Freelance Cake Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/freelance-cake This podcast helps ambitious freelancers get better results with less effort. We reveal the specific beliefs, principles, and practices that give you better leverage. Every episode contains no-hype, non-expiring ideas that you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and enjoyable. © 2022 Freelance Cake 1cf55897-ce5b-5d8c-8c78-3db8586212c9 yes en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:14:20 -0400 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:15:07 -0400 https://freelancecake.com/podcast https://img.transistorcdn.com/T-Oy-rWKISG4hza4sl20u1TfvnaBPn5BPBgtr-TVOJk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzI4OTEwLzE2NDY3/NDk5NzQtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.jpg Freelance Cake https://freelancecake.com/podcast episodic Austin L. Church This podcast helps ambitious freelancers get better results with less effort. We reveal the specific beliefs, principles, and practices that give you better leverage. Every episode contains no-hype, non-expiring ideas that you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and enjoyable. This podcast helps ambitious freelancers get better results with less effort. freelancing,freelancers,marketing,entrepreneurship,consulting Freelance Cake No No From Accidental Freelancer to Strategic Business Owner with Satta Sarmah Hightower 22 22 From Accidental Freelancer to Strategic Business Owner with Satta Sarmah Hightower full 0c954180-ee89-4352-8cef-5949729561c2 https://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/from-accidental-freelancer-to-strategic-business-owner-with-satta-sarmah-hightower Satta Sarmah Hightower opens up about the evolution from being a skilled freelancer who took good opportunities as they came… to becoming a more intentional business owner who chooses work based on where she wants to go.

At first, she did what many freelancers do: she followed the money. After layoffs and instability, survival mode made that feel sensible. But over time, she realized that good income and a solid client base were not the same thing as strategic growth.

One of the most useful parts of this conversation is Satta’s “monkey bar strategy.”

Instead of trying to leap blindly into a brand-new niche, she explains how freelancers can use adjacent experience to move from one bar to the next — from healthcare to healthcare tech, from financial services to fintech, and from familiar work into more valuable, better-aligned opportunities.

We also get into the identity shift that often separates advanced freelancers from plateaued ones.

Satta talks about what changed when she stopped primarily seeing herself as a writer and started thinking like a solopreneur and business owner. That shift made her more intentional about what work to accept, how to position herself, and how each project could support the business she wanted six months down the road — not just the invoice she wanted this month.

There’s also a strong thread in this episode around sustainable growth.

Growth, for Satta, does not mean going wider and building a giant machine she does not want. It means going narrower, deeper, and getting clearer on what “enough” looks like. We talk about mindset, gratitude, recovery time, and the planning practices that help experienced freelancers grow without burning down fast.

And if you’ve been thinking beyond client work, you’ll appreciate the final part of the conversation about IP.

Satta shares why she wrote The Forever Freelancer, how she thinks about intellectual property as a durable asset, and how building assets like books, newsletters, and other owned work can expand what a solo business becomes over time.

This one is for freelancers who are no longer asking, “How do I get work?” and are now asking better questions:

What kind of business am I actually building?

What direction am I choosing?

And how do I grow on purpose?

Key Points

  • From survival mode to strategy: Satta admits she was not especially strategic in the early years. She was following the money, building from available opportunities, and doing what many freelancers do after instability: taking solid work when it appeared.
  • The monkey bar strategy: Rather than reinventing yourself from scratch, use adjacent experience to move into stronger niches and better-paid categories of work. Think bar to bar, not cliff dive to cliff dive.
  • The identity shift matters: Advanced freelancers often hit a ceiling when they keep identifying only with their craft. Satta’s growth accelerated when she began to think of herself as a business owner and solopreneur, not merely a freelance writer.
  • Intentionality changes decisions: Once she embraced that business-owner identity, she became more deliberate about what work to accept and how each engagement served her longer-term trajectory.
  • Gradual change is underrated: Satta makes a strong case for evolving slowly and intelligently rather than blowing up your whole business in the name of “transformation.”
  • Growth is not always bigger: For her, growth means going narrower and deeper, not building an agency or chasing “more, more, more.”
  • Mindset and recovery are business tools: Gratitude, space to reflect, and her “For Me Fridays” practice all support sustainability and clearheaded decisions.

Notable Quotes

  • “It’s about evolving from reactive freelancing into strategic business ownership.”
  • “I own my trajectory and my business growth and my professional growth.”
  • “Growth, at least for me at this stage, it doesn’t necessarily mean going wider. It means going narrower and going deeper.”
  • “You have to know what your enough is and you have to know what growth looks like for you.”
  • “You need to treat your business like a business.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> Satta Sarmah Hightower opens up about the evolution from being a skilled freelancer who took good opportunities as they came… to becoming a more intentional business owner who chooses work based on where she wants to go.

At first, she did what many freelancers do: she followed the money. After layoffs and instability, survival mode made that feel sensible. But over time, she realized that good income and a solid client base were not the same thing as strategic growth.

One of the most useful parts of this conversation is Satta’s “monkey bar strategy.”

Instead of trying to leap blindly into a brand-new niche, she explains how freelancers can use adjacent experience to move from one bar to the next — from healthcare to healthcare tech, from financial services to fintech, and from familiar work into more valuable, better-aligned opportunities.

We also get into the identity shift that often separates advanced freelancers from plateaued ones.

Satta talks about what changed when she stopped primarily seeing herself as a writer and started thinking like a solopreneur and business owner. That shift made her more intentional about what work to accept, how to position herself, and how each project could support the business she wanted six months down the road — not just the invoice she wanted this month.

There’s also a strong thread in this episode around sustainable growth.

Growth, for Satta, does not mean going wider and building a giant machine she does not want. It means going narrower, deeper, and getting clearer on what “enough” looks like. We talk about mindset, gratitude, recovery time, and the planning practices that help experienced freelancers grow without burning down fast.

And if you’ve been thinking beyond client work, you’ll appreciate the final part of the conversation about IP.

Satta shares why she wrote The Forever Freelancer, how she thinks about intellectual property as a durable asset, and how building assets like books, newsletters, and other owned work can expand what a solo business becomes over time.

This one is for freelancers who are no longer asking, “How do I get work?” and are now asking better questions:

What kind of business am I actually building?

What direction am I choosing?

And how do I grow on purpose?

Key Points

  • From survival mode to strategy: Satta admits she was not especially strategic in the early years. She was following the money, building from available opportunities, and doing what many freelancers do after instability: taking solid work when it appeared.
  • The monkey bar strategy: Rather than reinventing yourself from scratch, use adjacent experience to move into stronger niches and better-paid categories of work. Think bar to bar, not cliff dive to cliff dive.
  • The identity shift matters: Advanced freelancers often hit a ceiling when they keep identifying only with their craft. Satta’s growth accelerated when she began to think of herself as a business owner and solopreneur, not merely a freelance writer.
  • Intentionality changes decisions: Once she embraced that business-owner identity, she became more deliberate about what work to accept and how each engagement served her longer-term trajectory.
  • Gradual change is underrated: Satta makes a strong case for evolving slowly and intelligently rather than blowing up your whole business in the name of “transformation.”
  • Growth is not always bigger: For her, growth means going narrower and deeper, not building an agency or chasing “more, more, more.”
  • Mindset and recovery are business tools: Gratitude, space to reflect, and her “For Me Fridays” practice all support sustainability and clearheaded decisions.

Notable Quotes

  • “It’s about evolving from reactive freelancing into strategic business ownership.”
  • “I own my trajectory and my business growth and my professional growth.”
  • “Growth, at least for me at this stage, it doesn’t necessarily mean going wider. It means going narrower and going deeper.”
  • “You have to know what your enough is and you have to know what growth looks like for you.”
  • “You need to treat your business like a business.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:14:16 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 3259 Satta Sarmah Hightower opens up about the evolution from being a skilled freelancer who took good opportunities as they came… to becoming a more intentional business owner who chooses work based on where she wants to go.

At first, she did what many freelancers do: she followed the money. After layoffs and instability, survival mode made that feel sensible. But over time, she realized that good income and a solid client base were not the same thing as strategic growth.

One of the most useful parts of this conversation is Satta’s “monkey bar strategy.”

Instead of trying to leap blindly into a brand-new niche, she explains how freelancers can use adjacent experience to move from one bar to the next — from healthcare to healthcare tech, from financial services to fintech, and from familiar work into more valuable, better-aligned opportunities.

We also get into the identity shift that often separates advanced freelancers from plateaued ones.

Satta talks about what changed when she stopped primarily seeing herself as a writer and started thinking like a solopreneur and business owner. That shift made her more intentional about what work to accept, how to position herself, and how each project could support the business she wanted six months down the road — not just the invoice she wanted this month.

There’s also a strong thread in this episode around sustainable growth.

Growth, for Satta, does not mean going wider and building a giant machine she does not want. It means going narrower, deeper, and getting clearer on what “enough” looks like. We talk about mindset, gratitude, recovery time, and the planning practices that help experienced freelancers grow without burning down fast.

And if you’ve been thinking beyond client work, you’ll appreciate the final part of the conversation about IP.

Satta shares why she wrote The Forever Freelancer, how she thinks about intellectual property as a durable asset, and how building assets like books, newsletters, and other owned work can expand what a solo business becomes over time.

This one is for freelancers who are no longer asking, “How do I get work?” and are now asking better questions:

What kind of business am I actually building?

What direction am I choosing?

And how do I grow on purpose?

Key Points

  • From survival mode to strategy: Satta admits she was not especially strategic in the early years. She was following the money, building from available opportunities, and doing what many freelancers do after instability: taking solid work when it appeared.
  • The monkey bar strategy: Rather than reinventing yourself from scratch, use adjacent experience to move into stronger niches and better-paid categories of work. Think bar to bar, not cliff dive to cliff dive.
  • The identity shift matters: Advanced freelancers often hit a ceiling when they keep identifying only with their craft. Satta’s growth accelerated when she began to think of herself as a business owner and solopreneur, not merely a freelance writer.
  • Intentionality changes decisions: Once she embraced that business-owner identity, she became more deliberate about what work to accept and how each engagement served her longer-term trajectory.
  • Gradual change is underrated: Satta makes a strong case for evolving slowly and intelligently rather than blowing up your whole business in the name of “transformation.”
  • Growth is not always bigger: For her, growth means going narrower and deeper, not building an agency or chasing “more, more, more.”
  • Mindset and recovery are business tools: Gratitude, space to reflect, and her “For Me Fridays” practice all support sustainability and clearheaded decisions.

Notable Quotes

  • “It’s about evolving from reactive freelancing into strategic business ownership.”
  • “I own my trajectory and my business growth and my professional growth.”
  • “Growth, at least for me at this stage, it doesn’t necessarily mean going wider. It means going narrower and going deeper.”
  • “You have to know what your enough is and you have to know what growth looks like for you.”
  • “You need to treat your business like a business.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> freelancing,freelancers,marketing,entrepreneurship,consulting No Life Plan First, Business Plan Second: How Matthew Fenton Built a 30-Year Freelance Career 21 21 Life Plan First, Business Plan Second: How Matthew Fenton Built a 30-Year Freelance Career full ee8ceb77-9777-471d-8347-41707aa4e891 https://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/life-plan-first-business-plan-second-with-guest-matthew-fenton At a certain point in your freelance career, the question stops being “How do I get more clients?” and starts being “How do I build a business I actually want to keep running?”

In this episode, Austin sits down with Matthew Fenton, a positioning and strategy consultant with nearly three decades of freelance experience. Matthew has worked with brands you’ve heard of, launched White Mystery Airheads, hired agencies and independents from both sides of the desk, and built a long freelance career around a simple but weighty principle: Life plan first. Business plan second.

That idea shapes everything.

Austin and Matthew talk about what it means to design your freelance business around the life you want, not the other way around. They get into the challenges that don’t get enough airtime, like isolation, self-management, and the discipline required when nobody else is building structure for you.

Matthew also shares one of the most useful concepts in the episode: your "gig floor." That’s the minimum threshold a project has to clear before it earns a yes. Right money. Right people. Right kind of work.

They also dig into what actually makes a freelancer rehirable. Spoiler: it’s not just talent. Matthew makes a strong case for reliability, sound judgment, clear communication, and the ability to be a real partner instead of a prima donna with a nice portfolio.

And yes, they also open a delightful can of worms on why freelancing is not for everybody and why Matthew opted out of the whole personal branding conversation years ago.

This is a grounded, honest conversation about sustainability, selectivity, and building a freelance business with enough structure and sanity to last.

Key Points

  • A freelance career can be built for longevity. Matthew has been freelancing since 1997 and has sustained his business by staying focused on strategy, positioning, and meaningful client work.
  • Life plan first, business plan second. The business should support your life, not consume it. That principle gets more important, not less, as your opportunities increase.
  • Isolation is one of freelancing’s hidden costs. Leaving a full-time role means losing built-in social structure and accountability. You have to rebuild those on purpose.
  • Warm reconnection beats cold networking. Matthew doesn’t think in terms of “keeping his network warm.” He reconnects with people he genuinely enjoys, and sometimes work falls out of that.
  • Your gig floor matters. Experienced freelancers need a minimum threshold for what counts as a worthwhile opportunity, especially when demand is high.
  • Reliability beats raw talent. The freelancers who get rehired are the ones who hit deadlines, communicate well, receive feedback, bring perspective, and don’t make the client regret saying yes.
  • Freelancing isn’t for everyone. Some people are better off with a paycheck job, and there’s no shame in that.
  • Personal branding is optional. Matthew argues that people are not brands and that many of the ideas lumped under personal branding are better explained elsewhere.

Notable Quotes

  • “Life plan first, business plan second.”
  • “The primary reason for your business to exist is to meet your needs.”
  • “A deadline is a promise and failure to hit that deadline is a broken promise.”
  • “Some people are truly better off with a paycheck job, and there’s absolutely no shame in that.”
  • “I think pretty much the entire field of personal branding is nonsense.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> At a certain point in your freelance career, the question stops being “How do I get more clients?” and starts being “How do I build a business I actually want to keep running?”

In this episode, Austin sits down with Matthew Fenton, a positioning and strategy consultant with nearly three decades of freelance experience. Matthew has worked with brands you’ve heard of, launched White Mystery Airheads, hired agencies and independents from both sides of the desk, and built a long freelance career around a simple but weighty principle: Life plan first. Business plan second.

That idea shapes everything.

Austin and Matthew talk about what it means to design your freelance business around the life you want, not the other way around. They get into the challenges that don’t get enough airtime, like isolation, self-management, and the discipline required when nobody else is building structure for you.

Matthew also shares one of the most useful concepts in the episode: your "gig floor." That’s the minimum threshold a project has to clear before it earns a yes. Right money. Right people. Right kind of work.

They also dig into what actually makes a freelancer rehirable. Spoiler: it’s not just talent. Matthew makes a strong case for reliability, sound judgment, clear communication, and the ability to be a real partner instead of a prima donna with a nice portfolio.

And yes, they also open a delightful can of worms on why freelancing is not for everybody and why Matthew opted out of the whole personal branding conversation years ago.

This is a grounded, honest conversation about sustainability, selectivity, and building a freelance business with enough structure and sanity to last.

Key Points

  • A freelance career can be built for longevity. Matthew has been freelancing since 1997 and has sustained his business by staying focused on strategy, positioning, and meaningful client work.
  • Life plan first, business plan second. The business should support your life, not consume it. That principle gets more important, not less, as your opportunities increase.
  • Isolation is one of freelancing’s hidden costs. Leaving a full-time role means losing built-in social structure and accountability. You have to rebuild those on purpose.
  • Warm reconnection beats cold networking. Matthew doesn’t think in terms of “keeping his network warm.” He reconnects with people he genuinely enjoys, and sometimes work falls out of that.
  • Your gig floor matters. Experienced freelancers need a minimum threshold for what counts as a worthwhile opportunity, especially when demand is high.
  • Reliability beats raw talent. The freelancers who get rehired are the ones who hit deadlines, communicate well, receive feedback, bring perspective, and don’t make the client regret saying yes.
  • Freelancing isn’t for everyone. Some people are better off with a paycheck job, and there’s no shame in that.
  • Personal branding is optional. Matthew argues that people are not brands and that many of the ideas lumped under personal branding are better explained elsewhere.

Notable Quotes

  • “Life plan first, business plan second.”
  • “The primary reason for your business to exist is to meet your needs.”
  • “A deadline is a promise and failure to hit that deadline is a broken promise.”
  • “Some people are truly better off with a paycheck job, and there’s absolutely no shame in that.”
  • “I think pretty much the entire field of personal branding is nonsense.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> Fri, 27 Mar 2026 02:22:53 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 3325 At a certain point in your freelance career, the question stops being “How do I get more clients?” and starts being “How do I build a business I actually want to keep running?”

In this episode, Austin sits down with Matthew Fenton, a positioning and strategy consultant with nearly three decades of freelance experience. Matthew has worked with brands you’ve heard of, launched White Mystery Airheads, hired agencies and independents from both sides of the desk, and built a long freelance career around a simple but weighty principle: Life plan first. Business plan second.

That idea shapes everything.

Austin and Matthew talk about what it means to design your freelance business around the life you want, not the other way around. They get into the challenges that don’t get enough airtime, like isolation, self-management, and the discipline required when nobody else is building structure for you.

Matthew also shares one of the most useful concepts in the episode: your "gig floor." That’s the minimum threshold a project has to clear before it earns a yes. Right money. Right people. Right kind of work.

They also dig into what actually makes a freelancer rehirable. Spoiler: it’s not just talent. Matthew makes a strong case for reliability, sound judgment, clear communication, and the ability to be a real partner instead of a prima donna with a nice portfolio.

And yes, they also open a delightful can of worms on why freelancing is not for everybody and why Matthew opted out of the whole personal branding conversation years ago.

This is a grounded, honest conversation about sustainability, selectivity, and building a freelance business with enough structure and sanity to last.

Key Points

  • A freelance career can be built for longevity. Matthew has been freelancing since 1997 and has sustained his business by staying focused on strategy, positioning, and meaningful client work.
  • Life plan first, business plan second. The business should support your life, not consume it. That principle gets more important, not less, as your opportunities increase.
  • Isolation is one of freelancing’s hidden costs. Leaving a full-time role means losing built-in social structure and accountability. You have to rebuild those on purpose.
  • Warm reconnection beats cold networking. Matthew doesn’t think in terms of “keeping his network warm.” He reconnects with people he genuinely enjoys, and sometimes work falls out of that.
  • Your gig floor matters. Experienced freelancers need a minimum threshold for what counts as a worthwhile opportunity, especially when demand is high.
  • Reliability beats raw talent. The freelancers who get rehired are the ones who hit deadlines, communicate well, receive feedback, bring perspective, and don’t make the client regret saying yes.
  • Freelancing isn’t for everyone. Some people are better off with a paycheck job, and there’s no shame in that.
  • Personal branding is optional. Matthew argues that people are not brands and that many of the ideas lumped under personal branding are better explained elsewhere.

Notable Quotes

  • “Life plan first, business plan second.”
  • “The primary reason for your business to exist is to meet your needs.”
  • “A deadline is a promise and failure to hit that deadline is a broken promise.”
  • “Some people are truly better off with a paycheck job, and there’s absolutely no shame in that.”
  • “I think pretty much the entire field of personal branding is nonsense.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> freelancing,freelancers,marketing,entrepreneurship,consulting No How Josh Cantrell Creates Demand with LinkedIn, Referral Partners, and Better Thinking 20 20 How Josh Cantrell Creates Demand with LinkedIn, Referral Partners, and Better Thinking full c92db492-1c87-40e7-9a48-499a656a6665 https://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/how-josh-cantrell-creates-demand-with-linkedin-referral-partners-and-better-thinking Josh Cantrell didn’t set out with some polished master plan.

He got fired.

What could have become a long, discouraging detour ended up becoming the first step in building a self-employed career with more ownership, more leverage, and more intention.

In this conversation, Josh talks through the evolution of that journey.

Early on, he did what many freelancers do. He said yes to whatever paid. Alongside marketing work, he flipped storage units, ran an eBay store, and DJ’d weddings to keep the lights on. Over time, though, he realized he didn’t just need more work. He needed a clearer way to create value.

That’s where frameworks entered the picture.

Josh shares how discovering StoryBrand gave him a structure he could lean on, not just to do better work, but to explain his reasoning, package stronger offers, and shift client perception. Instead of feeling like he was winging it, he had principles. Instead of selling tasks, he could sell outcomes.

We also dig into the mindset shifts that came with experience.

Josh talks about moving from scarcity to abundance, from thinking the world was small and stingy to realizing there’s plenty of opportunity out there. He explains how raising his standards changed his behavior, financially and professionally, and why standards often shape results more than motivation does.

Another major theme in this episode is relationships.

Josh has become increasingly intentional about building what he calls IRPs: ideal referral partners. Rather than relying on random lead gen or posting into the void, he focuses on real conversations with people who already know the kinds of clients he wants to serve.

We also talk about LinkedIn, but not in the eye-rolly, “optimize your content funnel” kind of way.

Josh uses LinkedIn as a conversation starter. He posts consistently, follows up with people who engage, and looks for chances to turn digital attention into human connection. That approach has led to podcast invites, referral relationships, and new opportunities.

And beneath all of it is a simple but important truth: Clarity comes before amplification.

If your message is muddy, more marketing just means you’re mumbling into a louder microphone. Josh explains why great content starts with great thinking, and why helping prospects believe the right things may matter just as much as writing the right words.

If you want to specialize, strengthen your positioning, create more demand, and build a business with better leverage, this one is worth your time.


Key Points

  • Josh started in survival mode. After losing his job in 2017, he pieced together income through freelance marketing, weddings as a DJ, an eBay store, and whatever else kept the lights on.
  • Confidence followed competence. Early “imposter syndrome” had less to do with being broken and more to do with lacking reps, clarity, and proof.
  • Frameworks changed the game. StoryBrand gave Josh a structure for making decisions, justifying recommendations, and packaging higher-value offers.
  • His business evolved slowly but meaningfully. He moved from general marketing services into messaging, positioning, copy, and later more strategic engagements, including fractional CMO-style support.
  • His mindset shifted from scarcity to abundance. Instead of treating every lost client like a verdict on his worth, he learned to see the market as big, generous, and full of opportunity.
  • He now works from standards, not hope. Revenue standards, relationship standards, and service standards all shape how he shows up and how he grows.
  • Ideal referral partners are a major growth lever. Josh aims to build relationships with peers and adjacent experts who already serve the kinds of clients he wants.
  • He treats LinkedIn like a system, not a stage. Post consistently, follow up with engaged people, start real conversations, and see where the thread leads.
  • He’s prioritizing documenting over performing. Lived experience, experiments, humor, and observations from real life make better content than sterile “5 tips” posts.
  • A dream client already believes messaging matters. Josh does best with B2B companies selling something expensive, complex, or confusing that understand clear messaging must come before louder marketing.
  • The deeper opportunity is belief change. Great content does not merely attract attention. It upgrades thinking. It creates demand by putting a fire in people’s minds about better ways to solve old problems.

Notable Quotes

  • “Confidence comes as a result of competence.”
  • “If we’re spending money on marketing, but the message isn’t clear, we’re just mumbling into a microphone. We’re just louder.”
  • “When you’re creating demand, it’s about putting a fire in someone’s mind about opportunities and possibilities and new ways to solve old problems.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> Josh Cantrell didn’t set out with some polished master plan.

He got fired.

What could have become a long, discouraging detour ended up becoming the first step in building a self-employed career with more ownership, more leverage, and more intention.

In this conversation, Josh talks through the evolution of that journey.

Early on, he did what many freelancers do. He said yes to whatever paid. Alongside marketing work, he flipped storage units, ran an eBay store, and DJ’d weddings to keep the lights on. Over time, though, he realized he didn’t just need more work. He needed a clearer way to create value.

That’s where frameworks entered the picture.

Josh shares how discovering StoryBrand gave him a structure he could lean on, not just to do better work, but to explain his reasoning, package stronger offers, and shift client perception. Instead of feeling like he was winging it, he had principles. Instead of selling tasks, he could sell outcomes.

We also dig into the mindset shifts that came with experience.

Josh talks about moving from scarcity to abundance, from thinking the world was small and stingy to realizing there’s plenty of opportunity out there. He explains how raising his standards changed his behavior, financially and professionally, and why standards often shape results more than motivation does.

Another major theme in this episode is relationships.

Josh has become increasingly intentional about building what he calls IRPs: ideal referral partners. Rather than relying on random lead gen or posting into the void, he focuses on real conversations with people who already know the kinds of clients he wants to serve.

We also talk about LinkedIn, but not in the eye-rolly, “optimize your content funnel” kind of way.

Josh uses LinkedIn as a conversation starter. He posts consistently, follows up with people who engage, and looks for chances to turn digital attention into human connection. That approach has led to podcast invites, referral relationships, and new opportunities.

And beneath all of it is a simple but important truth: Clarity comes before amplification.

If your message is muddy, more marketing just means you’re mumbling into a louder microphone. Josh explains why great content starts with great thinking, and why helping prospects believe the right things may matter just as much as writing the right words.

If you want to specialize, strengthen your positioning, create more demand, and build a business with better leverage, this one is worth your time.


Key Points

  • Josh started in survival mode. After losing his job in 2017, he pieced together income through freelance marketing, weddings as a DJ, an eBay store, and whatever else kept the lights on.
  • Confidence followed competence. Early “imposter syndrome” had less to do with being broken and more to do with lacking reps, clarity, and proof.
  • Frameworks changed the game. StoryBrand gave Josh a structure for making decisions, justifying recommendations, and packaging higher-value offers.
  • His business evolved slowly but meaningfully. He moved from general marketing services into messaging, positioning, copy, and later more strategic engagements, including fractional CMO-style support.
  • His mindset shifted from scarcity to abundance. Instead of treating every lost client like a verdict on his worth, he learned to see the market as big, generous, and full of opportunity.
  • He now works from standards, not hope. Revenue standards, relationship standards, and service standards all shape how he shows up and how he grows.
  • Ideal referral partners are a major growth lever. Josh aims to build relationships with peers and adjacent experts who already serve the kinds of clients he wants.
  • He treats LinkedIn like a system, not a stage. Post consistently, follow up with engaged people, start real conversations, and see where the thread leads.
  • He’s prioritizing documenting over performing. Lived experience, experiments, humor, and observations from real life make better content than sterile “5 tips” posts.
  • A dream client already believes messaging matters. Josh does best with B2B companies selling something expensive, complex, or confusing that understand clear messaging must come before louder marketing.
  • The deeper opportunity is belief change. Great content does not merely attract attention. It upgrades thinking. It creates demand by putting a fire in people’s minds about better ways to solve old problems.

Notable Quotes

  • “Confidence comes as a result of competence.”
  • “If we’re spending money on marketing, but the message isn’t clear, we’re just mumbling into a microphone. We’re just louder.”
  • “When you’re creating demand, it’s about putting a fire in someone’s mind about opportunities and possibilities and new ways to solve old problems.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:48:31 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 3270 Josh Cantrell didn’t set out with some polished master plan.

He got fired.

What could have become a long, discouraging detour ended up becoming the first step in building a self-employed career with more ownership, more leverage, and more intention.

In this conversation, Josh talks through the evolution of that journey.

Early on, he did what many freelancers do. He said yes to whatever paid. Alongside marketing work, he flipped storage units, ran an eBay store, and DJ’d weddings to keep the lights on. Over time, though, he realized he didn’t just need more work. He needed a clearer way to create value.

That’s where frameworks entered the picture.

Josh shares how discovering StoryBrand gave him a structure he could lean on, not just to do better work, but to explain his reasoning, package stronger offers, and shift client perception. Instead of feeling like he was winging it, he had principles. Instead of selling tasks, he could sell outcomes.

We also dig into the mindset shifts that came with experience.

Josh talks about moving from scarcity to abundance, from thinking the world was small and stingy to realizing there’s plenty of opportunity out there. He explains how raising his standards changed his behavior, financially and professionally, and why standards often shape results more than motivation does.

Another major theme in this episode is relationships.

Josh has become increasingly intentional about building what he calls IRPs: ideal referral partners. Rather than relying on random lead gen or posting into the void, he focuses on real conversations with people who already know the kinds of clients he wants to serve.

We also talk about LinkedIn, but not in the eye-rolly, “optimize your content funnel” kind of way.

Josh uses LinkedIn as a conversation starter. He posts consistently, follows up with people who engage, and looks for chances to turn digital attention into human connection. That approach has led to podcast invites, referral relationships, and new opportunities.

And beneath all of it is a simple but important truth: Clarity comes before amplification.

If your message is muddy, more marketing just means you’re mumbling into a louder microphone. Josh explains why great content starts with great thinking, and why helping prospects believe the right things may matter just as much as writing the right words.

If you want to specialize, strengthen your positioning, create more demand, and build a business with better leverage, this one is worth your time.


Key Points

  • Josh started in survival mode. After losing his job in 2017, he pieced together income through freelance marketing, weddings as a DJ, an eBay store, and whatever else kept the lights on.
  • Confidence followed competence. Early “imposter syndrome” had less to do with being broken and more to do with lacking reps, clarity, and proof.
  • Frameworks changed the game. StoryBrand gave Josh a structure for making decisions, justifying recommendations, and packaging higher-value offers.
  • His business evolved slowly but meaningfully. He moved from general marketing services into messaging, positioning, copy, and later more strategic engagements, including fractional CMO-style support.
  • His mindset shifted from scarcity to abundance. Instead of treating every lost client like a verdict on his worth, he learned to see the market as big, generous, and full of opportunity.
  • He now works from standards, not hope. Revenue standards, relationship standards, and service standards all shape how he shows up and how he grows.
  • Ideal referral partners are a major growth lever. Josh aims to build relationships with peers and adjacent experts who already serve the kinds of clients he wants.
  • He treats LinkedIn like a system, not a stage. Post consistently, follow up with engaged people, start real conversations, and see where the thread leads.
  • He’s prioritizing documenting over performing. Lived experience, experiments, humor, and observations from real life make better content than sterile “5 tips” posts.
  • A dream client already believes messaging matters. Josh does best with B2B companies selling something expensive, complex, or confusing that understand clear messaging must come before louder marketing.
  • The deeper opportunity is belief change. Great content does not merely attract attention. It upgrades thinking. It creates demand by putting a fire in people’s minds about better ways to solve old problems.

Notable Quotes

  • “Confidence comes as a result of competence.”
  • “If we’re spending money on marketing, but the message isn’t clear, we’re just mumbling into a microphone. We’re just louder.”
  • “When you’re creating demand, it’s about putting a fire in someone’s mind about opportunities and possibilities and new ways to solve old problems.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> freelancing,freelancers,marketing,entrepreneurship,consulting No How Much Is Enough? Fear-Proof Freelancing + Non-Icky LinkedIn DMs with Rachel Bicha 19 19 How Much Is Enough? Fear-Proof Freelancing + Non-Icky LinkedIn DMs with Rachel Bicha full d94f2704-add5-4449-a101-7edfdb4b9b1f http://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/how-much-is-enough-with-rachel-bicha Should freelancing feel easier by now… or is the hard part kind of the point?

In this episode, Austin talks with Rachel Bicha (content strategist + founding Freelance Cake Community member) about building a freelance business that’s sustainable because it’s intentional. Rachel shares how her offline community gives her the psychological safety to do things that scare most freelancers—like DMing interesting people on LinkedIn without feeling weird about it.

They unpack the “safety net” Rachel built before going full-time (six months runway, ~50% income on the side, and real boundaries), plus one of her most underrated tools: defining “enough” with minimum and maximum income targets, seasonal goals, and even the occasional sabbatical.


You’ll also hear why Rachel’s marketing works: it’s relationship-based, rooted in hospitality and curiosity, and designed to connect with real humans (not “leads”). And yes—print is back. Rachel closes with the whimsical monthly print newsletter she sends out, featuring everything from zines to bingo cards to advent calendars.

If you’ve ever struggled with fear, overworking, marketing that feels misaligned, or wondering whether your work actually connects with real humans… this conversation is for you.

Key Points

  • Why hard things matter: sometimes friction is the feature — remove it and you remove meaning.
  • Rachel’s path into freelancing: in-house → side freelancing → full-time, plus the mindset shift that made it possible.
  • Managing fear with systems: she waited until she had ~50% of income on the side + six months runway.
  • Defining “enough”: minimum + maximum income targets, seasonal goals, and saying no even when it’s tempting.
  • Avoiding overbooking: tracking time, setting boundaries, and using reflection to notice patterns before they become problems.
  • Relationship-based marketing: hospitality + curiosity beats transactional networking (and feels better, too).
  • LinkedIn outreach that doesn’t feel gross: curious DMs, “owning” the cold pitch, and writing like a real person with real fingerprints.
  • Confidence vs. risk tolerance: Rachel isn’t “confident” — she’s willing to look foolish and survive a flop.
  • Print is back, baby: analog trust, finite media, and why tangibility matters more as the internet gets weirder.
  • Dream client sweet spot: small teams/startups building a repeatable marketing engine through experiments.

Notable Quotes

  • “I don’t think I ever really got less scared… I have a lot of systems… that help me feel like things aren’t going to crash and burn.”
  • “I want my marketing to feel like… hospitality… a nice, open, cozy space.”
  • “I would not describe myself as somebody who has a lot of confidence… but I have a high degree of risk tolerance.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> Should freelancing feel easier by now… or is the hard part kind of the point?

In this episode, Austin talks with Rachel Bicha (content strategist + founding Freelance Cake Community member) about building a freelance business that’s sustainable because it’s intentional. Rachel shares how her offline community gives her the psychological safety to do things that scare most freelancers—like DMing interesting people on LinkedIn without feeling weird about it.

They unpack the “safety net” Rachel built before going full-time (six months runway, ~50% income on the side, and real boundaries), plus one of her most underrated tools: defining “enough” with minimum and maximum income targets, seasonal goals, and even the occasional sabbatical.


You’ll also hear why Rachel’s marketing works: it’s relationship-based, rooted in hospitality and curiosity, and designed to connect with real humans (not “leads”). And yes—print is back. Rachel closes with the whimsical monthly print newsletter she sends out, featuring everything from zines to bingo cards to advent calendars.

If you’ve ever struggled with fear, overworking, marketing that feels misaligned, or wondering whether your work actually connects with real humans… this conversation is for you.

Key Points

  • Why hard things matter: sometimes friction is the feature — remove it and you remove meaning.
  • Rachel’s path into freelancing: in-house → side freelancing → full-time, plus the mindset shift that made it possible.
  • Managing fear with systems: she waited until she had ~50% of income on the side + six months runway.
  • Defining “enough”: minimum + maximum income targets, seasonal goals, and saying no even when it’s tempting.
  • Avoiding overbooking: tracking time, setting boundaries, and using reflection to notice patterns before they become problems.
  • Relationship-based marketing: hospitality + curiosity beats transactional networking (and feels better, too).
  • LinkedIn outreach that doesn’t feel gross: curious DMs, “owning” the cold pitch, and writing like a real person with real fingerprints.
  • Confidence vs. risk tolerance: Rachel isn’t “confident” — she’s willing to look foolish and survive a flop.
  • Print is back, baby: analog trust, finite media, and why tangibility matters more as the internet gets weirder.
  • Dream client sweet spot: small teams/startups building a repeatable marketing engine through experiments.

Notable Quotes

  • “I don’t think I ever really got less scared… I have a lot of systems… that help me feel like things aren’t going to crash and burn.”
  • “I want my marketing to feel like… hospitality… a nice, open, cozy space.”
  • “I would not describe myself as somebody who has a lot of confidence… but I have a high degree of risk tolerance.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> Fri, 27 Feb 2026 02:53:21 -0500 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 2816 Should freelancing feel easier by now… or is the hard part kind of the point?

In this episode, Austin talks with Rachel Bicha (content strategist + founding Freelance Cake Community member) about building a freelance business that’s sustainable because it’s intentional. Rachel shares how her offline community gives her the psychological safety to do things that scare most freelancers—like DMing interesting people on LinkedIn without feeling weird about it.

They unpack the “safety net” Rachel built before going full-time (six months runway, ~50% income on the side, and real boundaries), plus one of her most underrated tools: defining “enough” with minimum and maximum income targets, seasonal goals, and even the occasional sabbatical.


You’ll also hear why Rachel’s marketing works: it’s relationship-based, rooted in hospitality and curiosity, and designed to connect with real humans (not “leads”). And yes—print is back. Rachel closes with the whimsical monthly print newsletter she sends out, featuring everything from zines to bingo cards to advent calendars.

If you’ve ever struggled with fear, overworking, marketing that feels misaligned, or wondering whether your work actually connects with real humans… this conversation is for you.

Key Points

  • Why hard things matter: sometimes friction is the feature — remove it and you remove meaning.
  • Rachel’s path into freelancing: in-house → side freelancing → full-time, plus the mindset shift that made it possible.
  • Managing fear with systems: she waited until she had ~50% of income on the side + six months runway.
  • Defining “enough”: minimum + maximum income targets, seasonal goals, and saying no even when it’s tempting.
  • Avoiding overbooking: tracking time, setting boundaries, and using reflection to notice patterns before they become problems.
  • Relationship-based marketing: hospitality + curiosity beats transactional networking (and feels better, too).
  • LinkedIn outreach that doesn’t feel gross: curious DMs, “owning” the cold pitch, and writing like a real person with real fingerprints.
  • Confidence vs. risk tolerance: Rachel isn’t “confident” — she’s willing to look foolish and survive a flop.
  • Print is back, baby: analog trust, finite media, and why tangibility matters more as the internet gets weirder.
  • Dream client sweet spot: small teams/startups building a repeatable marketing engine through experiments.

Notable Quotes

  • “I don’t think I ever really got less scared… I have a lot of systems… that help me feel like things aren’t going to crash and burn.”
  • “I want my marketing to feel like… hospitality… a nice, open, cozy space.”
  • “I would not describe myself as somebody who has a lot of confidence… but I have a high degree of risk tolerance.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> freelancing,freelancers,marketing,entrepreneurship,consulting No Trust, Verify, and Match Access: Believing People’s Actions with Marc Hyde 18 18 Trust, Verify, and Match Access: Believing People’s Actions with Marc Hyde full 29c8d790-4962-41bc-a42d-96251e8cab30 https://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/trust-verify-match-access-with-marc-hyde Entrepreneurs love promises. Results come from patterns. Austin and Marc unpack why “actions speak louder than words” is more than homespun wisdom—it’s a working rule for choosing partners, clients, and collaborators without becoming cynical. Expect candid stories (including an investor publicly dressing down his assistant), red flags to watch for, and a dead-simple rubric:

Lead with trust. Watch what people do. Match their access with their actions.

Key Points

  • Start people at zero, not negative-100. Assume positive intent, then trust but verify.
  • Look for “tells”: delayed follow-ups, ghosted meetings, partial replies to multi-question emails—micro-signals of reliability (or not).
  • Match access to actions: expand access when people keep promises; restrict it when they don’t. No drama required.
  • Finish with integrity: if you’re in a misfit engagement, complete the contracted work cleanly or use a “cancel without cause” clause—then exit.
  • Reset boundaries mid-project (response windows, meeting cadence, content handoffs) to “right the ship.”
  • Automate your judgment with rules (e.g., no tight turnarounds for brand-new clients; no work without deposit). Stick to them.
  • Reliability beats charisma: premium pricing and long-term trust ride on doing what you said, when you said.
  • Self-audit matters: don’t become the person others can’t count on—communicate early, renegotiate timelines, and keep small promises.

Notable Quotes

  • “Start everyone at zero—then trust, but verify.”
  • “If they react badly to your rule, they just showed you who they are.”
  • “People will tolerate a lot—except unreliability.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> Entrepreneurs love promises. Results come from patterns. Austin and Marc unpack why “actions speak louder than words” is more than homespun wisdom—it’s a working rule for choosing partners, clients, and collaborators without becoming cynical. Expect candid stories (including an investor publicly dressing down his assistant), red flags to watch for, and a dead-simple rubric:

Lead with trust. Watch what people do. Match their access with their actions.

Key Points

  • Start people at zero, not negative-100. Assume positive intent, then trust but verify.
  • Look for “tells”: delayed follow-ups, ghosted meetings, partial replies to multi-question emails—micro-signals of reliability (or not).
  • Match access to actions: expand access when people keep promises; restrict it when they don’t. No drama required.
  • Finish with integrity: if you’re in a misfit engagement, complete the contracted work cleanly or use a “cancel without cause” clause—then exit.
  • Reset boundaries mid-project (response windows, meeting cadence, content handoffs) to “right the ship.”
  • Automate your judgment with rules (e.g., no tight turnarounds for brand-new clients; no work without deposit). Stick to them.
  • Reliability beats charisma: premium pricing and long-term trust ride on doing what you said, when you said.
  • Self-audit matters: don’t become the person others can’t count on—communicate early, renegotiate timelines, and keep small promises.

Notable Quotes

  • “Start everyone at zero—then trust, but verify.”
  • “If they react badly to your rule, they just showed you who they are.”
  • “People will tolerate a lot—except unreliability.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2026 04:27:39 -0500 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 3284 Entrepreneurs love promises. Results come from patterns. Austin and Marc unpack why “actions speak louder than words” is more than homespun wisdom—it’s a working rule for choosing partners, clients, and collaborators without becoming cynical. Expect candid stories (including an investor publicly dressing down his assistant), red flags to watch for, and a dead-simple rubric:

Lead with trust. Watch what people do. Match their access with their actions.

Key Points

  • Start people at zero, not negative-100. Assume positive intent, then trust but verify.
  • Look for “tells”: delayed follow-ups, ghosted meetings, partial replies to multi-question emails—micro-signals of reliability (or not).
  • Match access to actions: expand access when people keep promises; restrict it when they don’t. No drama required.
  • Finish with integrity: if you’re in a misfit engagement, complete the contracted work cleanly or use a “cancel without cause” clause—then exit.
  • Reset boundaries mid-project (response windows, meeting cadence, content handoffs) to “right the ship.”
  • Automate your judgment with rules (e.g., no tight turnarounds for brand-new clients; no work without deposit). Stick to them.
  • Reliability beats charisma: premium pricing and long-term trust ride on doing what you said, when you said.
  • Self-audit matters: don’t become the person others can’t count on—communicate early, renegotiate timelines, and keep small promises.

Notable Quotes

  • “Start everyone at zero—then trust, but verify.”
  • “If they react badly to your rule, they just showed you who they are.”
  • “People will tolerate a lot—except unreliability.”

Resources Mentioned

]]> freelancing,freelancers,marketing,entrepreneurship,consulting No Community as Advantage: How Positive Peer Pressure Fuels Freelance Growth 17 17 Community as Advantage: How Positive Peer Pressure Fuels Freelance Growth full d4c5a4d1-e645-4532-b319-34f075ec29d6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/23c30ba8 Ever rolled your eyes at “You are the company you keep”? Same. But research (and real life) says proximity changes performance. In this solo episode, Austin digs into the research behind peer influence — from Greek philosophers to modern management studies — and shows how freelancers can use positive spillover to their advantage.

Learn how intentional community gives solo freelancers leverage: more focus, better systems, smarter strategy, and less burnout. Hear stories from the Freelance Cake Community and learn why joining the right group might be the best business move you make this year.


Key Points

  • Positive Spillover is Real: Sitting near a high performer can increase your own performance by 15%.
  • Community as Advantage: When you’re surrounded by people taking action, you’ll find it much harder to stay stuck or spiral into overthinking.
  • Advanced freelancers need peers, not pupils: Once you’ve mastered the basics, you need people who challenge you—not just those asking for your advice.
  • Freelancers can’t rely on osmosis: Without coworkers or office proximity, you have to choose your environment deliberately.
  • Beginner vs. Advanced Needs: Free groups often serve beginners. Paid, private communities curate advanced freelancers who value time, accountability, and quality conversations.
  • Beyond Advice — Real Momentum: The right group saves you from “meta work” (research paralysis) by giving you proven tools and templates so you can act faster.
  • Bias Toward Action: When peers share wins, you’re inspired to take imperfect action too — and that’s how real growth happens.

Notable Quotes

  • “You’re in the splash zone, so make sure what you’re getting hit with is motivation, not mediocrity.”
  • “Deliberately create an environment where invisible hands push you onward and upward.”
  • “Who you surround yourself with matters. Your environment matters as much or more than your habits.”
  • “Communities aren’t just about leads — they’re about leverage.”

Resources Mentioned

If you’re an advanced freelancer ready to trade burnout for momentum, join a private, paid community that helps you level up faster. Visit freelancecake.com/community to learn more and apply.

]]> Ever rolled your eyes at “You are the company you keep”? Same. But research (and real life) says proximity changes performance. In this solo episode, Austin digs into the research behind peer influence — from Greek philosophers to modern management studies — and shows how freelancers can use positive spillover to their advantage.

Learn how intentional community gives solo freelancers leverage: more focus, better systems, smarter strategy, and less burnout. Hear stories from the Freelance Cake Community and learn why joining the right group might be the best business move you make this year.


Key Points

  • Positive Spillover is Real: Sitting near a high performer can increase your own performance by 15%.
  • Community as Advantage: When you’re surrounded by people taking action, you’ll find it much harder to stay stuck or spiral into overthinking.
  • Advanced freelancers need peers, not pupils: Once you’ve mastered the basics, you need people who challenge you—not just those asking for your advice.
  • Freelancers can’t rely on osmosis: Without coworkers or office proximity, you have to choose your environment deliberately.
  • Beginner vs. Advanced Needs: Free groups often serve beginners. Paid, private communities curate advanced freelancers who value time, accountability, and quality conversations.
  • Beyond Advice — Real Momentum: The right group saves you from “meta work” (research paralysis) by giving you proven tools and templates so you can act faster.
  • Bias Toward Action: When peers share wins, you’re inspired to take imperfect action too — and that’s how real growth happens.

Notable Quotes

  • “You’re in the splash zone, so make sure what you’re getting hit with is motivation, not mediocrity.”
  • “Deliberately create an environment where invisible hands push you onward and upward.”
  • “Who you surround yourself with matters. Your environment matters as much or more than your habits.”
  • “Communities aren’t just about leads — they’re about leverage.”

Resources Mentioned

If you’re an advanced freelancer ready to trade burnout for momentum, join a private, paid community that helps you level up faster. Visit freelancecake.com/community to learn more and apply.

]]> Fri, 07 Nov 2025 03:49:45 -0500 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 1136 Ever rolled your eyes at “You are the company you keep”? Same. But research (and real life) says proximity changes performance. In this solo episode, Austin digs into the research behind peer influence — from Greek philosophers to modern management studies — and shows how freelancers can use positive spillover to their advantage.

Learn how intentional community gives solo freelancers leverage: more focus, better systems, smarter strategy, and less burnout. Hear stories from the Freelance Cake Community and learn why joining the right group might be the best business move you make this year.


Key Points

  • Positive Spillover is Real: Sitting near a high performer can increase your own performance by 15%.
  • Community as Advantage: When you’re surrounded by people taking action, you’ll find it much harder to stay stuck or spiral into overthinking.
  • Advanced freelancers need peers, not pupils: Once you’ve mastered the basics, you need people who challenge you—not just those asking for your advice.
  • Freelancers can’t rely on osmosis: Without coworkers or office proximity, you have to choose your environment deliberately.
  • Beginner vs. Advanced Needs: Free groups often serve beginners. Paid, private communities curate advanced freelancers who value time, accountability, and quality conversations.
  • Beyond Advice — Real Momentum: The right group saves you from “meta work” (research paralysis) by giving you proven tools and templates so you can act faster.
  • Bias Toward Action: When peers share wins, you’re inspired to take imperfect action too — and that’s how real growth happens.

Notable Quotes

  • “You’re in the splash zone, so make sure what you’re getting hit with is motivation, not mediocrity.”
  • “Deliberately create an environment where invisible hands push you onward and upward.”
  • “Who you surround yourself with matters. Your environment matters as much or more than your habits.”
  • “Communities aren’t just about leads — they’re about leverage.”

Resources Mentioned

If you’re an advanced freelancer ready to trade burnout for momentum, join a private, paid community that helps you level up faster. Visit freelancecake.com/community to learn more and apply.

]]> private community for advanced freelancers No Growth by Subtraction: Less But Better 16 16 Growth by Subtraction: Less But Better full 0c1ed4f9-9939-4c46-93b4-500506505965 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fba6abca Hitting ~$330K should've felt like a win. Instead, it revealed the real bottleneck: complexity.

In this episode, Austin talks about how pruning services, projects, and obligations—less, but better—created the space for saner, more sustainable growth. You’ll get the tomato-plant metaphor (shoutout to Grandmother Martha), insights from Katelyn Bourgoin (“What should you stop doing?”), and even an Apple-style reset moment.

Plus, Austin walks through a practical 7-step Subtraction List to help you focus on the work that actually moves the needle. 

(Feel free to grab the free worksheet under Resources)

What You’ll Learn

  • Why “more” often makes things worse
  • A simple metaphor to decide what to cut
  • How world-class companies used subtraction to win
  • The exact 7-step process to simplify your business now

The 7 Practical Steps

  1. Take inventory
  2. Find keepers (money, freedom, satisfaction, impact)
  3. Compare results (what to double down on / stop)
  4. Cut fluff (Do / Defer / Delegate / Delete + first actions)
  5. Make a Don’t List (keep distractions from creeping back)
  6. Create rules (avoid default yes—protect your best work)
  7. Record decisions (build confidence and course-correct faster)

Resources & Links

If this helped you, follow for more systems, strategy, and sanity for advanced freelancers and creators.


Chapters

00:00 Hook — when “more” stops working

01:28 The $330K year (and why it didn’t feel like success)

04:22 Complexity: the sneaky saboteur

06:19 Grandma’s garden: prune for higher yield

09:11 What “growth by subtraction” really means

10:33 Focus beats variety (how to choose)

10:59 Example: Katelyn Bourgoin and “do less, better”

13:27 Example: Apple’s 2×2 and 97% cut

15:54 The 7 Steps: Take inventory → Record decisions

24:39 Summary & next steps

26:04 Invitation to the Freelance Cake Community

]]> Hitting ~$330K should've felt like a win. Instead, it revealed the real bottleneck: complexity.

In this episode, Austin talks about how pruning services, projects, and obligations—less, but better—created the space for saner, more sustainable growth. You’ll get the tomato-plant metaphor (shoutout to Grandmother Martha), insights from Katelyn Bourgoin (“What should you stop doing?”), and even an Apple-style reset moment.

Plus, Austin walks through a practical 7-step Subtraction List to help you focus on the work that actually moves the needle. 

(Feel free to grab the free worksheet under Resources)

What You’ll Learn

  • Why “more” often makes things worse
  • A simple metaphor to decide what to cut
  • How world-class companies used subtraction to win
  • The exact 7-step process to simplify your business now

The 7 Practical Steps

  1. Take inventory
  2. Find keepers (money, freedom, satisfaction, impact)
  3. Compare results (what to double down on / stop)
  4. Cut fluff (Do / Defer / Delegate / Delete + first actions)
  5. Make a Don’t List (keep distractions from creeping back)
  6. Create rules (avoid default yes—protect your best work)
  7. Record decisions (build confidence and course-correct faster)

Resources & Links

If this helped you, follow for more systems, strategy, and sanity for advanced freelancers and creators.


Chapters

00:00 Hook — when “more” stops working

01:28 The $330K year (and why it didn’t feel like success)

04:22 Complexity: the sneaky saboteur

06:19 Grandma’s garden: prune for higher yield

09:11 What “growth by subtraction” really means

10:33 Focus beats variety (how to choose)

10:59 Example: Katelyn Bourgoin and “do less, better”

13:27 Example: Apple’s 2×2 and 97% cut

15:54 The 7 Steps: Take inventory → Record decisions

24:39 Summary & next steps

26:04 Invitation to the Freelance Cake Community

]]> Fri, 10 Oct 2025 03:16:54 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 1660 Hitting ~$330K should've felt like a win. Instead, it revealed the real bottleneck: complexity.

In this episode, Austin talks about how pruning services, projects, and obligations—less, but better—created the space for saner, more sustainable growth. You’ll get the tomato-plant metaphor (shoutout to Grandmother Martha), insights from Katelyn Bourgoin (“What should you stop doing?”), and even an Apple-style reset moment.

Plus, Austin walks through a practical 7-step Subtraction List to help you focus on the work that actually moves the needle. 

(Feel free to grab the free worksheet under Resources)

What You’ll Learn

  • Why “more” often makes things worse
  • A simple metaphor to decide what to cut
  • How world-class companies used subtraction to win
  • The exact 7-step process to simplify your business now

The 7 Practical Steps

  1. Take inventory
  2. Find keepers (money, freedom, satisfaction, impact)
  3. Compare results (what to double down on / stop)
  4. Cut fluff (Do / Defer / Delegate / Delete + first actions)
  5. Make a Don’t List (keep distractions from creeping back)
  6. Create rules (avoid default yes—protect your best work)
  7. Record decisions (build confidence and course-correct faster)

Resources & Links

If this helped you, follow for more systems, strategy, and sanity for advanced freelancers and creators.


Chapters

00:00 Hook — when “more” stops working

01:28 The $330K year (and why it didn’t feel like success)

04:22 Complexity: the sneaky saboteur

06:19 Grandma’s garden: prune for higher yield

09:11 What “growth by subtraction” really means

10:33 Focus beats variety (how to choose)

10:59 Example: Katelyn Bourgoin and “do less, better”

13:27 Example: Apple’s 2×2 and 97% cut

15:54 The 7 Steps: Take inventory → Record decisions

24:39 Summary & next steps

26:04 Invitation to the Freelance Cake Community

]]> freelancing,freelancers,marketing,entrepreneurship,consulting No From Slinging Words to Selling Expertise: A 1 on 1 Coaching Case Study with Josh Monen 15 15 From Slinging Words to Selling Expertise: A 1 on 1 Coaching Case Study with Josh Monen full 65a4063a-26ec-4f92-a692-7899d88e5573 https://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/1-on-1-coaching-case-study What if you feel stuck not because you lack skill but because you’ve snapped on a pair of golden handcuffs? What if you want to go a new direction but can’t afford to lose the retainers you finally stacked up? 

This new Freelance Cake episode with Josh Monen is the first one to drop in over 18 months, and I can’t wait for you to check it out.

In it, Josh Monen opens up about his transition from senior copywriter who was booked out but working way too much to fractional CMO with productized offers, more time off, and a business closely aligned to the life he wants.

Josh didn’t need more clients. He needed different ones. He didn’t need more ideas. He needed a clear roadmap with action steps he could put in his calendar. During our one-on-one coaching engagement, Josh put in the work.

Listen to the full conversation.


Key Points

  • Booked out, but stuck: Josh was making good money and fully booked, but felt directionless and burnt out. He didn’t need more clients — he needed clarity. 
  • Desire for leverage: He wanted to evolve from copywriting into productized services, consulting, and fractional CMO work to create more time freedom. 
  • Indecision as the real bottleneck: His core problem wasn’t lack of opportunity — it was overthinking and analysis paralysis. Coaching helped him move from ideas to decisions. 
  • Created two scalable offers: Through coaching, Josh developed Funnel Insights and Funnel Blueprint — strategy-first services that led to $30K+ client engagements.
  • From executor to advisor: By leading with strategy and positioning himself as a fractional CMO, Josh changed how clients viewed and engaged him. 
  • Lifestyle improvements: He now protects weekends, takes unplugged vacations, and feels more aligned with the freedom-focused business he originally wanted. 
  • Real ROI from discomfort: Investing in coaching created “point-of-no-return” momentum and helped him stretch into higher-leverage work.


Notable Quotes

“I was booked solid with copywriting and making good, consistent income — but more of my thing was like, ‘Where am I going with this?’ I felt like I kind of plateaued and was in maintenance mode.”

“If you’re making good money but don’t have time to enjoy it — what’s the point?”

“From that very first call, I was blown away. I even told my wife — ‘This guy really listens.’ And that’s rare. That’s one reason I hired you.”


Resources Mentioned

  • Book a strategy call with Austin: https://bit.ly/1-on-1-coaching-pod
  • Austin Church on How and Why to Sell Strategy Engagements to Your Clients [Ed Gandia podcast]: https://b2blauncher.com/episode267/

Josh Links

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> What if you feel stuck not because you lack skill but because you’ve snapped on a pair of golden handcuffs? What if you want to go a new direction but can’t afford to lose the retainers you finally stacked up? 

This new Freelance Cake episode with Josh Monen is the first one to drop in over 18 months, and I can’t wait for you to check it out.

In it, Josh Monen opens up about his transition from senior copywriter who was booked out but working way too much to fractional CMO with productized offers, more time off, and a business closely aligned to the life he wants.

Josh didn’t need more clients. He needed different ones. He didn’t need more ideas. He needed a clear roadmap with action steps he could put in his calendar. During our one-on-one coaching engagement, Josh put in the work.

Listen to the full conversation.


Key Points

  • Booked out, but stuck: Josh was making good money and fully booked, but felt directionless and burnt out. He didn’t need more clients — he needed clarity. 
  • Desire for leverage: He wanted to evolve from copywriting into productized services, consulting, and fractional CMO work to create more time freedom. 
  • Indecision as the real bottleneck: His core problem wasn’t lack of opportunity — it was overthinking and analysis paralysis. Coaching helped him move from ideas to decisions. 
  • Created two scalable offers: Through coaching, Josh developed Funnel Insights and Funnel Blueprint — strategy-first services that led to $30K+ client engagements.
  • From executor to advisor: By leading with strategy and positioning himself as a fractional CMO, Josh changed how clients viewed and engaged him. 
  • Lifestyle improvements: He now protects weekends, takes unplugged vacations, and feels more aligned with the freedom-focused business he originally wanted. 
  • Real ROI from discomfort: Investing in coaching created “point-of-no-return” momentum and helped him stretch into higher-leverage work.


Notable Quotes

“I was booked solid with copywriting and making good, consistent income — but more of my thing was like, ‘Where am I going with this?’ I felt like I kind of plateaued and was in maintenance mode.”

“If you’re making good money but don’t have time to enjoy it — what’s the point?”

“From that very first call, I was blown away. I even told my wife — ‘This guy really listens.’ And that’s rare. That’s one reason I hired you.”


Resources Mentioned

  • Book a strategy call with Austin: https://bit.ly/1-on-1-coaching-pod
  • Austin Church on How and Why to Sell Strategy Engagements to Your Clients [Ed Gandia podcast]: https://b2blauncher.com/episode267/

Josh Links

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Fri, 08 Aug 2025 02:43:43 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 2084 What if you feel stuck not because you lack skill but because you’ve snapped on a pair of golden handcuffs? What if you want to go a new direction but can’t afford to lose the retainers you finally stacked up? 

This new Freelance Cake episode with Josh Monen is the first one to drop in over 18 months, and I can’t wait for you to check it out.

In it, Josh Monen opens up about his transition from senior copywriter who was booked out but working way too much to fractional CMO with productized offers, more time off, and a business closely aligned to the life he wants.

Josh didn’t need more clients. He needed different ones. He didn’t need more ideas. He needed a clear roadmap with action steps he could put in his calendar. During our one-on-one coaching engagement, Josh put in the work.

Listen to the full conversation.


Key Points

  • Booked out, but stuck: Josh was making good money and fully booked, but felt directionless and burnt out. He didn’t need more clients — he needed clarity. 
  • Desire for leverage: He wanted to evolve from copywriting into productized services, consulting, and fractional CMO work to create more time freedom. 
  • Indecision as the real bottleneck: His core problem wasn’t lack of opportunity — it was overthinking and analysis paralysis. Coaching helped him move from ideas to decisions. 
  • Created two scalable offers: Through coaching, Josh developed Funnel Insights and Funnel Blueprint — strategy-first services that led to $30K+ client engagements.
  • From executor to advisor: By leading with strategy and positioning himself as a fractional CMO, Josh changed how clients viewed and engaged him. 
  • Lifestyle improvements: He now protects weekends, takes unplugged vacations, and feels more aligned with the freedom-focused business he originally wanted. 
  • Real ROI from discomfort: Investing in coaching created “point-of-no-return” momentum and helped him stretch into higher-leverage work.


Notable Quotes

“I was booked solid with copywriting and making good, consistent income — but more of my thing was like, ‘Where am I going with this?’ I felt like I kind of plateaued and was in maintenance mode.”

“If you’re making good money but don’t have time to enjoy it — what’s the point?”

“From that very first call, I was blown away. I even told my wife — ‘This guy really listens.’ And that’s rare. That’s one reason I hired you.”


Resources Mentioned

  • Book a strategy call with Austin: https://bit.ly/1-on-1-coaching-pod
  • Austin Church on How and Why to Sell Strategy Engagements to Your Clients [Ed Gandia podcast]: https://b2blauncher.com/episode267/

Josh Links

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> freelancing, coaching No Conversations, Not Confrontations: Learning the Art of Negotiation with Wudan Yan 14 14 Conversations, Not Confrontations: Learning the Art of Negotiation with Wudan Yan full d6f39bfc-d3a8-42bf-be67-a30f495d4f02 https://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/learning-the-art-of-negotiation-with-wudan-yan In this episode, Austin L. Church talks to journalist, freelance writer, and coach Wudan Yan about the art of negotiation. The driving force behind The Writers' Co-op, Wudan tells the story of her transition from journalism to freelance narrative writing and sheds light on the two different cultures with their sets of norms.


Wudan goes on to share how her upbringing and academic background provided very little preparation for the freelance world where negotiation is often necessary. 


When teaching freelancers and consultants how to negotiate, Wudan frames back-and-forth as a dialogue or conversation, not a confrontation. 


Her personal journey and insights prove that negotiation can be a fulfilling and rewarding aspect of the freelance journey, even if it doesn’t come naturally to you. 


If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable during a negotiation or felt like your skills are lacking, you’ll be glad you found this episode. 


Key points

  • Wudan’s Journey from Science to Narrative Writing (01:53)
  • Negotiating a raise for the first time (17:44)
  • Wudan's negotiation journey montage (25:37)
  • Negotiating rush projects and rush fees (25:51)
  • The importance of a conversational approach in negotiations (28:43)
  • One simple yet profound tactic to become a master negotiator (36:58)


Notable Quotes

  • “You're never going to get what you don't ask for, and you can never get more than the maximum of what you're asking for."
  • "Negotiating is a conversation. If both you and I are setting really hard boundaries around things, there's no meeting in between."
  • "Ask questions that invite a response.”


Resources & Links


This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> In this episode, Austin L. Church talks to journalist, freelance writer, and coach Wudan Yan about the art of negotiation. The driving force behind The Writers' Co-op, Wudan tells the story of her transition from journalism to freelance narrative writing and sheds light on the two different cultures with their sets of norms.


Wudan goes on to share how her upbringing and academic background provided very little preparation for the freelance world where negotiation is often necessary. 


When teaching freelancers and consultants how to negotiate, Wudan frames back-and-forth as a dialogue or conversation, not a confrontation. 


Her personal journey and insights prove that negotiation can be a fulfilling and rewarding aspect of the freelance journey, even if it doesn’t come naturally to you. 


If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable during a negotiation or felt like your skills are lacking, you’ll be glad you found this episode. 


Key points

  • Wudan’s Journey from Science to Narrative Writing (01:53)
  • Negotiating a raise for the first time (17:44)
  • Wudan's negotiation journey montage (25:37)
  • Negotiating rush projects and rush fees (25:51)
  • The importance of a conversational approach in negotiations (28:43)
  • One simple yet profound tactic to become a master negotiator (36:58)


Notable Quotes

  • “You're never going to get what you don't ask for, and you can never get more than the maximum of what you're asking for."
  • "Negotiating is a conversation. If both you and I are setting really hard boundaries around things, there's no meeting in between."
  • "Ask questions that invite a response.”


Resources & Links


This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Fri, 26 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0500 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 2901 In this episode, Austin L. Church talks to journalist, freelance writer, and coach Wudan Yan about the art of negotiation. The driving force behind The Writers' Co-op, Wudan tells the story of her transition from journalism to freelance narrative writing and sheds light on the two different cultures with their sets of norms.


Wudan goes on to share how her upbringing and academic background provided very little preparation for the freelance world where negotiation is often necessary. 


When teaching freelancers and consultants how to negotiate, Wudan frames back-and-forth as a dialogue or conversation, not a confrontation. 


Her personal journey and insights prove that negotiation can be a fulfilling and rewarding aspect of the freelance journey, even if it doesn’t come naturally to you. 


If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable during a negotiation or felt like your skills are lacking, you’ll be glad you found this episode. 


Key points

  • Wudan’s Journey from Science to Narrative Writing (01:53)
  • Negotiating a raise for the first time (17:44)
  • Wudan's negotiation journey montage (25:37)
  • Negotiating rush projects and rush fees (25:51)
  • The importance of a conversational approach in negotiations (28:43)
  • One simple yet profound tactic to become a master negotiator (36:58)


Notable Quotes

  • “You're never going to get what you don't ask for, and you can never get more than the maximum of what you're asking for."
  • "Negotiating is a conversation. If both you and I are setting really hard boundaries around things, there's no meeting in between."
  • "Ask questions that invite a response.”


Resources & Links


This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> how to negotiate as a freelancer, art of negotiation, negotiating with clients No The 4 Stages of Freelancing Explained | Part 2 13 13 The 4 Stages of Freelancing Explained | Part 2 full dab4a1c6-c3c3-4f0d-99a5-0b1809f0d5af https://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/4-stages-of-freelancing-part-2 In this continuation of “The 4 Stages of Freelancing,” Austin L. Church explores the last two stages: Lifestyler and Diversifier. After they’ve navigated through the Moonlighter and Hustler phases, freelancers reach a level of maturity where challenges become more complex. Meanwhile, opportunities for growth and personal fulfillment expand.


Austin highlights the motivations, challenges, mistakes, and questions at each stage, as well as the key breakthroughs and financial goals.


Are you a Lifestyler eager to earn the same or more while working less? Or are you a Diversifier interested in creating new revenue streams? 


Regardless, this episode will help you figure out where you currently are in your journey and what to focus on next. 


Key points

  • Lifestylers overview (01:53)
  • The motivations for Lifestylers (04:35)
  • The mistakes for Lifestylers (05:27)
  • The questions for Lifestylers (07:23)
  • The main breakthrough for Lifestylers (7:56)
  • The main financial goal for Lifestylers (08:16)
  • Diversifiers overview (10:35)
  • The motivations for Diversifiers (12:35)
  • The challenges for Diversifiers (13:49)
  • The questions for Diversifiers (17:07)
  • The main breakthrough for Diversifiers (17:46)
  • The main financial goal for Diversifiers (18:08)

Notable Quotes

  • "We freelancers and consultants can get so fixated on winning the next project, staying ahead of bills, and achieving financial stability that we inadvertently become creative workaholics."
  • "The last thing any freelancer should do, any consultant should do is blindly copy someone else."

Resources

This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> In this continuation of “The 4 Stages of Freelancing,” Austin L. Church explores the last two stages: Lifestyler and Diversifier. After they’ve navigated through the Moonlighter and Hustler phases, freelancers reach a level of maturity where challenges become more complex. Meanwhile, opportunities for growth and personal fulfillment expand.


Austin highlights the motivations, challenges, mistakes, and questions at each stage, as well as the key breakthroughs and financial goals.


Are you a Lifestyler eager to earn the same or more while working less? Or are you a Diversifier interested in creating new revenue streams? 


Regardless, this episode will help you figure out where you currently are in your journey and what to focus on next. 


Key points

  • Lifestylers overview (01:53)
  • The motivations for Lifestylers (04:35)
  • The mistakes for Lifestylers (05:27)
  • The questions for Lifestylers (07:23)
  • The main breakthrough for Lifestylers (7:56)
  • The main financial goal for Lifestylers (08:16)
  • Diversifiers overview (10:35)
  • The motivations for Diversifiers (12:35)
  • The challenges for Diversifiers (13:49)
  • The questions for Diversifiers (17:07)
  • The main breakthrough for Diversifiers (17:46)
  • The main financial goal for Diversifiers (18:08)

Notable Quotes

  • "We freelancers and consultants can get so fixated on winning the next project, staying ahead of bills, and achieving financial stability that we inadvertently become creative workaholics."
  • "The last thing any freelancer should do, any consultant should do is blindly copy someone else."

Resources

This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Fri, 12 Jan 2024 01:07:23 -0500 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 1270 In this continuation of “The 4 Stages of Freelancing,” Austin L. Church explores the last two stages: Lifestyler and Diversifier. After they’ve navigated through the Moonlighter and Hustler phases, freelancers reach a level of maturity where challenges become more complex. Meanwhile, opportunities for growth and personal fulfillment expand.


Austin highlights the motivations, challenges, mistakes, and questions at each stage, as well as the key breakthroughs and financial goals.


Are you a Lifestyler eager to earn the same or more while working less? Or are you a Diversifier interested in creating new revenue streams? 


Regardless, this episode will help you figure out where you currently are in your journey and what to focus on next. 


Key points

  • Lifestylers overview (01:53)
  • The motivations for Lifestylers (04:35)
  • The mistakes for Lifestylers (05:27)
  • The questions for Lifestylers (07:23)
  • The main breakthrough for Lifestylers (7:56)
  • The main financial goal for Lifestylers (08:16)
  • Diversifiers overview (10:35)
  • The motivations for Diversifiers (12:35)
  • The challenges for Diversifiers (13:49)
  • The questions for Diversifiers (17:07)
  • The main breakthrough for Diversifiers (17:46)
  • The main financial goal for Diversifiers (18:08)

Notable Quotes

  • "We freelancers and consultants can get so fixated on winning the next project, staying ahead of bills, and achieving financial stability that we inadvertently become creative workaholics."
  • "The last thing any freelancer should do, any consultant should do is blindly copy someone else."

Resources

This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> stages of freelancing, freelance career paths, freelancing journey No The 4 Stages of Freelancing Explained | Part 1 12 12 The 4 Stages of Freelancing Explained | Part 1 full d39625d9-6b26-4493-9519-4b3b9476ff13 https://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/4-stages-of-freelancing-part-1 You’ve surely heard of the corporate ladder, but what are the career progressions for freelancers? Those of us who sell creativity in some form usually freelance part-time at the start, and those who stick with it eventually think, “Hey, why shouldn’t I be one of those people who make money while they sleep?”


In this episode of Freelance Cake, Austin L. Church discusses the moonlighter and hustler phases of freelancing, shining a light on the motivations, challenges, mistakes, and questions at each stage, as well as the main breakthrough and financial goal for each.


Whether you're reflecting on your current stage or aspiring to reach new heights in your freelancing career, this episode offers practical insights and guidance tailored to your unique stage.


This episode is part of a two-part series, and in the next installment, we'll explore the lifestyler and diversifier stages of freelancing. Don't forget to tune in for that one as we continue peeling back the layers of the freelancing journey.

Key points

  • Stages of freelancing (01:53)
  • Moonlighters overview (02:49)
  • The motivations for moonlighters (03:44)
  • The challenges for moonlighters (04:39)
  • The questions for moonlighters (05:50)
  • The main breakthrough for moonlighters (06:13)
  • Hustlers overview (08:29)
  • The motivations for hustlers (10:34)
  • The challenges for hustlers (11:10)
  • The questions and breakthrough for hustlers (12:39)
  • The main financial goal for hustlers (13:39)


Notable Quotes

  • "The main breakthrough for moonlighters is growing confidence in their ability to win projects and deliver outcomes while managing other responsibilities."
  • "The main breakthrough for hustlers is setting smart strategic prices that reward your skill, efficiency, and expertise."


Resources


This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> You’ve surely heard of the corporate ladder, but what are the career progressions for freelancers? Those of us who sell creativity in some form usually freelance part-time at the start, and those who stick with it eventually think, “Hey, why shouldn’t I be one of those people who make money while they sleep?”


In this episode of Freelance Cake, Austin L. Church discusses the moonlighter and hustler phases of freelancing, shining a light on the motivations, challenges, mistakes, and questions at each stage, as well as the main breakthrough and financial goal for each.


Whether you're reflecting on your current stage or aspiring to reach new heights in your freelancing career, this episode offers practical insights and guidance tailored to your unique stage.


This episode is part of a two-part series, and in the next installment, we'll explore the lifestyler and diversifier stages of freelancing. Don't forget to tune in for that one as we continue peeling back the layers of the freelancing journey.

Key points

  • Stages of freelancing (01:53)
  • Moonlighters overview (02:49)
  • The motivations for moonlighters (03:44)
  • The challenges for moonlighters (04:39)
  • The questions for moonlighters (05:50)
  • The main breakthrough for moonlighters (06:13)
  • Hustlers overview (08:29)
  • The motivations for hustlers (10:34)
  • The challenges for hustlers (11:10)
  • The questions and breakthrough for hustlers (12:39)
  • The main financial goal for hustlers (13:39)


Notable Quotes

  • "The main breakthrough for moonlighters is growing confidence in their ability to win projects and deliver outcomes while managing other responsibilities."
  • "The main breakthrough for hustlers is setting smart strategic prices that reward your skill, efficiency, and expertise."


Resources


This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Thu, 28 Dec 2023 21:53:35 -0500 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 939 You’ve surely heard of the corporate ladder, but what are the career progressions for freelancers? Those of us who sell creativity in some form usually freelance part-time at the start, and those who stick with it eventually think, “Hey, why shouldn’t I be one of those people who make money while they sleep?”


In this episode of Freelance Cake, Austin L. Church discusses the moonlighter and hustler phases of freelancing, shining a light on the motivations, challenges, mistakes, and questions at each stage, as well as the main breakthrough and financial goal for each.


Whether you're reflecting on your current stage or aspiring to reach new heights in your freelancing career, this episode offers practical insights and guidance tailored to your unique stage.


This episode is part of a two-part series, and in the next installment, we'll explore the lifestyler and diversifier stages of freelancing. Don't forget to tune in for that one as we continue peeling back the layers of the freelancing journey.

Key points

  • Stages of freelancing (01:53)
  • Moonlighters overview (02:49)
  • The motivations for moonlighters (03:44)
  • The challenges for moonlighters (04:39)
  • The questions for moonlighters (05:50)
  • The main breakthrough for moonlighters (06:13)
  • Hustlers overview (08:29)
  • The motivations for hustlers (10:34)
  • The challenges for hustlers (11:10)
  • The questions and breakthrough for hustlers (12:39)
  • The main financial goal for hustlers (13:39)


Notable Quotes

  • "The main breakthrough for moonlighters is growing confidence in their ability to win projects and deliver outcomes while managing other responsibilities."
  • "The main breakthrough for hustlers is setting smart strategic prices that reward your skill, efficiency, and expertise."


Resources


This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> stages of freelancing, freelance career paths, freelancing journey No How To Stay Focused and Productive as a Freelancer (+ Free 30/60/90 Day Plan Template) 11 11 How To Stay Focused and Productive as a Freelancer (+ Free 30/60/90 Day Plan Template) full ad4b16f9-9fac-4f16-b7ed-6a5c8ab895c4 https://www.freelancecake.com/podcast/30-60-90-day-plan In this episode, Austin explores the root problem freelancers face and the constant battle to ignore distractions in the midst of an overwhelming number of to-dos: marketing, client projects, website updates… No wonder many freelancers are burned out!

The truth is, we don’t really want to get more done. No, we want to focus on the right things at the right time, and push the unimportant stuff to the periphery.

So how can freelancers and consultants get clarity, reduce complexity, and build momentum faster?

You create an actionable plan you believe in.

If you want to do that and make minimum viable to transform your freelance business, be sure to grab the free 30/60/90 day plan template Austin mentions at the end.

Key points

  • What is the root problem for freelancers and consultants? (03:34)
  • What is the solution to the freelance focus problem? (08:25)
  • How can freelancers get more done without burning out? (11:42)
  • What is the next step? (14:57)

Notable Quotes

  • "You get more done by doing less but better."
  • "When you have a plan you believe in and make minimum viable progress each day, you will transform your freelance business."

Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. 30/60/90 Action Plan: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T_FyjAEPRqO-W1s0VqmSsDkLewm4v2wYReLgWrgqU5E/edit?usp=sharing
  2. Business Redesign Group Coaching Program: https://www.freelancecake.com/coaching

This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> In this episode, Austin explores the root problem freelancers face and the constant battle to ignore distractions in the midst of an overwhelming number of to-dos: marketing, client projects, website updates… No wonder many freelancers are burned out!

The truth is, we don’t really want to get more done. No, we want to focus on the right things at the right time, and push the unimportant stuff to the periphery.

So how can freelancers and consultants get clarity, reduce complexity, and build momentum faster?

You create an actionable plan you believe in.

If you want to do that and make minimum viable to transform your freelance business, be sure to grab the free 30/60/90 day plan template Austin mentions at the end.

Key points

  • What is the root problem for freelancers and consultants? (03:34)
  • What is the solution to the freelance focus problem? (08:25)
  • How can freelancers get more done without burning out? (11:42)
  • What is the next step? (14:57)

Notable Quotes

  • "You get more done by doing less but better."
  • "When you have a plan you believe in and make minimum viable progress each day, you will transform your freelance business."

Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. 30/60/90 Action Plan: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T_FyjAEPRqO-W1s0VqmSsDkLewm4v2wYReLgWrgqU5E/edit?usp=sharing
  2. Business Redesign Group Coaching Program: https://www.freelancecake.com/coaching

This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Fri, 15 Dec 2023 00:00:25 -0500 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 992 In this episode, Austin explores the root problem freelancers face and the constant battle to ignore distractions in the midst of an overwhelming number of to-dos: marketing, client projects, website updates… No wonder many freelancers are burned out!

The truth is, we don’t really want to get more done. No, we want to focus on the right things at the right time, and push the unimportant stuff to the periphery.

So how can freelancers and consultants get clarity, reduce complexity, and build momentum faster?

You create an actionable plan you believe in.

If you want to do that and make minimum viable to transform your freelance business, be sure to grab the free 30/60/90 day plan template Austin mentions at the end.

Key points

  • What is the root problem for freelancers and consultants? (03:34)
  • What is the solution to the freelance focus problem? (08:25)
  • How can freelancers get more done without burning out? (11:42)
  • What is the next step? (14:57)

Notable Quotes

  • "You get more done by doing less but better."
  • "When you have a plan you believe in and make minimum viable progress each day, you will transform your freelance business."

Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. 30/60/90 Action Plan: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T_FyjAEPRqO-W1s0VqmSsDkLewm4v2wYReLgWrgqU5E/edit?usp=sharing
  2. Business Redesign Group Coaching Program: https://www.freelancecake.com/coaching

This episode of Freelance Cake is brought to you by CrowdHealth

Healthcare in the US is complicated, confusing, and highly personal. Insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays can get really expensive, especially for freelancers and consultants who don’t have an employer paying for anything. Over the last 7 years, my family has saved $60,000+ in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket medical expenses that we would have paid with our previous insurance policy. Healthcare crowdfunding has been a game changer for us. If you live in the U.S. and you haven’t already explored what CrowdHealth has to offer, take the time to educate yourself. And if you decide you want to give them a try, go to www.joincrowdhealth.com. You can use promo code FREELANCECAKE during sign-up to save $99 per month for 3 months.


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> freelancing, 30/60/90 day plan, quarterly planning No 10 Steps to Help You Use the Right “Packaging” to 4x Your Freelance Prices 10 10 10 Steps to Help You Use the Right “Packaging” to 4x Your Freelance Prices full 054db6a7-7973-4232-850d-cfdeacfcf0b4 https://freelancecake.com/podcast/10-steps-to-help-you-use-the-right-packaging-to-4x-your-freelance-prices What if you could charge four times what you do now by making small changes to your freelance packaging?

The freelancers who win consistently aren't always the most skilled or the hardest working. They’re the ones who focus on finding the right advantages, or “levers.”

Packaging is one of those levers. 

If you've been in the freelance game for a while, you already have insight into your clients’ pains and wants. You’re already fixing their problems.

But do you have juicy offers that set you apart from other freelancers?

When you package up your services and outcomes and communicate the value as a juicy offer, you make it easy for your target audience to get excited.

In this episode, Austin shares an early coaching case study. Robert is a business consultant who signed up for Business (re)Launch, Austin’s freelance coaching program. With Austin’s help, he developed a new offer. 

The offer enabled Robert to charge four times what he had previously.

If you’re curious how they were able to do that, be sure to grab the 10 quick steps Austin shares at the end to help you rethink your packaging.

Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The Path(s) to Freelance Success (00:36)
  • It’s All About Pulling the Right Levers (02:23)
  • Doing Less (Not More) Helps You Grow Freelance Income Faster (04:19)
  • Better Packaging Communicates Higher Value (07:27)
  • When Is the Last Time You Really Considered the Packaging of Your Freelance Services? (09:21)

Notable Quotes


"The freelancers who win the game consistently aren't necessarily the most skilled or the hardest working."


"Better packaging communicates higher value."


"If you are already creating significant value for your clients, small changes to your packaging can have a huge impact on your earning."


Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss: https://www.amazon.com/Million-Dollar-Consulting-Alan-Weiss/dp/0071622101 
  2. Business Bootcamp for Freelancers: https://freelancecake.com/coaching 

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> What if you could charge four times what you do now by making small changes to your freelance packaging?

The freelancers who win consistently aren't always the most skilled or the hardest working. They’re the ones who focus on finding the right advantages, or “levers.”

Packaging is one of those levers. 

If you've been in the freelance game for a while, you already have insight into your clients’ pains and wants. You’re already fixing their problems.

But do you have juicy offers that set you apart from other freelancers?

When you package up your services and outcomes and communicate the value as a juicy offer, you make it easy for your target audience to get excited.

In this episode, Austin shares an early coaching case study. Robert is a business consultant who signed up for Business (re)Launch, Austin’s freelance coaching program. With Austin’s help, he developed a new offer. 

The offer enabled Robert to charge four times what he had previously.

If you’re curious how they were able to do that, be sure to grab the 10 quick steps Austin shares at the end to help you rethink your packaging.

Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The Path(s) to Freelance Success (00:36)
  • It’s All About Pulling the Right Levers (02:23)
  • Doing Less (Not More) Helps You Grow Freelance Income Faster (04:19)
  • Better Packaging Communicates Higher Value (07:27)
  • When Is the Last Time You Really Considered the Packaging of Your Freelance Services? (09:21)

Notable Quotes


"The freelancers who win the game consistently aren't necessarily the most skilled or the hardest working."


"Better packaging communicates higher value."


"If you are already creating significant value for your clients, small changes to your packaging can have a huge impact on your earning."


Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss: https://www.amazon.com/Million-Dollar-Consulting-Alan-Weiss/dp/0071622101 
  2. Business Bootcamp for Freelancers: https://freelancecake.com/coaching 

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Thu, 29 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 787 What if you could charge four times what you do now by making small changes to your freelance packaging? In episode 010, Austin shares an early coaching case study. Robert is a business consultant who signed up for Business (re)Launch, Austin's freelance coaching program. With Austin's help, he developed a new offer. The offer enabled Robert to charge four times what he had previously. When you package up your services and outcomes and communicate the value as a juicy offer, you make it easy for your audience to get excited. What if you could charge four times what you do now by making small changes to your freelance packaging? In episode 010, Austin shares an early coaching case study. Robert is a business consultant who signed up for Business (re)Launch, Austin's freelan packaging freelance services, freelance packaging, packaging your freelance services, freelance services, freelance services to offer, marketing freelance services, how to package freelance services, package your services as a freelancer, package and price your freelance services, freelancing No How to Sell Outcomes, not Hours: The Perfect 9-Word Response for Freelance Clients 9 9 How to Sell Outcomes, not Hours: The Perfect 9-Word Response for Freelance Clients full 541d9cbe-2d23-41dd-97ef-23d5eaee93ad https://freelancecake.com/podcast/how-to-sell-outcomes-not-hours Hourly is by far the most popular freelance pricing model, and freelancers often get asked, "What do you charge?” Or, “What’s your hourly rate?”

But when you think about it, time is never what clients want to buy.


Read that again. Time isn’t really what clients want to buy.


A patient getting heart surgery doesn’t want the surgeon’s time. She wants the surgeon to save her life. Surgeons, pilots, architects, engineers, and accountants—all of their customers buy the same thing: outcomes, not hours.

It's the same with our freelance clients.

They have problems they want to disappear. Our job is to deliver the desired business outcome, not give them our time.  

Though clients still ask to pay for time, a lot more is required to truly serve them: our creative skills, our soft skills, expertise, accumulated experience, taste, judgment, personality, and thoughtful decision-making. 

If you want to win at this freelancing game, reframe the conversation. Start selling outcomes, not hours.

In this episode, Austin will share real-life situations of why outcome-based selling makes perfect sense for freelancers.

He also shares the perfect 9-word response to use with time-focused clients. Make sure to save it!

Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • What Do Freelance Clients Really Buy From You? (00:37)
  • Why NOT Selling Hours Just Makes Sense (01:31)
  • What Sets Freelancers Apart From Other Types of Workers (03:37)
  • A Coaching Client’s Journey to Selling Outcomes (06:00)
  • You Can and Should Sell Outcomes Instead of Hours Too (09:34)

Notable Quotes


“To win at this freelancing game, you need to rethink what it is that you sell, and what it is that clients are really buying from you.”


Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. aText

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Hourly is by far the most popular freelance pricing model, and freelancers often get asked, "What do you charge?” Or, “What’s your hourly rate?”

But when you think about it, time is never what clients want to buy.


Read that again. Time isn’t really what clients want to buy.


A patient getting heart surgery doesn’t want the surgeon’s time. She wants the surgeon to save her life. Surgeons, pilots, architects, engineers, and accountants—all of their customers buy the same thing: outcomes, not hours.

It's the same with our freelance clients.

They have problems they want to disappear. Our job is to deliver the desired business outcome, not give them our time.  

Though clients still ask to pay for time, a lot more is required to truly serve them: our creative skills, our soft skills, expertise, accumulated experience, taste, judgment, personality, and thoughtful decision-making. 

If you want to win at this freelancing game, reframe the conversation. Start selling outcomes, not hours.

In this episode, Austin will share real-life situations of why outcome-based selling makes perfect sense for freelancers.

He also shares the perfect 9-word response to use with time-focused clients. Make sure to save it!

Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • What Do Freelance Clients Really Buy From You? (00:37)
  • Why NOT Selling Hours Just Makes Sense (01:31)
  • What Sets Freelancers Apart From Other Types of Workers (03:37)
  • A Coaching Client’s Journey to Selling Outcomes (06:00)
  • You Can and Should Sell Outcomes Instead of Hours Too (09:34)

Notable Quotes


“To win at this freelancing game, you need to rethink what it is that you sell, and what it is that clients are really buying from you.”


Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. aText

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Fri, 09 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 739 Hourly is by far the most popular freelance pricing model, but time is never what clients want. Our job is to deliver the desired business outcome, not give them our time. Reframe the conversation and start selling outcomes, not hours. In this episode, Austin shares real-life situations of why outcome-based selling makes perfect sense for freelancers, as well as the perfect 9-word response to use with time-focused clients. Make sure to save it! Hourly is by far the most popular freelance pricing model, but time is never what clients want. Our job is to deliver the desired business outcome, not give them our time. Reframe the conversation and start selling outcomes, not hours. In this episode, outcome-based selling, outcome selling, selling outcomes, business outcome selling, sell outcomes instead of hours, freelancing, freelance pricing, pricing model No 7-Step Freakout Protocol for Getting Last-Minute Freelance Income 8 8 7-Step Freakout Protocol for Getting Last-Minute Freelance Income full 5d32af80-aada-4164-871b-5096cd216f59 https://freelancecake.com/podcast/7-step-freakout-protocol-for-getting-last-minute-freelance-income One month, you're swamped with freelance work. The next, your project pipeline is dry. 

You try all the tactics you can think of. You cast your marketing net far and wide. You come up empty-handed. 


Meanwhile, those bills keep coming. It's no surprise that a lot of freelancers develop money anxieties! 


Irregular income and anxiety makes it difficult for freelancers to do their best work and harness their creativity to score freelance projects.


In this episode, Austin shares his 7-step freakout protocol. It will come in handy when you’re staring down the end of the month and freaking out a little about your lack of freelance clients. 


Austin also gives away free email templates that you can use to follow up with past clients and silent prospects without getting on their nerves. 


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The Perennial Needs of Freelancers? (00:36)
  • The 7-Step Freakout Protocol (02:00)

Notable Quotes

“Anxiety about money can cause our creativity to contract like water when the temperature drops. We really have to fight harder to open up that creativity, to expand it, and think, “Maybe this is an opportunity to go after a dream client."


"Share what you’re building online. Give the play-by-play. Invite people into the mess. Show the work while the sawdust is still on it.”


Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. Lead Tracker Template


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> One month, you're swamped with freelance work. The next, your project pipeline is dry. 

You try all the tactics you can think of. You cast your marketing net far and wide. You come up empty-handed. 


Meanwhile, those bills keep coming. It's no surprise that a lot of freelancers develop money anxieties! 


Irregular income and anxiety makes it difficult for freelancers to do their best work and harness their creativity to score freelance projects.


In this episode, Austin shares his 7-step freakout protocol. It will come in handy when you’re staring down the end of the month and freaking out a little about your lack of freelance clients. 


Austin also gives away free email templates that you can use to follow up with past clients and silent prospects without getting on their nerves. 


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The Perennial Needs of Freelancers? (00:36)
  • The 7-Step Freakout Protocol (02:00)

Notable Quotes

“Anxiety about money can cause our creativity to contract like water when the temperature drops. We really have to fight harder to open up that creativity, to expand it, and think, “Maybe this is an opportunity to go after a dream client."


"Share what you’re building online. Give the play-by-play. Invite people into the mess. Show the work while the sawdust is still on it.”


Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. Lead Tracker Template


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Thu, 04 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 771 In Episode 008, Austin shares his 7-step freakout protocol – which will come in handy when you’re staring down the end of the month and freaking out a little about your lack of freelance clients. Clients come and go. Meanwhile, bills keep coming; it's no surprise that many freelancers develop money worries! This episode will help you overcome financial anxieties that make it difficult to do your best work and harness your creativity to score freelance projects. Make sure you listen all the way to the end, and don't forget to grab Austin's free templates on how to follow up with past clients or silent prospects without getting on their nerves. In Episode 008, Austin shares his 7-step freakout protocol – which will come in handy when you’re staring down the end of the month and freaking out a little about your lack of freelance clients. Clients come and go. Meanwhile, bills keep coming; it's freelance income, irregular income, money anxieties, freelance clients, project pipeline, freelancing No Art and Commerce Do Mix – Ditch the “Starving Artist” Mindset & Upgrade Your Limiting Beliefs About Money & Creativity 7 7 Art and Commerce Do Mix – Ditch the “Starving Artist” Mindset & Upgrade Your Limiting Beliefs About Money & Creativity full 130cef26-26fd-4f95-b773-9cdd6a709772 https://freelancecake.com/podcast/art-and-commerce-do-mix-ditch-the-starving-artist-mindset-and-upgrade-your-limiting-beliefs-about-money-and-creativity Can you be successful at art and business? Can you sell your work without compromising your artistic integrity?


We’re all familiar with the identity of the starving artist.


The assumption that artists and freelance creatives must forego financial stability to preserve their creative integrity usually goes unchallenged. It’s taken as a fact of life, like gravity. Art and commerce don’t mix. They’re fundamentally at odds. You’d better love what you do because passion don’t pay, pal. 


This mentality runs rampant in art schools, creative writing programs, and even the online creator community.


But what if that way of thinking is wrong? What if art and commerce can mix and always have?


You don't need to struggle with money just because you want to keep creativity and craft front and center in your life. The truth is, you can make exceptionally good stuff while also creating a great livelihood for yourself. You can put an end to the starving artist mentality and embrace the reality that the right people will place a high value on your work.


In Episode 007, Austin discusses the false dichotomy between art and commerce. He then breaks down the Japanese concept of “ikigai. Finally, he encourages freelancers to overcome self-limiting beliefs about money by viewing it as a tool – rather than a goal – that allows them more creativity, freedom, and generosity.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The "Ikigai" Concept and How It Relates to Freelancers (00:35)
  • The False Dichotomy Between Art and Commerce (02:43)
  • How Do We Define Artistic Integrity Anyway? (06:52)

Notable Quotes


"None of us can really make the case that financial struggles somehow make you a better artist, or that not struggling financially means you're bound to compromise your artistic integrity."


"Being paid to use a skill does not make you a second-rate artist, and not getting paid does not make you a first-rate artist."


"If we learn how to make more money in less time, we can serve our customers better, have more freedom, and give more generously without burning out or becoming people we don't like."


"Let’s toss out our false dichotomies into the wind and come up with some more robust and durable beliefs about the relationship between art and commerce. Once we upgrade our beliefs, we'll find it easier to build freelance businesses that we really love."


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Can you be successful at art and business? Can you sell your work without compromising your artistic integrity?


We’re all familiar with the identity of the starving artist.


The assumption that artists and freelance creatives must forego financial stability to preserve their creative integrity usually goes unchallenged. It’s taken as a fact of life, like gravity. Art and commerce don’t mix. They’re fundamentally at odds. You’d better love what you do because passion don’t pay, pal. 


This mentality runs rampant in art schools, creative writing programs, and even the online creator community.


But what if that way of thinking is wrong? What if art and commerce can mix and always have?


You don't need to struggle with money just because you want to keep creativity and craft front and center in your life. The truth is, you can make exceptionally good stuff while also creating a great livelihood for yourself. You can put an end to the starving artist mentality and embrace the reality that the right people will place a high value on your work.


In Episode 007, Austin discusses the false dichotomy between art and commerce. He then breaks down the Japanese concept of “ikigai. Finally, he encourages freelancers to overcome self-limiting beliefs about money by viewing it as a tool – rather than a goal – that allows them more creativity, freedom, and generosity.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The "Ikigai" Concept and How It Relates to Freelancers (00:35)
  • The False Dichotomy Between Art and Commerce (02:43)
  • How Do We Define Artistic Integrity Anyway? (06:52)

Notable Quotes


"None of us can really make the case that financial struggles somehow make you a better artist, or that not struggling financially means you're bound to compromise your artistic integrity."


"Being paid to use a skill does not make you a second-rate artist, and not getting paid does not make you a first-rate artist."


"If we learn how to make more money in less time, we can serve our customers better, have more freedom, and give more generously without burning out or becoming people we don't like."


"Let’s toss out our false dichotomies into the wind and come up with some more robust and durable beliefs about the relationship between art and commerce. Once we upgrade our beliefs, we'll find it easier to build freelance businesses that we really love."


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Fri, 22 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 678 In Episode 007, Austin discusses the false dichotomy between art and commerce. He also breaks down the Japanese concept of “ikigai. Finally, he encourages freelancers to overcome self-limiting beliefs about money by viewing it as a tool – rather than a goal – that allows them more creativity, freedom, and generosity. We’re all familiar with the identity of the starving artist – the assumption that artists and freelance creatives must forego financial stability to preserve their creative integrity usually goes unchallenged. But what if that way of thinking is wrong? The truth is, you can make exceptionally good stuff while also creating a great livelihood for yourself. You can put an end to the starving artist mentality and embrace the reality that the right people will place a high value on your work. In Episode 007, Austin discusses the false dichotomy between art and commerce. He also breaks down the Japanese concept of “ikigai. Finally, he encourages freelancers to overcome self-limiting beliefs about money by viewing it as a tool – rather than a go art and commerce, limiting beliefs, limiting beliefs about money, money beliefs, artistic integrity, starving artist No Niching Down Is Really About Abundance Mindset & Strategic Simplicity 6 6 Niching Down Is Really About Abundance Mindset & Strategic Simplicity full 0476b2da-518b-4adb-a2e2-7d98e6899eee https://freelancecake.com/podcast/niching-down-is-really-about-abundance-mindset-and-strategic-simplicity To niche or not to niche, that is the question.


Many freelancers have the "jack of all trades" mentality. To survive in the freelance business, we take on a variety of projects in a variety of industries. That's what Austin did for 6 years. As a generalist, he made freelancing harder on himself. 


After adopting more of an abundance mindset, Austin specialized in content marketing for tech founders and SaaS companies. Specialization simplified his marketing.


When you study freelancers or consultants who make six or seven figures, you’ll notice they provide only a handful of services or outcomes for a narrow slice of a single market or industry. 


Picking a niche can help you make more money as a freelancer and find more satisfaction from your work.


In Episode 006, Austin shares 16 benefits of finding a profitable and sustainable nice niche and explains why so many freelancers still choose not to specialize despite the apparent benefits. He also tackles 4 myths about niching down to encourage more freelancers to take the leap.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • Identifying Your Niche (or Is It Even Necessary?) (00:36)
  • The Difference Between Being a Generalist and a Specialist in Marketing (02:17)
  • So, What Are the Benefits of Niching Down? (03:47)
  • And Why Doesn’t Every Freelancer Specialize? (10:08)
  • Debunking Niching Down Myths: I Want To Tell You What’s Really True (12:28)
  • Real Niche Product Examples That Found Success in Specializing (15:10)
  • How Do You Know a Nice Niche When You See One? (21:05)
  • Things (Lenses) To Look Out for in Finding Your Niche (23:10)
  • Resolving Two Long-Standing Disputes in Freelancing (27:05)
  • You’re the Boss, You Make the Rules (28:31)

Notable Quotes

“When you’re a generalist, you believe that anyone can be your client. When you’re targeting everyone, you target no one.”

"If there's one thing in your freelance business that you should put some work into, it's scarcity mindset."

]]> To niche or not to niche, that is the question.


Many freelancers have the "jack of all trades" mentality. To survive in the freelance business, we take on a variety of projects in a variety of industries. That's what Austin did for 6 years. As a generalist, he made freelancing harder on himself. 


After adopting more of an abundance mindset, Austin specialized in content marketing for tech founders and SaaS companies. Specialization simplified his marketing.


When you study freelancers or consultants who make six or seven figures, you’ll notice they provide only a handful of services or outcomes for a narrow slice of a single market or industry. 


Picking a niche can help you make more money as a freelancer and find more satisfaction from your work.


In Episode 006, Austin shares 16 benefits of finding a profitable and sustainable nice niche and explains why so many freelancers still choose not to specialize despite the apparent benefits. He also tackles 4 myths about niching down to encourage more freelancers to take the leap.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • Identifying Your Niche (or Is It Even Necessary?) (00:36)
  • The Difference Between Being a Generalist and a Specialist in Marketing (02:17)
  • So, What Are the Benefits of Niching Down? (03:47)
  • And Why Doesn’t Every Freelancer Specialize? (10:08)
  • Debunking Niching Down Myths: I Want To Tell You What’s Really True (12:28)
  • Real Niche Product Examples That Found Success in Specializing (15:10)
  • How Do You Know a Nice Niche When You See One? (21:05)
  • Things (Lenses) To Look Out for in Finding Your Niche (23:10)
  • Resolving Two Long-Standing Disputes in Freelancing (27:05)
  • You’re the Boss, You Make the Rules (28:31)

Notable Quotes

“When you’re a generalist, you believe that anyone can be your client. When you’re targeting everyone, you target no one.”

"If there's one thing in your freelance business that you should put some work into, it's scarcity mindset."

]]> Fri, 08 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 1793 In Episode 006, Austin shares 16 benefits of finding a profitable and sustainable nice niche and explains why so many freelancers still choose not to specialize despite the apparent benefits. He also tackles 4 myths about niching down to encourage more freelancers to take the leap. To survive in the freelance business, we take on a variety of projects in a variety of industries. We make freelancing harder on ourselves. After adopting more of an abundance mindset, Austin specialized in content marketing for tech founders and SaaS companies. Specialization simplified his marketing. The question remains: To niche or not to niche? Listen to the episode and decide for yourself! In Episode 006, Austin shares 16 benefits of finding a profitable and sustainable nice niche and explains why so many freelancers still choose not to specialize despite the apparent benefits. He also tackles 4 myths about niching down to encourage more fr niching down, niche product examples, niched down, how to find your niche, how to niche down No Less But Better - The Marketing Principle That Helps Freelancers Stay Consistent Even When They’re Busy 5 5 Less But Better - The Marketing Principle That Helps Freelancers Stay Consistent Even When They’re Busy full 0ce78a3f-a72f-4c73-b4d9-68bce9422152 https://freelancecake.com/podcast/less-but-better-the-marketing-principle-that-helps-freelancers-stay-consistent-even-when-busy In this episode, Austin shares the 20 Stories Exercise that helped him build a predictable flow of freelance income. He also goes over the 6 questions you need to uncover which of your current marketing strategies bring you your best, easiest money.


Then, once you know where your best income is coming from, you can put his marketing ideas into action!


What is the biggest challenge most freelancers face? Unpredictable income. And what is the main cause of unpredictable income? Not enough project leads. 


So what’s the one lever that could make many other freelance problems disappear?


A surplus of leads.


Austin's freelancing business did not always have predictable cash flow. Like many other freelancers and consultants, he was dissatisfied with his income. 


When he was busy with client work, marketing was the first thing to go. When his pipeline dried up, he’d be scrambling to find enough freelance work and get money in the bank.


Eventually, he realized that the best time for marketing is when he had no time for marketing.


The only way he would stay consistent was if he simplified his approach. Complexity gets in the way of consistency!


The need to simplify his approach to marketing led Austin to create the 20 Stories Exercise. The exercise reveals which strategies deserve a freelancer’s time and effort and which are ineffective, if not futile.


Freelancers have a bad habit of chasing every new marketing strategy on every platform, but we get better results when we do less but better:

  • Focus on a handful of core strategies.
  • Pick numbers to track in a scorecard.
  • Stop doing what doesn’t work.
  • Double down on what does.
  • Improve over time.

Less but better is a marketing principle Austin drew from German industrial designer Dieter Rams.

If you struggle to stay consistent with marketing or find the whole process intimidating, this episode is for you. 


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The puzzling $1 bills at Starbucks (00:37)
  • What does pattern-matching have to do with freelancing and marketing? (03:24)
  • How does the 20 Stories Exercise work? (05:15)
  • A marketing principle + 7 ideas to improve proven marketing strategies (09:23)
  • Investments that promote your growth (21:41)
  • What persistence and consistency can do for your freelance business (24:53)
  • Build better systems and commit to doing them consistently (29:15)

Notable Quotes

“When you’re in a car moving really, really fast, the objects passing by the window become a blur. The same happens with our businesses. It’s not until we actually take a break or when we slow down that we get clarity.”


"As time passes, as I develop my business, I want to be a little less wrong…and then a little less wrong."


“Take messy, imperfect action. Realize that it’s gonna be ugly, but that’s how improvement happens over time.”


"Marketing is probably the biggest lever for your freelance business."


Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. 20 Stories Exercise
  2. Justin Welsh's The LinkedIn Operating System
  3. Top Podcast Picks
  4. Austin’s High-Income Business Writing Podcast Appearance
  5. 22 Open-Ended Consulting Questions
  6. FreelanceCake.com/Coaching

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> In this episode, Austin shares the 20 Stories Exercise that helped him build a predictable flow of freelance income. He also goes over the 6 questions you need to uncover which of your current marketing strategies bring you your best, easiest money.


Then, once you know where your best income is coming from, you can put his marketing ideas into action!


What is the biggest challenge most freelancers face? Unpredictable income. And what is the main cause of unpredictable income? Not enough project leads. 


So what’s the one lever that could make many other freelance problems disappear?


A surplus of leads.


Austin's freelancing business did not always have predictable cash flow. Like many other freelancers and consultants, he was dissatisfied with his income. 


When he was busy with client work, marketing was the first thing to go. When his pipeline dried up, he’d be scrambling to find enough freelance work and get money in the bank.


Eventually, he realized that the best time for marketing is when he had no time for marketing.


The only way he would stay consistent was if he simplified his approach. Complexity gets in the way of consistency!


The need to simplify his approach to marketing led Austin to create the 20 Stories Exercise. The exercise reveals which strategies deserve a freelancer’s time and effort and which are ineffective, if not futile.


Freelancers have a bad habit of chasing every new marketing strategy on every platform, but we get better results when we do less but better:

  • Focus on a handful of core strategies.
  • Pick numbers to track in a scorecard.
  • Stop doing what doesn’t work.
  • Double down on what does.
  • Improve over time.

Less but better is a marketing principle Austin drew from German industrial designer Dieter Rams.

If you struggle to stay consistent with marketing or find the whole process intimidating, this episode is for you. 


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The puzzling $1 bills at Starbucks (00:37)
  • What does pattern-matching have to do with freelancing and marketing? (03:24)
  • How does the 20 Stories Exercise work? (05:15)
  • A marketing principle + 7 ideas to improve proven marketing strategies (09:23)
  • Investments that promote your growth (21:41)
  • What persistence and consistency can do for your freelance business (24:53)
  • Build better systems and commit to doing them consistently (29:15)

Notable Quotes

“When you’re in a car moving really, really fast, the objects passing by the window become a blur. The same happens with our businesses. It’s not until we actually take a break or when we slow down that we get clarity.”


"As time passes, as I develop my business, I want to be a little less wrong…and then a little less wrong."


“Take messy, imperfect action. Realize that it’s gonna be ugly, but that’s how improvement happens over time.”


"Marketing is probably the biggest lever for your freelance business."


Resources mentioned in this episode:

  1. 20 Stories Exercise
  2. Justin Welsh's The LinkedIn Operating System
  3. Top Podcast Picks
  4. Austin’s High-Income Business Writing Podcast Appearance
  5. 22 Open-Ended Consulting Questions
  6. FreelanceCake.com/Coaching

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Tue, 14 Jun 2022 22:33:18 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 1901 In Episode #5, Austin shares the 20 Stories Exercise that helped him build a predictable flow of freelance income. He also goes over the 6 questions you need to uncover which of your current marketing strategies bring you your best, easiest money. Freelancers have a bad habit of chasing every new marketing strategy on every platform, when we get better results when we do “less but better” – a marketing principle Austin drew from German industrial designer Dieter Rams. Are you having trouble staying on top of your marketing or is the whole process too intimidating for you? This episode is for you. In Episode #5, Austin shares the 20 Stories Exercise that helped him build a predictable flow of freelance income. He also goes over the 6 questions you need to uncover which of your current marketing strategies bring you your best, easiest money. Free marketing principle, less but better, marketing ideas, marketing strategy, freelancing No Pricing Is Branding – Using the Psychology of Pricing to Attract Better Clients & Shape What They Believe About You 4 4 Pricing Is Branding – Using the Psychology of Pricing to Attract Better Clients & Shape What They Believe About You full d3c19644-c2c5-4b20-9ed8-49ed9da38710 https://freelancecake.com/podcast/pricing-is-branding-using-the-psychology-of-pricing-to-attract-better-clients

A potential client named Andrew asked Austin that question when he first started freelancing. 


Austin had just been laid off from his job at a marketing agency, and he chose $40 per hour as his rate because his agency had billed out his time at $85 an hour. If he charged half, then maybe clients would feel like they were getting a good deal.


He wasn’t confident in that rate though and would have agreed to less. With only $486 to his name, he was desperate for a paying freelance gig! 


Does that describe you now?


Are you one of the many freelancers who think clients only want a good deal? Do you come down on price when clients push back? Do you feel like you have to charge less than the next guy or gal to be competitive?


Chances are, you're charging less than you should be.


But how do you know how much your work is worth? What are the actual costs of doing business? Who even decides these things? Pricing our services can feel like pulling teeth. 


Here's something to think about:


Steve Jobs once paid a designer named Paul Rand $100,000 to create a logo for NeXT Computing. You read that right—$ 100,000 for a logo. In 1986.


Was Paul Rand’s work a hundred times better than the designer who charged $1,000?


Of course, not!


Talent or skill can’t explain a 100x higher price. So what gives?


What we’re able to charge often comes down to our confidence and mindset. Our target audience is certainly a factor too. What value do clients in that market or niche put on the outcomes you deliver?


Things are worth what people will pay, and what people will pay goes up with perceived value. Perceived value goes up with perceived expertise.


If you aren’t satisfied with your prices or your freelance income, you need to reassess self-imposed psychological barriers.


What if you knew that shifting to a particular pricing strategy could help you stand out from the competition? What if you were confident that your freelance pricing were sending the right signals about your brand, services, and value?


Your pricing strategy can attract the types of clients you want.


This episode will give you the chance to ponder your current pricing, identify your mental traps, and start upgrading your limiting beliefs. To get paid what you're worth, you’ve got to take your head trash to the curb.


If you do nothing else, follow the advice Andrew gave me: raise your prices.

Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The great recession and my journey into freelancing (00:37)
  • Learning about value-based pricing from an unlikely source (02:42)
  • The most important lesson I learned from this experience (08:09)
  • Price-sensitive vs value-focused clients (11:30)
  • What signals are you sending with your prices? (12:55)

Notable Quotes


“When you’re in a vulnerable moment, you really appreciate people who don’t take advantage of your vulnerability – but instead take that opportunity to elevate you.”


“When you’re coming out of any type of job where your work has been commoditized or devalued, you may have already gotten into the habit of devaluing your work yourself.”


“You’ll find it easier to build a profitable business with value-focused clients who will like the quality, experience, and professionalism you deliver.”


Resources mentioned in this episode:

freelancecake.com/coaching


Listen, rate, and subscribe!


For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]>

A potential client named Andrew asked Austin that question when he first started freelancing. 


Austin had just been laid off from his job at a marketing agency, and he chose $40 per hour as his rate because his agency had billed out his time at $85 an hour. If he charged half, then maybe clients would feel like they were getting a good deal.


He wasn’t confident in that rate though and would have agreed to less. With only $486 to his name, he was desperate for a paying freelance gig! 


Does that describe you now?


Are you one of the many freelancers who think clients only want a good deal? Do you come down on price when clients push back? Do you feel like you have to charge less than the next guy or gal to be competitive?


Chances are, you're charging less than you should be.


But how do you know how much your work is worth? What are the actual costs of doing business? Who even decides these things? Pricing our services can feel like pulling teeth. 


Here's something to think about:


Steve Jobs once paid a designer named Paul Rand $100,000 to create a logo for NeXT Computing. You read that right—$ 100,000 for a logo. In 1986.


Was Paul Rand’s work a hundred times better than the designer who charged $1,000?


Of course, not!


Talent or skill can’t explain a 100x higher price. So what gives?


What we’re able to charge often comes down to our confidence and mindset. Our target audience is certainly a factor too. What value do clients in that market or niche put on the outcomes you deliver?


Things are worth what people will pay, and what people will pay goes up with perceived value. Perceived value goes up with perceived expertise.


If you aren’t satisfied with your prices or your freelance income, you need to reassess self-imposed psychological barriers.


What if you knew that shifting to a particular pricing strategy could help you stand out from the competition? What if you were confident that your freelance pricing were sending the right signals about your brand, services, and value?


Your pricing strategy can attract the types of clients you want.


This episode will give you the chance to ponder your current pricing, identify your mental traps, and start upgrading your limiting beliefs. To get paid what you're worth, you’ve got to take your head trash to the curb.


If you do nothing else, follow the advice Andrew gave me: raise your prices.

Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The great recession and my journey into freelancing (00:37)
  • Learning about value-based pricing from an unlikely source (02:42)
  • The most important lesson I learned from this experience (08:09)
  • Price-sensitive vs value-focused clients (11:30)
  • What signals are you sending with your prices? (12:55)

Notable Quotes


“When you’re in a vulnerable moment, you really appreciate people who don’t take advantage of your vulnerability – but instead take that opportunity to elevate you.”


“When you’re coming out of any type of job where your work has been commoditized or devalued, you may have already gotten into the habit of devaluing your work yourself.”


“You’ll find it easier to build a profitable business with value-focused clients who will like the quality, experience, and professionalism you deliver.”


Resources mentioned in this episode:

freelancecake.com/coaching


Listen, rate, and subscribe!


For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Thu, 26 May 2022 05:00:00 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 886 In Episode #4, Austin L. Church takes you back to April 2009 when he first started his freelance journey. Two weeks after getting laid off from his job at a marketing agency, a potential client named Andrew asked Austin this question: "What do you charge?" He chose $40 per hour as his rate because his agency had billed out his time at $85 an hour. If he charged half, then maybe clients would feel like they were getting a good deal. Does that describe you now? Are you one of the many freelancers who think clients only want a good deal? Chances are, you're charging less than you could be. This episode will give you the chance to ponder your current pricing, identify your mental traps, and start upgrading your limiting beliefs. To get paid what you're worth, you’ve got to take your head trash to the curb. In Episode #4, Austin L. Church takes you back to April 2009 when he first started his freelance journey. Two weeks after getting laid off from his job at a marketing agency, a potential client named Andrew asked Austin this question: "What do you char psychology of pricing, freelance pricing, pricing strategy, price positioning, get paid what you're worth No 3 Freelance Goal Setting Questions to Keep Your Business Moving in the Right Direction 3 3 3 Freelance Goal Setting Questions to Keep Your Business Moving in the Right Direction full 2b7ec12c-ab1b-4230-8317-fbd957f61626 https://freelancecake.com/podcast/freelance-goal-setting-questions-to-keep-your-business-moving-in-the-right-direction Freelancing is hard work. There are so many moving parts in your freelance business: project management, marketing strategies, setting your freelance rates, you name it. 


With all those priorities flying around, all that noise and motion, it’s easy to get off track. It’s easy to keep saying yes to crazy clients and boring projects. It’s easy to forget why you got into this in the first place.


One of Austin’s coaching clients experienced a record month, and said "It nearly killed me."


Can you relate? Do you ever feel like you’re getting dragged around by your freelance business? Take this podcast episode as your opportunity to reconnect with what you really want. 


Freelancing can be rewarding and exciting. The more clearly you define your freelance goals and motivations, the better your decisions will be. Clear goals generate desire and intent. 


Are you not making enough? Are you making enough but working too much? What needs to change? 


Discipline is remembering what you want.


In this episode, Austin shares the goal-setting exercise that helped him and his wife break their overspending habit. He also goes over the 3 questions you need to keep your freelance business on the rails and get the kind of growth you want.


Listen through to the end, take 20-30 minutes to write down your goals and core motivations for your freelance business, and put them somewhere you can’t miss them.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The quote that helped me beat overspending (00:38)
  • Identifying your goals for your freelance business (02:17)
  • 3 questions you must ask yourself to determine your freelance goals (04:16)
  • Why setting your freelancing goals is important (07:40)
  • Increasing your income opens up new opportunities (10:20)

Notable Quotes


“In our darker moments when the wave of emotions and the wind of doubt are tossing the boat around, our goals can act as a lighthouse.”


“When you stop worrying about money, when cash flow is no longer your primary limiting constraint, your imagination stands up, shakes out its wings, and takes flight.”


“You’ll find it easier to finish what you start if you focus on what matters most to you.”

Links and resources from this episode

freelancecake.com/coaching


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Freelancing is hard work. There are so many moving parts in your freelance business: project management, marketing strategies, setting your freelance rates, you name it. 


With all those priorities flying around, all that noise and motion, it’s easy to get off track. It’s easy to keep saying yes to crazy clients and boring projects. It’s easy to forget why you got into this in the first place.


One of Austin’s coaching clients experienced a record month, and said "It nearly killed me."


Can you relate? Do you ever feel like you’re getting dragged around by your freelance business? Take this podcast episode as your opportunity to reconnect with what you really want. 


Freelancing can be rewarding and exciting. The more clearly you define your freelance goals and motivations, the better your decisions will be. Clear goals generate desire and intent. 


Are you not making enough? Are you making enough but working too much? What needs to change? 


Discipline is remembering what you want.


In this episode, Austin shares the goal-setting exercise that helped him and his wife break their overspending habit. He also goes over the 3 questions you need to keep your freelance business on the rails and get the kind of growth you want.


Listen through to the end, take 20-30 minutes to write down your goals and core motivations for your freelance business, and put them somewhere you can’t miss them.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • The quote that helped me beat overspending (00:38)
  • Identifying your goals for your freelance business (02:17)
  • 3 questions you must ask yourself to determine your freelance goals (04:16)
  • Why setting your freelancing goals is important (07:40)
  • Increasing your income opens up new opportunities (10:20)

Notable Quotes


“In our darker moments when the wave of emotions and the wind of doubt are tossing the boat around, our goals can act as a lighthouse.”


“When you stop worrying about money, when cash flow is no longer your primary limiting constraint, your imagination stands up, shakes out its wings, and takes flight.”


“You’ll find it easier to finish what you start if you focus on what matters most to you.”

Links and resources from this episode

freelancecake.com/coaching


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Thu, 12 May 2022 05:00:00 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 838 In Episode #3, Austin L. Church shares the goal-setting exercise that helped him and his wife break their overspending habit. He also goes over the 3 questions you need to keep your freelance business on the rails and get the kind of growth you want. Freelancing is hard work. With all the moving parts in your freelance business, and all the noise and motion, it's easy to get off track. Austin heard a wise person say, “Discipline is remembering what you want.” The more clearly you define your freelance goals and motivations, the better your decisions will be. Take this podcast episode as your opportunity to reconnect with what you really want. In Episode #3, Austin L. Church shares the goal-setting exercise that helped him and his wife break their overspending habit. He also goes over the 3 questions you need to keep your freelance business on the rails and get the kind of growth you want. F freelance goals, how to set freelance goals, freelance goal setting, freelancing No How Debt & Desperation Led to Value-Based Pricing & Selling Strategy 2 2 How Debt & Desperation Led to Value-Based Pricing & Selling Strategy full 1274c100-6943-42db-8900-e478e961b4da https://freelancecake.com/podcast/how-debt-and-desperation-led-to-value-based-pricing-and-selling-strategy Are you getting paid to uncover pains and problems your clients don't know they have? If not, you're probably in the same situation as Austin was: juggling multiple ventures, meeting with clients, and helping them get clarity around their problems (but not getting paid for that).


Discovering that his family was back in debt made Austin realize that certain aspects of his business just weren’t working. He had just stumbled on Brennan Dunn's The Double Your Freelancing Podcast, and Brennan shared an intriguing idea: project roadmapping. 


Wait, you can sell project strategy on its own?!


This paradigm shift helped Austin break the relationship between time and money, get off the content and copy hamster wheel, and pivot to consulting and value-based pricing.


Freelancers have a creative skillset that gets us into freelancing: writing, graphic design, coding, you name it. However, soft skills are often just as valuable. Many clients don’t know what their real needs even are, and we can get paid handsomely to help clients get clarity, confidence, and traction. 


More freelancers need to wake up to the possibilities!


In this episode, Austin shares his journey toward roadmapping, value-based pricing, and selling strategy as a standalone offer. This new path has offered more income and more time for creativity and relationships.


If you feel stuck and need help getting better leverage in your freelance business, then be sure to save this episode. Also, check out the link to the Freelance Cake coaching program below.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • Perfect start to their journey? Not my story (00:37)
  • The deflating debt discovery at the beach (02:12)
  • From $30k months to living paycheck to paycheck (07:05)
  • The road trip that led me to the idea of getting better leverage in my freelance business (09:26)
  • Getting paid for offering strategy for the first time (12:55)
  • “Go find your most valuable aptitudes, not just your most valuable skills” (15:59)
  • Do you want help getting better leverage in your business? (18:02)

Notable Quotes


"I haven’t had the Midas touch. And if we’re using mythical people, I have felt more like Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a hill."


“Go find your most valuable aptitudes, not just your most valuable skills.”


“Maybe why I really appreciate the people online who share all of the good, bad, and ugly in their stories is because my story has had some ugly too... I often find people’s failures more relatable than their successes.”


Resources

freelancecake.com/coaching


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Are you getting paid to uncover pains and problems your clients don't know they have? If not, you're probably in the same situation as Austin was: juggling multiple ventures, meeting with clients, and helping them get clarity around their problems (but not getting paid for that).


Discovering that his family was back in debt made Austin realize that certain aspects of his business just weren’t working. He had just stumbled on Brennan Dunn's The Double Your Freelancing Podcast, and Brennan shared an intriguing idea: project roadmapping. 


Wait, you can sell project strategy on its own?!


This paradigm shift helped Austin break the relationship between time and money, get off the content and copy hamster wheel, and pivot to consulting and value-based pricing.


Freelancers have a creative skillset that gets us into freelancing: writing, graphic design, coding, you name it. However, soft skills are often just as valuable. Many clients don’t know what their real needs even are, and we can get paid handsomely to help clients get clarity, confidence, and traction. 


More freelancers need to wake up to the possibilities!


In this episode, Austin shares his journey toward roadmapping, value-based pricing, and selling strategy as a standalone offer. This new path has offered more income and more time for creativity and relationships.


If you feel stuck and need help getting better leverage in your freelance business, then be sure to save this episode. Also, check out the link to the Freelance Cake coaching program below.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • Perfect start to their journey? Not my story (00:37)
  • The deflating debt discovery at the beach (02:12)
  • From $30k months to living paycheck to paycheck (07:05)
  • The road trip that led me to the idea of getting better leverage in my freelance business (09:26)
  • Getting paid for offering strategy for the first time (12:55)
  • “Go find your most valuable aptitudes, not just your most valuable skills” (15:59)
  • Do you want help getting better leverage in your business? (18:02)

Notable Quotes


"I haven’t had the Midas touch. And if we’re using mythical people, I have felt more like Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a hill."


“Go find your most valuable aptitudes, not just your most valuable skills.”


“Maybe why I really appreciate the people online who share all of the good, bad, and ugly in their stories is because my story has had some ugly too... I often find people’s failures more relatable than their successes.”


Resources

freelancecake.com/coaching


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Thu, 28 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0400 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 1127 In Episode #2, Austin L. Church reflects back on a difficult season in his career in the fall of 2015. During a trip to Florida, he discovered that he and his wife were spending more than he was earning. They were back in debt. Austin had been binge-listening to Brennan Dunn’s Double Your Freelancing podcast, and several ideas Brennan shared became the next freelance experiments Austin tried. Instead of doing discovery sessions for free, he tried selling strategy as a standalone offer. This one move put his business on a whole new trajectory. Sometimes, we need a breakdown to have a breakthrough. In Episode #2, Austin L. Church reflects back on a difficult season in his career in the fall of 2015. During a trip to Florida, he discovered that he and his wife were spending more than he was earning. They were back in debt. Austin had been binge-liste freelancing,freelancers,marketing,entrepreneurship,consulting No The Good Kind of Cheating - How a Positioning Statement Makes the Freelance Game Easier to Win 1 1 The Good Kind of Cheating - How a Positioning Statement Makes the Freelance Game Easier to Win full b04fcb29-e5a3-485e-86ea-ec51f307fc6f https://freelancecake.com/podcast/how-a-positioning-statement-makes-the-freelance-game-easier-to-win Freelancing isn’t easy, but many of us make it harder than it has to be. Working harder often doesn’t… work. Spending more time on the wrong things won’t produce better results. 


The way to break out of the freelance hustle is to ask what six-figure freelancers do differently. For starters, they remember that the Pareto Principle, better known as the 80/20 rule, is at play in every business. 20% of your effort produces 80% of your results.


The trick is finding those points of leverage. 


A good place to start is with a brand positioning statement or a positioning cheat code. When you make yourself the easy, obvious choice for your dream clients, you have an easier time winning the freelance projects you really want.


In this first episode, Austin introduces the concept of better leverage. He also covers how a positioning statement links up with the 80/20 rule and what both of those mean for smart, ambitious freelancers. If you want a step-by-step process for writing a positioning statement, then you listen all the way to the end and check out the link to the copywriting templates below.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • What is better leverage? (00:39)
  • Why working harder is usually not the answer (02:24)
  • A real-life example of a freelancer getting better leverage (04:44)
  • Why your freelance business needs a positioning cheat code (07:57)
  • A step-by-step process for creating your cheat code (09:55)
  • The real benefit isn’t what you think (12:21)
  • Now, it’s your turn. (13:25)

Notable Quotes


“Work harder is only good advice when the person that you're talking to is straight up lazy.”


“How could spending even more time on the wrong things fix the problem? To spend even more time on the wrong strategy or weak strategy would simply be pouring water through a sieve at a faster rate.”


“Freelancing is a real game with real money when you win and a positioning cheat code makes the freelance game easier. You can make more mistakes and still win.”


Resources

Click to create your own cheat code + copywriting TEMPLATES


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Freelancing isn’t easy, but many of us make it harder than it has to be. Working harder often doesn’t… work. Spending more time on the wrong things won’t produce better results. 


The way to break out of the freelance hustle is to ask what six-figure freelancers do differently. For starters, they remember that the Pareto Principle, better known as the 80/20 rule, is at play in every business. 20% of your effort produces 80% of your results.


The trick is finding those points of leverage. 


A good place to start is with a brand positioning statement or a positioning cheat code. When you make yourself the easy, obvious choice for your dream clients, you have an easier time winning the freelance projects you really want.


In this first episode, Austin introduces the concept of better leverage. He also covers how a positioning statement links up with the 80/20 rule and what both of those mean for smart, ambitious freelancers. If you want a step-by-step process for writing a positioning statement, then you listen all the way to the end and check out the link to the copywriting templates below.


Key points

  • Intro (00:00)
  • What is better leverage? (00:39)
  • Why working harder is usually not the answer (02:24)
  • A real-life example of a freelancer getting better leverage (04:44)
  • Why your freelance business needs a positioning cheat code (07:57)
  • A step-by-step process for creating your cheat code (09:55)
  • The real benefit isn’t what you think (12:21)
  • Now, it’s your turn. (13:25)

Notable Quotes


“Work harder is only good advice when the person that you're talking to is straight up lazy.”


“How could spending even more time on the wrong things fix the problem? To spend even more time on the wrong strategy or weak strategy would simply be pouring water through a sieve at a faster rate.”


“Freelancing is a real game with real money when you win and a positioning cheat code makes the freelance game easier. You can make more mistakes and still win.”


Resources

Click to create your own cheat code + copywriting TEMPLATES


Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

]]> Fri, 11 Mar 2022 09:49:16 -0500 Austin L. Church Austin L. Church 933 In this episode, Freelance Cake host Austin L. Church explains the show’s core concept—better leverage. Freelancers find it easier to grow when we stack up advantages. A positioning cheat code is one advantage that gets us better results with less effort. In this episode, Freelance Cake host Austin L. Church explains the show’s core concept—better leverage. Freelancers find it easier to grow when we stack up advantages. A positioning cheat code is one advantage that gets us better results with less effort. freelancing,freelancers,marketing,entrepreneurship,consulting No