and freelancer coach who has learned first-hand from her own business mistakes. In the beginning, Abbey focused more on her craft than her business, and it ended up costing her thousands of dollars. Abbey shares why project management, legal protection, and financial planning should be some of the most important aspects of running your own freelance business. So if you’re having a hard time navigating the professional morass of running your own freelance business, then this episode is for you! https://freelancetransformation.com/episode172

29 Mar 10:11

173: Build Relationships & Win Clients | Kirk Williams

Our guest today will be the first to tell you that you don’t need to use a super expensive sales funnel to attract clients to your business. Consistent action will win clients every time. Kirk Williams, owner of Zato Marketing, is a paid search marketer who started his career on Twitter. But his online presence on Twitter and through online forums helped him generate leads and a client pool he actually likes to work with. On this episode, Kirk is breaking down his client acquisition strategy. His approach might surprise you. He wasn’t always at the top of his game. He shares what it was like to learn how to run a business from scratch, and the mistakes he made will change the way you look at running a business. At best, it might even inspire you to change the way you approach social media marketing. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode173

29 Mar 10:11

174: What Companies Look For | Nathan Allotey

Imagine sitting in front of a corporate board and pitching your skills for a project. Do you even know where to start? Luckily we have Nathan Allotey on this episode to speak to attracting and winning corporate clients. Nathan never calls himself just a freelancer. He is a web designer and digital marketing strategist. And his portfolio consists of corporate clients. He uses his presence online to help other freelancers win corporate clients through learning from his mistakes. Nathan is here today to give us a little insight into what criteria corporate clients are looking for. His inside information and experience are invaluable. If you’re thinking about bringing your freelance career into the corporate world, tune in now! https://freelancetransformation.com/episode174

29 Mar 10:11

175: 6 Figures Through Relationships & Hard Work | RJ McCollam

Before becoming a freelancer, RJ McCollam was fired from his job, evicted from his apartment, and even had his car repossessed. It took losing everything to inspire his motivation. Now, ten years later, he’s a successful web developer who’s guest spotting podcasts to share his experience with the rest of us. RJ is talking today about building a freelance career from the bottom up. He taught himself how to build websites and used his skills to find a full-time job. That full-time career eventually led to his freelance transformation, and he’s sharing all the steps (and mistakes) he made along the way. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode175

29 Mar 10:11

176: Keep Yourself, Your Clients & Team Accountable | Edmund Zaloga

We always talk about getting clients on this show, but the real work doesn’t actually start until you’ve signed them on. What do you do when you finally start that client project? How do you manage your time with all these deadlines? It’s no easy task managing all of the moving pieces. Whether you work alone or with a team, project management is crucial to your success as a freelancer. If you want to work with clients effectively, then it’s best to recognize project management as a collaborative process.  Edmund Zaloga, founder of Responsify, knows about what can go wrong – and what can go right – when it comes to project management. Edmund shares with us on this episode how he learned to manage his projects and the technology that can make it all a little easier! https://freelancetransformation.com/episode176

29 Mar 10:11

177: Minimalist Marketing | Kyla Roma

It’s time to stop overcomplicating lead generation. Your marketing strategy does not have to give you a migraine. There are ways to keep marketing simple, and we've got marketing guru Kyla Roma on the podcast today to show you how to do just that. Kyla is a marketing and profit consultant who uses her minimalist marketing strategies to build an audience and attract clients. It’s all about playing to your strengths and finding a marketing strategy that works best for you and your ideal audience. We talk today about how you can harness your strengths and apply your unique skill set to a winning marketing campaign. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode177

29 Mar 10:10

178: Build an Agency Your Way | Mike Arnesen

The agency space may have a reputation for cultivating a negative atmosphere, but building an agency doesn’t have to be all bad. You just have to build your agency with intention, and that’s exactly what our guest on this episode is doing. Mike Arnesen is a freelance analyst and SEO fanatic who just so happened to build his own agency called UpBuild. After a few bad experiences, he decided to take what he learned and apply it to a better business model. Now, he puts the mental well-being of himself and his staff before anything else. Mike shares how he learned from his mistakes and overcame the all-too-common tragic sins of professional agencies. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode178

29 Mar 10:10

179: Find Clients by Connecting the Dots | Josiah Mory

This episode is all about the most powerful ways you can go from employee to freelancer. Even if you don’t have any clients lined up. You can still make the freelance transformation with confidence as long as you’re willing to put in the effort. Our guest today actually used my Freelance Start course in order to transform himself into a full-time freelancer. Josiah Mory helps store owners on Shopify improve their customer experience with customer research. But he wasn’t always a consultant. Josiah put in the work, made a few mistakes along the way, and now he’s sharing with us today every twist and turn he took on his path to becoming a freelancer! https://freelancetransformation.com/episode179

29 Mar 10:10

180: What Have I Done???

Two very important announcements. Brace yourselves, because it’s going to be bittersweet. https://freelancetransformation.com/episode180

29 Mar 10:10