My Freelance Life

Hey there! I'm James Sowers.About two years ago, I took over as the new owner of the My Freelance Life podcast. Since then...I've made zero progress.But that's okay, because I'm in a different place now and I'm feeling motivated to revisit the idea of launching MFL Season 2 and perhaps expanding the podcast into something more substantial.In this episode, you'll learn the following: Who I am, and how I took over the show Why I never did anything with it after buying What I'm up to now, and what I'd like to do this year How to get in touch with your ideas/feedback If you want to chat about your experience with My Freelance Life, what your current freelancing experience looks like, or what your goals are for the future, I'd love to hear from you!Send Me A Funny Gif on TwitterConnect With Me, Very Formally, On LinkedinOh! And if you're interested in joining the FREE community I started for freelancers who want a safe space to talk about life and business, you can apply at FreelanceMastermind.com and let us know that you came from the podcast. We'll send you an invite ASAP! 

Just over an year ago, Andy decided to quit his day job to go full-time into freelancing, travelling the world, and living life on his own terms. Today, we wrap up his 'freelance life' journey...

Everyone needs a vacation - a time to recharge batteries and give their brain a well deserved rest. This holds true even more so for freelancers like Andy. In today’s episode, Andy shares his tried and tested tips to taking some time off of work without really affecting his freelance income.

Sometimes there comes along a freelance project that is stimulating, even frustrating to some extent - but at the end of the day is just the right mix. In today’s episode, Andy gives us insights into such a new project, keeping his motivation level up, and how using a coworking space is increasing his productivity.

We're excited to announce our partnership with 'House of Who' to bring you a brand new podcast called ArtistCEO - a podcast by women, about women in business...

When you’re getting paid for project completion and not for being “on the clock”, it’s quite a different experience for you and the client. But are fixed-priced projects really worth pursuing? In today’s episode, Andy gives us valuable insights on which pricing structure works best for him.

Andy’s temporary relocation was the perfect opportunity to try out something new in his freelance life… like joining a coworking space. In this episode, Andy reveals his decision to give coworking spaces a chance. So was it worth it? We discuss the takeaways so you can decide for yourself.

Andy has relocated to California for a few months, to spend time with family, all while continuing his work in full gear - thanks to his freelance lifestyle. In today's episode, Andy also talks about the transition being easier than he expected and how this month is shaping up to his best yet.

It’s been a whole year since Andy decided to leave his full-time job for a full-time freelance career - and there's no stopping him. This week, he's recorded his highest earnings ever!

Just over an year ago, Andy sent a memo to everyone at his full-time job, announcing that he was leaving his desk-job to pursue freelancing full-time. Andy is now a full year into his freelance career - and loving every bit of it.

Figuring out your rate is one of the most challenging things a freelancer faces. Andy is no exception. In today’s episode, Andy discusses how he justifies his ‘above market’ rates to clients - so that the subject of money is never awkward or embarrassing.

Andy is quite happy not to take on new clients at the moment. He doesn’t need to work 24/7 and only requires a handful of clients to match his target income. In today’s episode, Andy talks about the flexibility of choosing clients and fluctuating his own rates, calling it his ‘biggest advantage’ working as a full-time freelancer.

Andy’s biggest challenge isn’t convincing his clients to pay him more money or chasing after payments. Rather it’s internal - convincing himself that he’s worth the rate he wants to charge. In today’s episode, Andy dives in deep and share with us his strategies to negotiating with clients and how exactly does he go about pricing himself.

Waking up every morning to a fresh set of challenges and satisfying little puzzles, is what keeps keeps Andy determined. It’s a dream come true. No more hours of commuting, feeling stuck in a cubicle or listening to that dull hum of fluorescent lighting. Some love the structure of an office life, Andy thrives in his freelance life.

The key to long-term freelance success isn’t just your work output - it’s also nurturing great working relationships with your clients. In this episode, Andy talks about his strategy to maintaining a steady income thanks to his ‘alternative’ approach to working with clients.

Focusing on your brand identity and the type of clients you work with can make your freelance life much easier - and ultimately very successful. This week, Andy gives us his tips for attracting high-quality clients and becoming a profitable freelancer.

Part of the attraction of switching to full-time freelance is the ability to hand-pick what to work on and to have multiple project possibilities - compared to working for just one company. This week, Andy runs us through his routine after coming back from Europe, talks about the impact of vacations on his freelance projects - and the effect it had on his earnings.

“Hey Andy, I’m impressed, can we start on this today?” - and that’s how Andy’s landed an amazing new gig right after returning back home from a 3-week long trip to Europe.

Andy has been working the same hours lately while gradually raising his hourly rates. The result? He’s setting new records every day in terms of highest revenue earned!

Taking a leap of faith into the freelance world can feel more like pushing yourself off a cliff. Andy knows, because he did exactly that a few months ago. Andy’s journey into full-time freelancing continues and in today’s episode, he talks about the realities of freelancing and shares his thought process to going from a ‘flexible’ day job to a full-time freelancing career.

Time is money - particularly when you freelance. In today’s episode, we explore how Andy keeps track of every single minute of every day, his billable hours and overall business goals - all with the help of a spreadsheet!

Earning money through freelancing does cost money and is taxed differently. You don’t have a full-time employer to figure out your taxes and give you a clear-shot paycheck, after all. And then you hear terms like “1099” and W-2”, which honestly can be quite hard to wrap your head around.

It's been months since Andy started freelancing full-time. Which means he now has time to do a lot more things he cares about outside of work. For starters, he freelances full-time, he's moving to France, he's in a local musical, and more.

Sometimes, work is just work. As Andy said about the Freelance business, “It’s not always as pretty as it seems.” During this episode, we explore the ups and downs of the Freelance world.

Flexibility isn't about working from your pajamas every day—it's about building the kind of life and career that you want. One that allows you to spend more time with people you care about, travel, exercise, or do whatever you'd rather be doing than working yourself to death climbing a corporate ladder.

If you're thinking about quitting your job to pursue freelancing full-time, consider Andys wise words: "The amount of savings you have is the amount of time you can afford before you have to look for a job again."

A big part of the reason Andy wanted to start freelancing full-time was to have more flexibility to travel. Now, he and his wife have booked one-way tickets to France! In this episode, we talk about his travel plans plus lots more.

To make it as a freelancer, you have to charge more than you were making as an employee. In today's episode we explore how Andy is handling his new freelance life including setting rates, pulling all-nighters, finding the right kinds of clients, setting your own deadlines and lots more.

When Andy signed up for UpWork around 8 months ago, he may not have imagined that it would eventually give him the ability to quit his job and freelance full-time. But that's exactly what happened.

Taking your schedule into your own hands can be magical. But it can also present a very unique set of challenges—which Andy is discovering now that he's his own boss.

When you've got somewhere to go, putting your two weeks notice in can be fairly routine. But when your only plan is to start freelancing full-time...well, that changes everything.

New from Millo, 'My Freelance Life' is a weekly check-in with Andy, a desk-jobber-turned-full-time-freelancer. Every week, show host Preston will pick Andy’s brain and discover the truth behind what really happens when you decide to quit your job and pursue freelancing full-time.