When is time to cut the cord and start your own business?
Setting out on a career as an independent freelancer or entrepreneur is exciting, but also TERRIFYING. How do you know when it's the right time to take the plunge? John Nastor runs the podcast Hack...
View ArticleWhy creatives are great at sales (even though they think they're not)
Sales are a fact of freelancing. We know, it's a bummer. The freedom you get from freelancing comes with the price of reaching out and trying to sell yourself and your services — but that doesn't...
View ArticleRise of the Slash Worker: Data and Insights from Freelancers
Bryce reflects on data from the gig economy, sharing insights into how freelancers are succeeding (and what issues they're struggling to overcome). Here are the links he talks about during this...
View ArticleWhat's your favourite position?
How you position yourself is crucial to your career. Philip Morgan joins Bryce to discuss how freelancers – particular freelance developers – can find success by specializing. Links from today's...
View Article10 Rules for Success as a Creative Professional
If 'creativity' is a factor in your work, these ten rules will help you find success in your career. When we say success, we don't exclusively mean more clients, more work, or more freedom. We mean...
View ArticleStop calling yourself a freelancer
Who do you think you are? Everyone who works for themselves has wrestled some point over what title to use. Many start by using the title "freelance _______"—designer, writer, software developer, or...
View ArticleMind the pay gap — sexism and self-employment
A recent survey of freelance workers done by AND CO showed that the pay gap exists even for the self-employed. On average, self-employed women make less than self-employed men. That's troubling...
View ArticleWho the hell do you think you are?
And maybe more importantly, who do your clients think you are? Here's the thing. When we talk about "personal brand" (gross), a lot of us forget that we're talking about who you are, and how...
View ArticleFreelancing isn't about finding jobs – it's about creating them
Do you know what it takes to get a good job? Most people look for jobs by shouting into the online abyss – but there's a better way. Freelancers are especially empowered to not only find work but to...
View ArticleBuilding a network of human connections
Learn how to build a network and effectively market yourself – from someone who hates networking and marketing. In this episode, Bryce discusses: - The dumb, terrible, not-so-good way people and...
View ArticleStanford Wants to Crowdsource the Future of Freelancing
The majority of the 10 million jobs created since 2005 have been freelance, temporary, or on-call opportunities. This is the gig economy – and a team at Stanford are developing a platform to source...
View ArticleWhat to Do When Your Client Won't Deliver What They Promised
Getting your client to live up to their side of your business relationship can be difficult and it's almost always necessary. But how do you do it? Whether it's the client delivering promised files,...
View ArticleHow to Provide an Agency Experience as a Freelancer
Convincing a client you can deliver an agency as a sole proprietor is difficult but incredibly valuable. Laura Elizabeth of Client-Portal.io discusses how she does it, and the tools and techniques...
View ArticleSide Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days
There are a lot of freelancing, entrepreneur, and side-hustle expert out there, but few have earned their authority quite like Chris Guillebeau. He joins Bryce to discuss why there's no...
View ArticleWhen to commit: from freelancer to full-time
Things are changing at Clients From Hell! Long time Editor in Chief and all-round superhero Bryce Bladon is moving on to new adventures and leaving us behind. But that's okay, because Bryce is chatting...
View ArticleIs Clients From Hell bad for you? The answer may surprise you!
Wordpress developer, educator, host of How I Built It, and all around sweetheart joins Kyle on today's episode to talk about why he called out Clients From Hell, and how you should approach client...
View ArticleCreative outsource management, mixed martial arts,* and you! Jon Jones part 1/2
This week's guest is Jon Jones, the freelance creative outsourcing manager for the games industry who is frequently mistaken for the other, more violent Jon Jones! He's basically a bundle of mirth and...
View ArticleLong tail digital sales, Evangelical Hell, and you! Jon Jones part 2/2
Jon Jones is back! This week he shares his tips for building an income from digital products, and also shares his freelance origin story. HINT: it involves the bible. Today's links:...
View ArticleUse metrics, design better, get paid more: Nick Disabato!
Frequent guest Nick Disabato returns to the Clients From Hell Podcast! He's here to tell you why you should build value-based design into your design process, and share some tips about how to use...
View ArticleFreelancing, isolation and you: Ami Sanyal and breaking the silo
Ami Sanyal is something of an inspiration to me. He's a successful consultant at a relatively young age, an anchor of the creative community, and someone whose basic goodness is clear just minutes...
View ArticlePutting the "creative" back into "creative work: Kristen Dullum and Alain...
Creative freelancers pursue these careers because, well, they're creative. But once you start doing creative work it can be hard to pursue your own interests and still get paid. Kristen Dullum and...
View ArticleHow to future proof your career: Olga Mizrahi and the gig economy!
Today's guest Olga Mizrahi is a designer, a career keynote speaker, and recently, an expert and published author on the gig economy! The gig economy is absolutely the future, and while it represents...
View ArticleSurviving self employment: Jeanne Yocum!
Working for yourself presents a number of rewards but it also presents hurdles. Jeanne Yocum's new book, The Self Employment Survival Guide draws on her thirty years of experience working for herself...
View ArticleHow to grow a business: from farm to freelance with Sarah Taber
Plants are easy to take care of. If you feed them the right things and give them the right amount of water, they absolutely will grow and thrive. People, and by extension businesses, can be more...
View ArticleDo what you love, get paid; passion, exploitation, and Heidi Weinberg
Heidi Weinberg, AKA Sew Heidi, loves what she does. She's built a career as a freelance fashion designer, imagining and then making clothes that people LOVE to wear. However, she is also aware that...
View ArticleUnited we stand: Caitlin Pearce and the Freelancer's Union
The Freelancer's Union is a non-profit that is dedicated to advocating for freelancers and solopreneurs everywhere, and Caitlin Pearce is its new executive director. She joins Kyle on todays episode...
View ArticleMatt Inglot on how to grow your business with RECURRING clients
Matt Inglot's Tilted Pixel is a thriving web design business that Matt runs all by himself. That wasn't always the case - he used to run a small agency that took WAY too much of his time until he...
View ArticleBiography of a business: Ami Sanyal and the stages of success
Whew! It's been a bit. We're back with the return of Ami Sanyal, a freelance photographer who recently upgraded his business to a full marketing and branding agency. This week, Kyle chats with Ami...
View ArticleThe birth of a font: Alanna Munro and Tofino Pro
As a freelancer, life comes at you fast; that's why it's a good idea to create a product to generate a passive income stream for those little unexpected changes. Kyle talks with designer Alanna Munro...
View ArticleClients From Hell: Origins
Today's episode is with none other than Vernon Southward, the owner and operator of (gasp!) Clients From Hell itself! Kyle tries not to offend his boss as they chat about Vernon's beginnings as a...
View ArticleMake the most of your day at work and play: Josh Hoffman and time management!
It's 2019 and that means you've at least thought about having a New Year's resolution! How does working more efficiently and freeing up two of your hours a day strike you? Josh Hoffman is a...
View ArticleWhy there are NO clients from Hell: Rachel Gertz and managing people!
At her company Louder Than Ten, Rachel Gertz teaches people how to manage projects; that means getting people on board, on task, and on message in a hurry. She firmly believes that there is no such...
View ArticleWant to succeed? Look in the mirror: Stephen Warley and life skills as...
Stephen Warley of Life Skills That Matter believes that the key to being happy and successful is knowing yourself. Unfortunately, self-reflection is typically the LAST thing on most of our to-do...
View ArticleDon't be Just Another Freelancer. Instead, listen to Kaylee White!
If you want to succeed as a freelancer, you can't compete for scraps. That's the message that Kaylee White of Kaylee Writes puts forth in her new book, How Not to Be Just Another Freelancer, but how do...
View ArticleBreak the Creative's Curse with Todd Brison!
What's keeping YOU from being creative? Discipline? Scheduling? Good old fashioned "writer's block"? Todd Brison has made a name for himself by tackling these problems head-on and discovering how to...
View ArticleDare to DREAM: Ami Sanyal and how to pitch value-based pricing.
Value-based pricing is the holy grail of freelancing. It's how you make a lot of money by showing your clients that you can give them results. It's also not easy to make the switch to this pricing...
View ArticleHow to find your "Helen": Alison Knott and recognizing your ideal client
The key to success in freelancing is realizing how to find the right clients - the people who are not only great to work with, but actually have money to pay you. Alison Knott is a web consultant...
View ArticleDon't sell service, sell STRATEGY: Annabelle King's tips for great pitching
When pitching your work, most creative freelancers sell their skills or their services. However, the key to landing big clients is to show that you're an indispensable part of their team by selling...
View Article"Borrow" authority: Michael Greenberg's guide to podcasting your way to SUCCESS
Content strategy is key for establishing your authority in the market. If your clients know you're the expert on what you do, they'll be happy to pay you to solve their problems. But how do you...
View ArticleTime management is EVERYTHING: Glenn Rogers on avoiding burnout
Are you constantly exhausted? Do you find yourself staring at the computer screen struggling to finish projects that should be easy? Burnout happens when you overcommit, and when you don't keep track...
View ArticleHow does he do it? Mike Tanner on productivity and being a work at home dad
Running your own business or freelancing means juggling everything in your life at all times. The hustle is hard, but it gets exponentially harder when you're a parent - especially when you work at...
View ArticleHow to be yourself, whatever: Rachel Presser on being "The Toad Lady"
We hear constantly that we should "be ourselves" and "be authentic." The only problem is when most people tell us that, they're telling us to be the person they think we are. But that's not what it...
View ArticleThree rules for creating a thriving business: Joe Casabona on success and...
What does it take to create a successful business? Are there any tricks? Are people with great products dark sorcerers, or did they just get lucky? For nearly three years now, Joe Casabona has talked...
View ArticleHow to grow a freelance community: Julie Cortés of the KC Freelance Exchange
Working freelance can be lonely. That was exactly what Julie Cortés found when she started her freelance copywriting business years ago - so she did something about it. She started what has become the...
View ArticleFreelance workers unite! The IWW Freelance Journalists' Union and the future...
Freelancers everywhere experience the same problems. Deadbeat clients who won't pay their wages. Economic precarity. The knowledge that if you get sick, you might not be able to work enough to pay your...
View ArticlePay it forward, give it back: Maddy Osman and altruism in freelancing
It's rough out there these days. Sometimes, you have to make your own good. That's what Maddy Osman was thinking when she created a scholarship for freelancers on her own dime. Not as a way to...
View ArticleClarity is key: Wes Jones and maintaining awesome client relations
Client relationships break down. It's a bummer, but it happens. But what causes it? Wes Jones has been a project manager both with agencies and as a freelancer to know that things deteriorate when...
View ArticleHow I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Money Conversation: Ilise Benun...
Don't you just hate talking about money with clients? Either you're quoting WAY too low, or you're putting out a number that makes you feel like an imposter. Either way, talking budget is a source of...
View ArticleOverwhelmed? Get over it with Emily Leach
It's the 21st Century. Chances are you're feeling overwhelmed right now. If you are, listen to this interview with The Freelance Conference's Emily Leach to find her effective strategies for managing...
View ArticleBusiness tips from a pro caricature artist: Julia Kelly
Balancing a passion for art and a talent for business isn't always the easiest, but it can be done. Just look at Julia Kelly, who turned a part-time job doing caricature art into a full-time business...
View Article
