Hi Reader,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'm still in shock that we're in 2025. Mentally, I'm still in 2022 or thereabouts. Hope you all managed to have a bit of a relax over the break and have had a good start to 2025.

But also, if you haven't, that's fine too (more on that later).

P.S. This week on Instagram, I shared how I handle flaky clients so I don't get burned. Read all about it here.

Here's what I've been up to this week work-wise:

👉 I wrote 2 pieces for clients (including Numeral and Circuit)

👉 I refreshed 4 pieces for Shopify

👉 I had an exciting call with a new consulting client

⏱ Approx hours spent on client work this week: ~20

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

💰 Total revenue this week: £4,050

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

Friday Freelance Tip​​ ✨ ​

Look, not every year is going to be your year.

I’ve been doing this for 11 years now and lemme tell you, I’ve had my fair share of dud years in the mix. In 2015, I was this close 🤏 to going back to a full-time job because all my work dried up when I took some time off when my grandma died.

In 2019, I found myself stuck in a rut.

I saw all these other freelancers earning six figures and doing amazing things, and I was still stuck earning £30k for the third year in a row. I couldn’t seem to get past what felt like an invisible brick wall.

We all know what happened in 2020.

I lost 95% of my contracts in March that year — all within the same week.

I was convinced I’d have to find a full-time job, but things picked back up again in June of that year.

I don’t think there’s been one single year that I’d call “my year”.

Even 2024, which ended on a high for me, began on a looooow. I lost a huge contract and had very little work in the first quarter. Again, I thought I’d have to consider a full-time job.

All this to say: a year is a long time. Lots can happen and it’s not always going to be good. If you only managed to scrape through, that’s absolutely fine.

Not every year needs to be “high growth” and “wins all round”.

It’s the reason I don’t share my “wins” each year. Because the wins are only a tiny snapshot of the bigger picture.

Running a business is HARD. And running a business ALONE is even harder. The wins are great, but they can often feel very few and far between. To write them out can be cathartic, but it can also feel disingenuous (well, it does for me at least) when there have also been massive lows peppered in between those wins.

I’m never one to sugarcoat freelancing. In fact, I’m very vocal about it not being for everyone. It’s not always easy and it’s not always fun.

But remember: it’s just a job. There’s so much more to you and your life than your work. So, if you feel like 2024 wasn’t your year, that’s ok. It doesn’t define you.

Here’s another thing: I never set goals for the year ahead.

Really, my only goal every year is to still be freelancing by the end of it. My goal is to not have to go back to full-time work. Everything else in between is trivial.

But I know that goals can be helpful for some of you. They can give you hope and direction, so if that’s you, go ahead and set some intentions. If you’d rather not, then don’t. Every freelance business is different and we all work in different ways (that’s the beauty of this, right?!). Do what works for you, not what everyone else is doing.

In fact, this is my advice for everyone.

If there’s one thing you take away from this pretty vague, non-practical first edition of Friday Freelance Tips in 2025, it’s this: you are on your own path. Comparing yourself to others will only get you down (trust me). Instead, look at how far you’ve come.

You’ve created a business from nothing.

You’re making money doing something you love.

That’s no small feat.

Congrats to you and LET’S DO THIS 2025.

We need more Freelance Money Diaries entries! Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has contributed so far, it's been a huge success. If you're on the fence, remember that you can share your story anonymously!

As always, happy freelancing :)

Lizzie ✨

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