Being Freelance

Lisa Emmington is a freelance instructional designer (or as her newly SEO'd website puts it, a training course designer) based near Milton Keynes. 

She's been freelance almost her entire career, starting out as an IT trainer back when Apple Macs were a mystery box on people's desks, and has reinvented her business every time the market has shifted underneath her - from face to face training, to early e-learning software, to mentoring individual course creators today in the face of AI.

In this episode we talk about:

Zoe East has never had a proper job. A work experience placement at a big TV channel that felt old-fashioned and sexist put her off the traditional route before she'd even graduated, so she went freelance instead and never really looked back. That was over ten years ago.

She started with whatever work came along. The niche found her gradually: charities doing meaningful work, heritage and culture projects, things that will matter just as much when someone watches them in ten years' time.

This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers:

French creative Émilie Chen had what she calls her dream job: senior designer at The National Theatre in London, working on posters she'd dreamed about since university. Years later though, it had turned sour in the studio, her mental health took a hit, and she gave herself 8 months to start saving money and figure out her next Act. 

What got her there wasn't a clever strategy. It was people. Co-founding the London chapter of Ladies, Wine & Design gave her the confidence to start asking the freelancers she was meeting, how they'd done it. Someone she cold emailed, ha...

Adrian’s been a successful freelancer for 21 years. But in the past 7, his definition of framing success has changed.

For the last seven years, Adrian has also been an unpaid carer for three immediate family members. He talks honestly about what that's meant for his business - the travel he's had to give up, the networking events he can't get to, the inquiries he's had to turn away, and why he deliberately caps how much work he takes on (and how much money he can make).

But he also talks about the bigger picture. Seven ye...

Melissa  spent over a decade in PR & Comms. She was good at it but she was drawn to the ocean.

So she started pitching dive magazines on the side, moved to Mozambique to volunteer with a marine conservation charity, and when the pandemic sent her home, decided to go all-in as a freelancer rather than look for another job.

Still it was PR work she was picking up but frustrated by. 

“I just want to write about fish” she told her mastermind friends in the Being Freelance Community.

They encouraged her. And sh...

How does a creative side project turn into a decade long freelancing business working with the biggest names in pop culture, like Disney, Pixar, Marvel, DC Comics, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros and Sony Pictures?

All good super-heroes have an origin story. And this interview tells the series of events that took Doaly from working for a company in Birmingham, England, to the front page of comic covers seen all over the world. Signing at Comic-con events. It's quite the transformation.

Tarlochan Doal, AKA Doaly, spent 15 years as a full time in-house web and UX designer. Illustration...

It's a question Steve Folland gets asked a lot: as a freelancer, is it better to have a company name or use your own?

In this compilation episode, Steve digs deep into 11 years of the Being Freelance podcast archive - pulling together voices from guests including brand copywriter Mark Grainger, branding expert Bhavini Lakhani, copywriter Graeme Piper, illustrator Dan Bailey, social media consultant Alison Battisby, marketing agency founder Ross Simmonds, and more - to try and get to the bottom of it once and for all.

Jessica Hartshorn was trained as an illustrator, but unable to get work as one she went in another direction. Jessica spent the next 16 years working in museums and galleries. But the itch to illustrate never went away.

So she set up a secret Instagram account and started painting again without telling a soul.

Seven years on, she's a successful illustrator, freelancing with museums, galleries, heritage sites and parks across the UK. And her 16 years behind the scenes at the museum? Turned out to be her biggest selling point.

Hear Jessica, AKA Jessi Illustrates...

New episodes with fresh freelancing stories coming very soon.

But as Jess Bruno said on her episode of Being Freelance: "Content can always blood wait".

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Charles Commins handed his notice in at his pub management job with no plan and no business. 

His partner gave him one month to figure it out. All he knew was that he wanted to love his job.

Seven and a half years later, he's an award-winning freelance podcast producer whose almost entire client chain traces back to one decision: making a football podcast about Northampton Town.

That podcast would act as his show ground and his playground. Testing and ultimately proving to clients that he should be freelancing for them.

A...

Perryn Ryan didn't set out to become a freelance illustrator. 

After a degree in computer information systems (to keep her parents happy), years in tech,, and a long stint in the fashion industry, she eventually gave herself permission to just... draw stuff she liked. Nothing serious.

Then a stranger with a million followers re-shared her work, the enquiries started flooding in, and a freelance illustration career was born almost overnight.

In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, Perryn talks about:

Laura Whitehouse didn’t follow the usual path into graphic design.

While studying archaeology and anthropology (told you) at university, she started designing posters for student theatre shows. At first for free, then for £20 here and there (or sometimes just a pint). What began as a creative outlet quickly became the foundation of a freelance career.

Thanks to word of mouth clients and the help of various mentors, she built skills and confidence. 

Until five years on, one of those mentors simply told her: "Just do it".
So she did. She quit. And...

In this short compilation episode, Steve revisits conversations from across 11 years of the Being Freelance podcast archive to explore what actually happens when freelancers specialise in a niche. Full of stories of how these freelance creatives found their niche and the impact it had.

You’ll hear:

THE IMPACT OF NICHING
How specialising can make marketing simpler and sales conversations easier

Why expertise can lead to higher-value opportunities

HOW TO FIND YOUR NICHE
How to choose a niche based on experience, enjoyment or values

Why your niche do...

For years, Mark Grainger’s freelance business ticked along nicely.

Referrals. Word of mouth. Repeat clients.

And then… things went quiet.

In this episode, we explore what happens when the reliable stream of freelance work slows down. And what it really takes to respond proactively rather than panic.

Durham-based freelance brand copywriter Mark shares how he:

- Repositioned himself from a company name back to his personal brand

- Niched by service rather than industry

- Started experimenting with LinkedIn outreach

- Refocused on b...

This is the first time I've done this as an episode.

A quick behind the scenes of what I'm up to with my own freelancer business - as a freelance video and podcast editor. 

If you'd like to go even more behind the scenes, check out my freelancing life vlog on YouTube.

If I'm going to pay for an advert for my services, there's something I need to do first...

And you can do this too.

It's not about a major overhaul of your website. 
Instead sit with a...

Laura has been a professional graphic designer for over 20 years, but her freelance journey began in 2008 after the birth of her first child. With daycare in Manhattan costing more than rent, Laura started piecing together freelance work from home; juggling projects from a tiny dining table in a fourth-floor walk-up.

Freelancing wasn’t always smooth. But eventually, after settling in Massachusetts, it clicked.

After a particularly harsh freelance interview left her devastated, Laura made a decisive shift. She stopped calling herself Rizby Designs and became Rizbee Studio instead - a small but powerful change that re...

Cold outreach can often get a freelance business started. 
But in this episode I propose even those of us years down the line don't give it the cold shoulder.

When you need to bring in clients, maybe a period of cold outreach, or even a consistent long term pattern of it, could be exactly what warms our business back up again.

Cold emails. Cold calls. Reaching out to people who didn’t ask to hear from you. It can feel awkward, uncomfortable, and very easy to put off.

But again and again on...

Katie Chappell is a freelance live illustrator based in the UK - and her story takes some unexpected turns.

After being sacked from a graphic design job, Katie slowly built a freelance illustration career through side jobs, teaching guitar, working in retail, and even becoming a nanny abroad. A 100-day drawing project helped her find confidence, momentum, and visibility - and eventually led her into live illustration and graphic recording.

Things really took off during the pandemic, when Katie adapted quickly to online events and found herself booked solid. At one point, she scaled the...

As freelancers, it’s easy to spend most of our time in the business - delivering client work, meeting deadlines, keeping things ticking over. But if we never step back, time has a habit of running away from us. We can be swept along on a current of what people ask us to do, not thinking about if it's where we want to be heading.

This episode is a little different from the usual Being Freelance podcast format. Instead of a single guest interview, it’s a reflection on conversations with freelancers who consistently make time to work...

From an overworked designer posting “a visual diary” on Instagram to running a multi-stream creative business, Itzel Islas has built a freelance life entirely on her own terms.

After almost a decade in apparel design, she started illustrating for fun - and quickly realised people loved her colourful, playful style. “Little by little I started creating art… and then I started getting clients through it.”

Today she runs YAY Itzel, blending branding work, her online shop, Patreon sticker club, brand partnerships with Adobe and Wacom, murals, workshops and even organising pop-ups, all rooted in her Mexican cu...

Freelance market research consultant Katie Tucker shares how being intentional - with her time, energy, and choices - helped her build a freelance life that truly fits. 

From walking away from a corporate job for a family adventure to launching her freelance business Product Jungle and writing excellent business book Do Penguins Eat Peaches?, Katie opens up about patience, priorities, and the reality of balancing work, parenting, and wellbeing. 

You can watch the video podcast of this episode on Spotify or YouTube.

In this episode we cover: 

From choreographing dance routines and directing a TV show at a South African megachurch… to running her own freelance business - Lineo Kakole’s journey into branding was anything but traditional.

When no one would hire her after she quit her job, Lineo started sharing passion projects on Instagram. From there, she built her creative identity design studio, Get Ready With Me, around beauty, strategy, and intentional living.

But freelancing wasn’t always smooth. Burnout forced Lineo to rethink everything - from how she planned her day to how she tracked her emotions. Her solution? Turnin...

When Jess Bruno left her corporate job in marketing, to help with managing her chronic illness - she had no idea freelancing was even an option. 

It was her mum that made her realise all the free marketing advice she was giving to her friends should be worth paying for.

The next time they called asking for help, it would cost £25.

Since then, Jess has built a six-figure freelancer business.

And what's more, she's built it on her terms: around her health, around surgeries, around grief. 

The past five yea...

From finance lawyer in Malta to FinTech copywriter in Edinburgh — André Spiteri’s freelancing story is full of risk, reinvention, and real talk.

In this episode, André shares how he went from a corporate job he hated to building a sustainable freelance writing business. 

He talks honestly about the pressures of starting out, the mindset shift that came with success, and why the freedom of freelancing can sometimes be the hardest part.

You’ll hear:

Why André quit law and moved to London with no plan

His cold-pitching mindset and why, a...

PODCAST SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE:
High quality audio/video recorded online www.beingfreelance.com/riverside
It’s free to get started - use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan 
 

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Ben O’Brien, known to many as Ben The Illustrator, returns to share how his freelance journey has evolved since his first Being Freelance appearance back in 2018.

From losing all his travel industry clients overnight in 2020, to discovering new income streams through lockdown listening parties, to launching a creative studio with his wife, and literally building a studio...

PODCAST SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE:
High quality audio/video recorded online www.beingfreelance.com/riverside
It’s free to get started - use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan 
 

ABOUT THIS EPISODE
From a young age, Hollie Arnett was inspired to pursue a creative path. 

Fast forward to today, and she’s running not one but two brands from Wellington, New Zealand: Maker & Moxie, where she coaches artists and makers on building their own brands, and By Hollie Arnett, where she offers branding and illustration services.

High School Hollie...

PODCAST SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE:
High quality audio/video recorded online www.beingfreelance.com/riverside
It’s free to get started - use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan 
 

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

From a young age, Jerel Ramsey was inspired by his father to work for himself. And here we are. In this episode, Jerel shares how he turned his passion for design into a full-time business, Sola, which he runs with his wife from their home in Trinidad and Tobago.

Starting out as a graphic designer, Jerel’s journe...

PODCAST SPONSORED BY: 
RIVERSIDE: High quality audio/video recorded online www.beingfreelance.com/riverside 
It’s free to get started - use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan 

PODCAST SPONSORED BY: 
PORKBUN: Get a domain name for your website. www.beingfreelance.com/porkbun 

ABOUT THIS EPISODE
This time around Dee Primett shares her 10 year journey from a side hustle grinding with content mills to becoming a sought-after freelance communications specialist for healthcare and tech brands.

Dee got her start writing online while juggling young children, slowly c...

Icelandic artist Stefán Yngvi Pétursson, also known as Styngvi, shares his journey from working in an ad agency to becoming a freelance conservation illustrator. 

Inspired by shocking pollution during a trip to Indonesia, Stefán decided to use his creative skills for environmental activism, or 'artivism'. 

He established a successful freelancing career through Instagram, but more recently has expanded his network and leads via LinkedIn and email outreach. 

With a growing online presence and support from platforms like Patreon, Stefán aligns his art and business with his values, promoting sustainability, environ...

This time, we explore both a metaphorical freelance journey and physical one.

In 2015 Rebecca decided she wanted to travel whilst freelancing.
After building up savings and clients for a couple of years, she headed off to Europe as a digital nomad. Travelling whilst working as a content writer and strategist.

At first she did more sight seeing that client work, but as time went on she was ready to switch that balance. To settle for longer - both in terms of location and contracts.

Rebecca shares insights on how she made the...

EPISODE SPONSORED BY (AND RECORDED USING) RIVERSIDE 
Record high quality video & audio with Riverside. 

See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelancer business. 

It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan. 
Head to: http://www.beingfreelance.com/riverside

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

How does a Welsh schoolboy recommended by a career advisor to become a tree surgeon end up illustrating and animating for some of the biggest media outlets across the globe?

B...

How does a Welsh schoolboy recommended by a career advisor to become a tree surgeon end up illustrating and animating for some of the biggest media outlets across the globe?

Becoming a location independent freelancer, working from London, Lima in Peru, and Barcelona in Spain.

Getting known for creating funny content. With a range of satirical dog toys and creating animated videos for some of the worlds biggest podcasts including Joe Rogan and The Rest Is History?

Dave shares his thoughts on steering his career in the directions he desires. 

The i...

In this episode , Steve Folland interviews Helen Ridley, a freelance illustrator who has carved a unique niche in live event illustration.

Helen shares her inspiring journey from studying fashion design to working in retail for over a decade and finally making the leap to full-time freelance illustration during the 2020 lockdown. 

She discusses the challenges and rewards of building her business, the importance of pitching and persistence once you have a contact, and her success with live portraits at events, including a notable partnership with John Lewis. 

Helen’s not just pursuing her passion. She’...

In this episode, Xavier Buendia shares his journey from Mexico City to Brighton, and more importantly from the world of hospitality as a sommelier to a career as a successful freelance photographer.

Xavi discusses the importance of people skills, marketing consistency, self-confidence, and believing in yourself. 

He highlights both the financial benefits and creative downsides of having routine retainer clients; his pivot when COVID and Brexit hit the food industry he’d relied upon. And his recent experiments with hiring a very human PR and using AI – both to help his business in different ways.

...

In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, host Steve Folland interviews Kate Taylor, a seasoned podcast producer and founder of the Feast Collective.

Kate discusses the highs and lows of her 20-year freelance career, emphasising the importance of personal relationships and trust in bringing word of mouth work.

She shares the journey of starting the Feast Collective to combat the isolation and stress inherent in freelance work, fostering a supportive community for audio professionals. Very much a sense of not seeing your peers as your competition. It's an interesting taking on freelancers working together...

Hear how Dave Officer, a freelance graphic designer got started and finds clients in this episode of the Being Freelance podcast hosted by Steve Folland. 

Dave shares his late leap into freelancing, discussing the challenge of overcoming the urge to procrastinate by consuming endless information. 

Discover how Dave transitioned from a steady job to pursuing his passion later in life, using creative networking strategies and leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn to build his brand. 

If you're wondering if LinkedIn video can bring you work... yes it can. Dave is the proof. 

Bu...

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE
Record high quality video & audio with Riverside.

See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business. 

It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.

Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Angela shares her 12-year journey as a freelance graphic designer. And her approach to business has dramatically evolved so there’s plenty to share.

Ini...

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE
Record high quality video & audio with Riverside.

See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business. 

It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.

Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Thomas Kemeny shares his journey from agency copywriter to successful freelancer, highlighting how he transitioned only after establishing a strong reputation in the advertising industry. Aft...

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE
Record high quality video & audio with Riverside.

See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business. 

It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.

Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Despite initially getting the cold shoulder from cold outreach, Hazel soon found her niche creating purpose-driven work, particularly around feminist and social issues.

A v...

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDE
Record high quality video & audio with Riverside.

See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business. 

It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.

Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Irish freelancer Raymond Manzor shares his journey from teaching English in Paris to becoming a sustainability copywriter. 

His freelance career began as a Fren...