Creative Class, a podcast for freelancers

In this episode, Paul and Kaleigh talk about why they’ve decided to wind things down with this podcast (and future course launches), as well as where they’re focusing their time and energy moving forward.Thanks for listening in and learning with us over the past few years. We

In this special episode, we chat with the co-founders of this season’s podcast sponsor, Spiffy. Originally freelancers themselves, they share why they launched this software, how it came to be, and the problems they’re working to solve for fellow small business owners.Check out spiffy.co/freelancer for more info.

Most freelancers have a lot of ideas and feel pulled in different directions when it comes to their businesses. Do I launch a productized service? A course? A new type of service? The reality is: You don’t have limitless time and energy. You need to focus. In this episode, we get into why rather than half-assing a bunch of things, you should “whole-ass one thing,” to quote Ron Swanson from the show Parks and Recreation.Sponsored by our friends at Spiffy - the easiest way to create conversion-optimized checkouts, and take payments for freelancers, consultants and coaches. Check out spiffy.co/freelancer for more info.

How do you know if/when you’re officially ready to start teaching others and/or selling your first digital resources? We answer this question, share our firsthand experiences, and even get into how to know when it’s time to be done with this phase of your business.Sponsored by our friends at Spiffy - the easiest way to create conversion-optimized checkouts, and take payments for freelancers, consultants and coaches. Check out spiffy.co/freelancer for more info.

You might not realize it, but you can leverage videos as a secret weapon that puts you miles ahead of other freelancers. In this episode, we talk about smart, strategic ways we’ve seen freelancers use video as a business tool that helps with onboarding, cold pitching, project updates, and more.Sponsored by our friends at Spiffy - the easiest way to create conversion-optimized checkouts, and take payments for freelancers, consultants and coaches. Check out spiffy.co/freelancer for more info.

Looking to boost your freelance income, but not sure how to do that beyond raising your rates? We’ve got some suggestions for you that involved bundling and tiered pricing for productized services. This episode is a must-listen.Sponsored by our friends at Spiffy - the easiest way to create conversion-optimized checkouts, and take payments for freelancers, consultants and coaches. Check out spiffy.co/freelancer for more info.

During much of 2020, people around the world have been staying home or in lockdown during the pandemic. As a result, many of us are living and working in isolation, which can have negative side effects. Paul and I talk about how this is compounded by living in rural areas. We get into how we’re dealing (or...not dealing) with this current reality.Sponsored by our friends at Spiffy - the easiest way to create conversion-optimized checkouts, and take payments for freelancers, consultants and coaches. Check out spiffy.co/freelancer for more info.

As a freelancer, part of your job means being on phone calls with clients and potential leads, editing or making revisions, doing research, etc. All of that takes time, and time = money. No business has 100% margins, so these costs need to be factored into the rates you charge...and you need to know how to communicate the value of that additional work with your clients. In this episode, we talk about how to do that well.Sponsored by our friends at Spiffy - the easiest way to create conversion-optimized checkouts, and take payments for freelancers, consultants and coaches. Check out spiffy.co/freelancer for more info.

It’s late 2020 as we record this episode, and COVID is still top-of-mind for everyone. That’s why we thought it was important to get into a discussion around what happens to your freelance business if you get really sick. We talk about contingency planning, coverage, and how to plan for those times when we’re unable to work. Sponsored by our friends at Spiffy - the easiest way to create conversion-optimized checkouts, and take payments for freelancers, consultants and coaches. Check out spiffy.co/freelancer for more info.

Sara is a Lebanon-based UI engineer helping brands build modern, resilient, and inclusive user interfaces. She gets into how she discovered the freelance career path and talks about how a curious mind and sense of resourcefulness has fueled her success thus far.

Freelance writer Shayla Price has been working independently for about a decade now, and as a Black woman, she’s encountered her fair share of challenges along the way. She shares some ideas on how we can all lift up POC freelancers in our daily work and has some great thoughts around boosting inclusivity, too.

Kris Smith, known as “TheBlackTechie” online, is a consultant, podcaster, software engineer, speaker, and YouTuber currently living in Altanta, Georgia. She’s spent 10+ years helping companies organize and automate their ventures and technology systems. In this episode, she shares her freelance journey and talks about how she’s advocating for more diversity and inclusivity in tech.

Marshall Shorts is a designer, entrepreneur, and public speaker whose work centers around branding and creating more inclusive products and services. His TEDx talks “Branding Blackness by Design” and “Black Creatives Have Something to Say” serve as our jumping off points for this conversation.

In this episode, we chat with Boston-based writer and speaker Amma Marfo. We cover everything from how to increase diversity within your business to freelancing and introversion, as well as how her love for comedy has been helpful in her freelance career.

Anna N’Jie-Konte is the founder of Dare to Dream Financial Planning, a virtual financial planning company that serves women of color. Her goal is to help her clients develop a sustainable roadmap for financial success and build generational wealth. In this episode, she shares her experiences helping fellow Black women and sheds some light on the challenges this demographic faces around financial literacy.

This season, we’re putting a spotlight on diverse voices in the world of freelancing. With a handful of guests sharing their unique insights, experiences, and tips, listeners can get ideas on how to operate stronger, more inclusive freelance businesses while hearing from freelancers of color around the globe. Sponsored by Podia: podia.com/creativeclass

THERE IS SO MUCH DATA IN THE WORLD. So, as freelancers, what data should we track? And what are vanity metrics that don’t really matter? We’re sharing our insights and lessons learned through personal experience.

The answer, as always, is: IT DEPENDS. But in this episode, we’re talking about how to make an informed decision, who it makes sense for, and what to look for if you decide to hire a coach or mentor.

Often times, the “cliques” you’re part of/talk to, online and off, are a huge part of finding success in any type of career. So how do you find your communities (and then use them as a lever/springboard for your freelance business)? We’ll share our best tips.

Sometimes when you live and work in the same space, it can be hard to get into deep work because there are so many distractions around. A solo retreat might be just what you need to get laser focus on a major project--and Kaleigh shares some insight into her personal experience taking on early this year.

Many freelancers struggle when they’re getting started because they’re pulled in too many directions and try to be everything to everyone. What they really need is to pick a direction and lean into it. But how? We’ll talk you through the process in this episode.

Seth Godin talks about how all businesses have to be able to make it through “The Dip”: that period post-launch when interest drops off and you’re not quite established. So how do you get through that period...and how do you realize when you’re out of the dip? We’ll share our takes on that question and more.

Burnout happens when you’re overloaded in your business--and it’s a big reason freelancers can’t sustain their operations for the long haul. So how can you stoke what Paul calls “THE FIRE” so that you’re always excited and motivated about your work? We get into some tactics and ideas for stoking THE FIRE and talk about why it’s so important.

Audience-building is on the to-do list of many freelancers… but does it need to be? In this episode, we’re talking about how to decide whether or not audience-building is right for you and if it makes sense long-term for your business.

What’s the best way to incentivize referrals that are sent your way--and should you pay referral fees (or acknowledge those with a gift of some sort?) We’re diving into our opinions on the topic, sharing what we do to drive referrals, and talking about how we thank the people who sent opportunities our way.

There's a very real feel for online creators around being seen as a "spammy marketer." Paul and I both wrestle with this, so in this episode, we're talking about whether or not people who sell things online (and run their own businesses) are really the enemy. https://creativeclass.co

Do you have to be crazy passionate about your freelance work? Maybe not. In this episode, we're talking about the reality of freelance work and the fact that you're probably not going to be in love with it year-round, even if it does offer some serious perks. https://creativeclass.co

Having an internet-based job and personal brand entails more work that you'd think--so how do you handle the emotional labor of considering what people will do or how they'll react to your presence? We're going into this in detail. https://creativeclass.co

Modern #growthhacking culture says we all need to be experts at what we do professionally--but is that really true? In this episode, we're talking about being experts vs. just being people who share things online. https://creativeclass.co

It sucks when you have to deal with rejections and unhappy clients, but it's important to remember it's business--not personal. We'll explore how freelancers can get better at handling these situations and not letting it reflect on their skills as a whole. https://creativeclass.co

Should you call yourself a "freelancer"? Some feel that this term has negative connotations professionally, so in this episode, we're diving into our own answers to this question. https://creativeclass.co

Freelancers are notoriously bad at taking vacations--and this happens for a variety of reasons. In this episode, we're making a case for taking real time off so you can rest and reset your business brain (and going over some of the silly reasons freelancers don't take vacations). https://creativeclass.co

Therapy is a good thing! That's why we're talking about our own experiences going to therapy in this episode, as well as its impact on our business lives. If nothing else, we hope it'll offer some background as you consider whether or not it's right for you.

Maintaining your mental health as a freelancer is no easy task. In this episode, we're talking about some of the common obstacles that get in the way of good mental health for freelancers as well as our personal practices that keep us healthy and sane.

Kaleigh and Paul preparing the fifth season of Creative Class! This season will be released every other week, all year. They are talking about mental health, vacations, expertise, and everything that's involved with living and working online. Stay tuned for this season, starting in November!

If you’re considering offering retainers in your freelance business, this episode is for you. We’ll go over some of the things you’ll want to consider before offering this type of service and some of the best practices for structuring and pricing them. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

Newsletters offer a great way for you to connect with your audience--and there are several different ways you can approach them. We’ll take a look at different approaches and share our best tips from firsthand experience. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

Do you spend too much time sitting at your desk? Don’t drink enough water during the day? Suck at raising your rates? You’re not alone. We’ll go over some of the more common freelancer bad habits and share some tips on getting rid of them. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

Some freelancers lean into an alter-ego or a ‘schtick’ when it comes to their personal branding. But does that mean you need to do that too? Maybe not. We’ll talk about how to decide and what it means to brand your business both with and without a persona. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

Having a stance when it comes to certain issues means people will come to associate you and your business with your personal values. We’ll cover the topic of having a ‘take’ online and what that means, as well as things to be aware of when you speak up on the internet. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

If you’re not a conference person, that’s okay. Learn some different ways you can get a sense of community in your business without traveling and investing in top-dollar, far-flung conferences. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

There are always red flags that hint at when a client isn’t a good fit--but they’re hard to spot when you’re just starting out. In this episode, we’ll share our best tips for spotting no-go clients and share some stories around what can go wrong when you try to forge ahead. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

Social media can open new doors for your freelance business if you approach it the right way (and participate.) We’ll talk about how we use Twitter for this purpose and give you some fresh perspective on the hours you spend scrolling the feed. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

It feels good to talk about goals, but it feels even better to crush them. We’ll talk about how to set realistic goals for your freelance business and how to make even the most daunting task feel less intimidating. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

Phone calls have a reputation for being a time-suck (especially when you don’t have a roadmap that guides the conversation.) We dive into how to streamline your processes so that you spend less time on meandering phone calls and more time getting actual work done. Season 4 is sponsored by our friends at FlyWheel, a amazing WordPress hosting platform built for freelancers. https://getflywheel.com/friends/cc/

As a person with an internet-based freelance business, it can be tough to know where to draw the lines around what you share online. In this episode, we talk about our personal boundaries and how we navigate the modern world that’s dominated by social media.

Paul and Kaleigh have been hard at work producing the fourth season of the Creative Class Podcast, a podcast about the business side of freelancing. They get down to the nitty gritty about retainers, online privacy, developing an email newsletter, how to use social media, and lots more. Tune in to Season 4, starting on March 27, 2019!

In this special episode, we tackle questions from listeners on topics ranging from proposals to niche-picking (and a lot in between.) Get insights into some of the most common questions that pop up around freelancing.

Short answer: Yes. But there's some science to it! Hear more about how to build sustainability into your freelance business so you can earn a steady amount month after month (and not go insane with worry).

There are two stages of freelancing: Pre-ENOUGH and Post-ENOUGH. The first step, though, is defining what "enough" means for you. Get some ideas on how to quantify your goals and find contentment within your freelance business.

No one talks much about how lonely freelancing can be--so we're fixing that. Hear how we deal with isolation (and living in secluded areas!) to better cope with this reality of working alone and from home.