Want a sneak peek into what it's really like being a freelancer? Spoiler: It's not all sunshine and rainbows. Every Friday, I share a tip I've learned from painful personal experience, plus everything I've been working on that week. Join me (and 4,000+ fellow freelancers!) on a behind-the-scenes adventure! 👇
Why I choose freelancing (especially during tough times)
|
Hi Reader, Happy Friday! Just a reminder, I'm launching a brand new version of Workflow Wizard NEXT MONTH 🎉 As well as pre-made templates and scripts for onboarding and creating excellent client relationships, this new version also includes a customisable Notion dashboard where you can manage your projects. Lemme tell you, this dashboard has been a GAMECHANGER for my business. I can now track my capacity, monitor where each piece is at in the cycle, and onboard clients all in one place. Anyway, if that sounds like something you need, make sure you're on the waitlist as you can get a cheeky (read: large) discount when it launches. P.S. This week on Instagram, I shared the one thing top-earning freelancers have in common. Find out what it is here. Here's what I've been up to this week work-wise: 👉 I wrote 1 piece for a WFM tool 👉 I refreshed 2 pieces for Shopify 👉 I wrote a case study for Klaviyo 👉 I drafted and edited some LinkedIn posts for a client 👉 I was a guest on a podcast 👉 I sent my January invoices ⏱ Approx hours spent on client work this week: ~15 ⏱ Approx hours spent on non-client work: ~2 💰 Total revenue this week: £3,505 Friday Freelance Tip ✨ Sometimes personal life takes over work life and vice versa. In my first year of freelancing, my grandma fell ill and I spent a lot of time visiting her in hospital and the nursing home up until she died. Six years into freelancing, a global pandemic took over. I was worried about loved ones and scared about what lockdowns, deadly viruses, and isolation would mean for the world. Seven years into freelancing, I went through a breakup, had to move back in with my parents, and find my feet again after living independently since the day after my 18th birthday. This year (yes, 2025—all 31 days of it) is already weighing heavy on my personal life. And, while everything outside of work feels so up in the air, work is a welcome consistent. It’s something I’m good at. It’s something that, ultimately, I have control over. Sure, it might be easier to clock into a 9-5, sit at my desk staring into space, and question my life for 8 hours before clocking out again. But when my personal life is bound by turmoil, I revel in running my business. In fact, looking back at those times I mentioned above, those were the years my business leaped forward. Those were the years I added new products to my library, landed huge clients, and doubled or even tripled my revenue. And that’s something I try to remind myself. Even when things feel so out of control, whether that’s an industry that’s up in flames, clients that seem to be dropping like flies, or a personal life that’s been shattered into a thousand tiny fragments, we still have the power to choose how we run our businesses. I can choose to take a morning off if my brain feels like mush after barely any sleep. I can choose to put myself out there and scout for more work when my calendar feels a bit sparse. I can choose to say yes or no to an incoming project that I’m on the fence about. I can pack my bags and work from Barcelona, or Bali, or Berlin. And that’s the beauty of freelancing. This year, in a bid to fall back in love with my work after a fairly turbulent two years, I’m reminding myself why I choose freelancing every day. Because ultimately it is a choice, right? And I’m well aware it’s not a choice for everyone. But in those moments when my life feels like a movie, when my family needs me, or simply when I’m Just Not Feeling It, I thank my lucky stars that freelancing gives me the flexibility to go with the flow. I’m not bound by a boss breathing down my neck. I’m not bound by the suffocating capitalist 9-5 narrative. I’m not bound to anything, really. Just the ability to keep trucking. To keep going one day at a time until things are brighter, better, and more bearable. We don’t talk about this enough as freelancers. We don’t talk about how we (and we alone) are the vessel that powers our business and our personal lives. We can’t have one without the other. So, if you’re feeling afloat in any part of your life, just know you’re not alone. Just know that we are all out here, flailing around in the dark, trying to figure it all out. I have nothing practical to share today, only this: when things feel tough, lean into what you’re good at and what you can control. That’s all we can do. This week, we have a B2B writer from New York sharing their numbers. Where are you based? New York. How long have you been freelancing? 6 years. What do you do? SaaS and tech writer. What was your revenue this year? $402,423 This writer freelances full-time as an LLC and this was their highest-earning year. How much did you take as a salary? About $250k. I paid out contractors about $35k and the rest was expenses and taxes. How much did you pay in taxes? I would say about 30% of my income goes to taxes. What are your business expenses? Around $2500 between tech stack, accounting, business insurance, and donations. I also bought a new Macbook, standing desk, and chair, and paid out for subcontractors. Do you contribute to a pension? Roth IRA and a couple of other investments, and I have high-yield savings with Amex Do you have any hot money-management tips? Don't panic. I know it's easier said than done but when you feel like you aren't making enough all of a sudden or lost a client, be sure to sit down and list out ALL your expenses and the money that comes out of your account each month, then compare it to what you're actually bringing in. You usually have more than you think and this will just be a little speed bump.
As always, happy freelancing :) Lizzie ✨ Interested in sponsoring Friday Freelance Tips? Get your brand, product, or service in front of 6,000+ freelancers, entrepreneurs, and founders. See sponsorship options here. Follow me on Instagram and on Linkedin, where you can see the behind-the-scenes of my business. |
Friday Freelance Tips ✨
Want a sneak peek into what it's really like being a freelancer? Spoiler: It's not all sunshine and rainbows. Every Friday, I share a tip I've learned from painful personal experience, plus everything I've been working on that week. Join me (and 4,000+ fellow freelancers!) on a behind-the-scenes adventure! 👇
Hi Reader, Happy Friday! One of the biggest lessons freelancing has taught me is this: you don’t need to have it all figured out to make progress. Some of the best decisions I’ve made in business started with “I’m not sure if this will work, but let’s give it a go.” It’s easy to get stuck thinking you need a perfect offer, a polished brand, or a rock-solid plan before you try something new. But often, clarity comes after action, not before. You learn by doing. You grow by experimenting. And...
Hi Reader, Happy Friday! If you're reading this with your first coffee of the day, your third, or maybe something stronger (no judgment here), I hope you're taking a moment to celebrate making it through another week of the freelance rollercoaster. Quick freelance wisdom before we dive in: Remember that your most valuable asset isn't your portfolio or your client list, it's your energy. Protect it fiercely. That means sometimes saying no to projects that drain you, even when the money's good....
Hi Reader, Happy Friday! This week I said no to a project that didn't feel like a good fit. I'd had an enquiry from a lead that had got in touch at the end of last year and were getting back into things. But instead of the original scope, they wanted something a bit different that's slightly out of my wheelhouse and not something I particularly enjoy. I hummed and hawed over it for a good 24 hours before deciding that, no, this is the year I stop taking on work that doesn't make me excited....