Podcasts about freelancing

You left corporate to gain freedom, so why does your business feel like the most demanding boss you've ever had?In this episode, Joe walks Carly through the brand-new Life-First Solopreneur Manifesto: a short, no-nonsense framework built from everything they've learned working with thousands of solopreneurs across 300+ episodes.They dig into "the ownership trap": what happens when you build a business around your skills instead of the life you actually want to live. The result? A business that consumes you instead of one you own.In this episode:Why 65% of people start businesses for freedom, but 80% end up losing sleep over themThe three root causes of the ownership trap: no life-first design, no commitment system, and no plan to evolveThe "accountability gap" and why running your business out of your inbox is quietly failing youThe one question that reframes everything: What does your Tuesday look like?How to build a business that serves your life instead of the other way aroundThis isn't a motivation problem. It's a design problem, and it's fixable.We want to hear from you: Carly@LifeStarr.com or Joe@LifeStarr.com (LifeStarr with two R's)Find the full manifesto here: https://www.lifestarr.com/life-first-manifestoIf this episode struck a chord, leave us a five-star review and share it with a fellow solopreneur who needs to hear it.

Et si, dans le grand calcul de ta rentabilité, il y avait quelques petits trucs que tu avais un peu mis sous le tapis ?Dans cette Minute Alix, on parle des frais et des temps dédiés à notre activité qui passent facilement sous les radars quand on fixe nos tarifs.Parce qu'entre ce qu'on imagine pouvoir vendre et ce qu'on peut réellement facturer, il y a parfois quelques surprises…Et toi, dis moi : team tracking ou team au doigt mouillé ?  

Most solopreneurs think PR means getting into Forbes. PR strategist Haley Raymond says that belief is exactly why so much publicity effort goes nowhere.In this episode, Haley joins Carly and Joe to break down what public relations actually looks like for a business of one. She explains why the old "I only want someone with the best contacts" mindset is outdated, why a promise of guaranteed coverage is a red flag, and why your story and strategy now matter more than anyone's rolodex.You will hear the two part question Haley asks every client before choosing a single channel, why legacy media still works beautifully for local businesses, and why niche podcasts and Substack often move the needle more than a mention on a national network. She also walks through the PESO model created by Gini Dietrich, a simple way to see your paid, earned, shared, and owned channels as one connected ecosystem instead of a pile of to-dos.If you have ever landed a great feature and then heard crickets, Haley explains the promotion mistake almost everyone makes, plus how to track PR results without drowning in vanity metrics.And for anyone who dreads social media, good news. You do not have to talk to a camera to build visibility.What you will learnThe PR advice Haley wishes people would retireHow to pick channels when your time is the scarcest resourceWhy PR is a much bigger umbrella than media coverageWhen legacy media is worth it and when a niche podcast winsThe PESO framework explained in plain languageHow to promote a feature without feeling gross about itSimple ways to tie visibility back to actual revenueThe biggest mistake solopreneurs make doing PR aloneA starting plan for solopreneurs with almost no budgetChapters00.01 The PR advice that makes Haley cringe01.33 The intern who emailed a media contact list to the media02.39 The first question to ask before choosing any channel04.17 Why PR is much bigger than getting in the news05.46 What to do if you genuinely hate social media09.20 What legacy media actually means now10.30 Local news versus niche podcasts for solopreneurs3.09 The PESO framework explained15.42 You landed the big feature and heard crickets17.54 Measuring PR without chasing vanity metrics20.30 The simple link trick that shows where leads come from21.09 The biggest mistake solopreneurs make doing PR alone22.49 First steps on a tiny budget26.01 It's PR, not the ER28.00 Where to find HaleyConnect with Haley Raymond Website: haleyraymond.com LinkedInIf this episode helped, please leave a five-star review and share it with a friend who needs PR advice. Subscribe to The Life-First Solopreneur wherever you listen, including YouTube.

6 wichtige Starter-Fragen zum Freelancing

A re-release of a popular episode from earlier this year!If your solopreneur business feels like it's running you instead of the other way around, you've fallen into the Ownership Trap. In this episode, Carly and Joe break down the three root causes behind why so many solopreneurs end up building a business that controls their life rather than supports it.In this episode:What the "Ownership Trap" is and why almost every solopreneur falls into itWhy this is a design problem, not a motivation problemThe 3 causes: No Design, No System, and No Plan to EvolveHow to start viewing every business decision through a "Life First" lensReal stories from Joe and Carly about the mistakes they made, and what they learnedIf you've been grinding away wondering why you left your 9-to-5 only to end up right back in the same trap, this episode is for you.Life first. Then business.Subscribe to The Life-First Solopreneur so you never miss an episode, and if this resonated, leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review. It helps more solopreneurs find the show!

Tu es plutôt team « détendue du slip » ou team contrôle freak ?Dans cette Minute Alix, je vous confie observer deux manières très différentes d'avancer en freelance : tester une idée sans trop se prendre la tête… ou passer 1000 ans à tout peaufiner avant d'oser se lancer.Perfectionnisme, peur du regard des autres, remise en question : pourquoi certains d'entre nous se mettent-ils autant la pression ? Et toi, tu arrives à appuyer sur le bouton OFF de temps en temps ?(

La crise économique frappe fort de nombreux·ses entrepreneur·es. Comment y survivre ? Comment trouver des clients dans ce contexte ? Se faire connaître sans publicité et sans dépendre d'un algorithme, est-ce encore possible en 2026 ? C'est la question qu'on explore dans cet épisode avec Charles Davignon, co-créateur du Cabinet des curiosités, la collaboration qui réunit plus de 100 entrepreneur·es francophones chaque année.J'étais curieux de l'avis du Charles sur le sens des collaborations de ce type, notamment dans un contexte économique délicat.Au programme de cet épisode :Pourquoi ta visibilité dépend de 2 choses (ton budget pub et le bon vouloir des algorithmes), et comment sortir de cette double dépendanceLes coulisses d'un projet collectif à plus de 100 personnes : recrutement, logistique, outils, communicationComment fonctionne concrètement un bundle : affiliation (~50 % de commission), découvrabilité, règles du jeuLa nuance qui change tout : collaboration et compétition ne sont pas ennemiesLa méthode pour commencer petit dès cette semaine : tes atomes crochus, le contenu commun, la communautéLa dimension politique de la collaboration pour faire face aux défis de crises économiquesCharles Davignon est co-créateur du Cabinet des curiosités et co-fondateur de l'agence de publicité en ligne Antilope. Avec Alexe, il orchestre chaque année la plus grande collaboration d'entrepreneur·es francophones.Et si tu veux passer de l'écoute à la pratique : la Galerie des raccourcis, l'événement gratuit du Cabinet, se tient du 28 septembre au 2 octobre (keynotes, ateliers, panels, recommandations personnalisées) : https://grosbundle.com/---Young, Wild & Freelance est un podcast hebdomadaire pour les entrepreneurs solo et les indépendants dans lequel Thomas Burbidge te partage toutes les clés pour créer, développer et structurer ton entreprise.Tu y retrouveras des interviews, des épisodes thématiques avec Thomas sur toutes les dimensions de ton entreprise (marketing, gestion, organisation, vente, finances, ...)Pour aller plus loin, retrouvez tous nos contenus pour les freelances sur :La newsletter : https://kaleidoscopehorizons.com/newsletterLe site media : https://kaleidoscopehorizons.com/le-media/mediaEt pensez à mettre une note de 5 étoiles sur le podcast

What if your AI actually sounded like you? In this episode of The Life-First Solopreneur, our AI go-to guy, George B. Thomas of Sidekick Strategies, shows solopreneurs how he built Echo, an AI second brain loaded with his identity, stories, and core values. He also explains how he runs a team of AI agents in Grok Bot that drafts emails, schedules meetings, manages projects, and builds landing pages while he walks the dog.Hosts Carly Ries and Joe Rando dig into what a second brain really is (spoiler, it's mostly folders and files), how to stay the human in the loop, and the simplest AI task you can hand off this week to start buying back your time.In this episode, you'll learnWhat an AI second brain is and why solopreneurs should careWhy feeding AI your identity, stories, and values beats writing better promptsHow an AI agent team differs from typing questions into ChatGPT or ClaudeGeorge's five-minute rule for deciding when to use an agentWhen to keep AI in draft mode and when to let it run on autopilotAn easy email and calendar handoff you can set up this weekThe story behind "be a happy, helpful, humble human"Connect with GeorgeVisit sidekickstrategies.comFind George B. Thomas on LinkedInEmail george@georgebthomas.comListen to the HubHeroes podcast and Beyond Your DefaultWant to see Echo and George's agent dashboard in action? Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a five-star review, share it with a solopreneur friend who's curious about AI, and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Everyone tells you that if you're not posting every day and dancing on TikTok, your business is dead. My guest has made multiple millions without any of it. We get into how you actually make money when you work for yourself, without living on social media: borrowed trust, email, and building your business around your real personality.Follow and Review Loving the show? Take a second to follow and leave a review. It's the easiest way to help the right people find this life.Free workshop: Find Your Freedom Lifestyle Chanti is living her own version of the freedom life, homesteading in Canada and testing Southeast Asia, no forever move required. If that's you, I made you a free workshop on designing a freedom life without committing to one country forever. https://moveabroadcourse.com/designConnect with Chanti Zak: → Growth Type assessment: https://chantizak.com/growthtype → Spill the Tea newsletter https://chantizak.com/signup → Authority Assessments: https://authorityassessments.com → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chantizak/Links & Resources: → Freedom Life Bootcamp Waitlist → Watch on YouTube → Follow on Instagram @moveabroadcoach Listen next: 170. What if You Could Just Make More Money? 171. Passive Income That's Actually Passive (Make It Once, Get Paid for Years) 177. 5 Things I Learned From a Room of Women Building Million-Dollar Businesses

This week, I spoke with Grace Abbott, founder of How To Go Freelance, about turning the skills you already have into a career, and how to modernize an existing business or brand without blowing it all up.We covered procrastination, niching down without shrinking yourself, making your work more visible, and knowing when to let go of clients, projects, and identities that have become too small. Grace also makes the case for trusting your soft skills, research, and taste in a changing job market and explains why sometimes the biggest thing standing between you and your next chapter is trying too hard to fix yourself.SHOW NOTES and RESOURCES: Grace Abbott | Substack | IG @howtogofreelanceKatie's Substack | IG: @letitouttt and @katiedalebout | Zine shop | Work with KD one-on-one | in a group Listen to Episode 337 to hear about working one-on-one with KatieRead about one on one coaching here and book a free session with her here.Listen to Episode 403 to hear more about working with me (Katie) in a group :Read about group coaching (Creative Underdogs/In Process here) | sign up for the waitlist

Tu veux trouver ton idée de SaaS ? J'ai créé un simulateur gratuit. En 3 minutes, il te propose des idées d'app à créer pour ton activité freelance ou solopreneur : https://www.minutelead.io/leboard/quel-saas-pourrait-bosser350 clients, 500 000 € de CA, gérée seule.Dans cet épisode, je te parle du logiciel que j'ai construit avec Claude Code pour l'Incubateur Solopreneur. Avant cette app, je gérais tout avec des tableurs Excel, des mails à la main et des rapprochements de données à n'en plus finir.Aujourd'hui, l'app fait tout ça à ma place. Je te montre, fonctionnalité par fonctionnalité, ce que j'ai codé, pourquoi je l'ai fait et combien ça m'a rapporté en moins de deux semaines.Par ici pour la visite guidée en vidéo : https://youtu.be/HTCZ8Yyo-DU

Jack Chambers-Ward hosts a crossover episode of Search With Candour with Mel Barfield from Indie Business Club, discussing personal branding through shared interests, authenticity, and community.The conversation covers balancing personal brand with employed work, using hobbies (ranging from board games and films to music and cheese) to create relatable connections, and how small signals like presenting yourself authentically can create new connections. Jack & Mel also discuss how who you work with affects your brand reputation and why being nerdy about the things you care about is so important.Follow Mel:Website: https://allcopymel.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniebarfield/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DTopTvMDkklkmpAfshIjWYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@indiebusinessclubpodChapters00:00 Introduction00:25 How Jack and Mel met03:23 Freelancing advice09:05 Building your brand with podcasting14:42 Nerd Signals That Connect16:14 Board games and playtime21:21 Content consumption habits24:08 Band t-shirts and relatability25:58 Cheese discussion30:49 The ethics of who you work with33:17 LinkedIn gurus35:55 Choose your clients carefully42:31 Should you niche down?44:21 Essentialism and focus48:38 Futureproof your personal brand53:44 How to be relatable59:19 See It. Say It. Sorted.01:04:45 Hobbies create connections and opportunities01:08:19 Align your personal brand with your values01:09:41 Find your audience01:11:33 Don't write like your audience is children (unless they're children)01:14:46 Curiosity builds rapport01:18:39 Being nerdy works01:22:46 Building a brand while employed01:27:20 Conference recognition01:29:21 Hot takes on LinkedIn01:34:13 Wrap up01:41:42 Where to follow us

70 % de mes clients se réabonnent à l'Incubateur d'une année sur l'autre. Voici exactement comment je construis les sprints qui rendent ça possible.Dans cet épisode solo, j'ouvre les coulisses de l'Incubateur Solopreneur : comment je choisis les thèmes, comment je construis le parcours annuel, pourquoi je crée des sprints dont j'ai besoin moi-même et comment je fais pour que chaque sprint serve autant les débutants que les avancés.

Après 7 mois passés loin des réseaux sociaux, j'ai décidé de revenir sur LinkedIn. Dans cette vidéo, je vous partage le bilan de cette expérience et surtout ma nouvelle approche stratégique pour utiliser LinkedIn quand on est freelance, sans y sacrifier son temps ni son attention.Comment trouver des clients et faire grandir son activité de freelance sans être l'esclave des plateformes ? Pourquoi les réseaux sociaux doivent devenir un canal de distribution et non de création de contenu ? Découvrez les coulisses de ma réflexion et comment bâtir une stratégie marketing durable basée sur vos canaux propriétaires (newsletter, podcast, communauté).⏱️ Chapitres de la vidéo :00:00 - Introduction : Pourquoi ce retour après 7 mois ?02:14 - Le bilan : attention retrouvée & canaux propriétaires07:23 - Le chaînon manquant en marketing : le pouvoir de répétition11:10 - Pourquoi LinkedIn (et pas d'autres plateformes) ?15:39 - Nouvelle méthode : distribuer au lieu de produire17:42 - Sortir son audience de LinkedIn vers sa propre liste email20:40 - Conclusion & conseils pour les freelances et solopreneurs

In this episode, Joe Rando and Carly Ries officially draw a line in the sand. After nearly 300 episodes and hundreds of conversations with solopreneurs, they name the single insight that keeps showing up in every episode that lands differently: the Life-First Business. Joe and Carly explain why most solopreneurs unintentionally build a business that ends up owning them, why that happens by default and not by choice, and why the forces reshaping work right now make this the right moment to name it, claim it, and build a movement around it.Key PointsMost solopreneurs start by asking "what can I sell?" but the better starting point is designing the life you want the business to serve.Falling into The Ownership Trap isn't a character flaw. It happens by default when you say yes to revenue before you've designed the life around it.A Life-First Business is not about working less, it's about making conscious tradeoffs so the business gives you the freedom that actually matters to you.AI is reshaping the solopreneur landscape in two directions at once: pushing people out of traditional employment and empowering them to run a real business solo.The Life-First Movement is bigger than LifeStarr. If you're helping solopreneurs build businesses that serve their lives, Joe and Carly want to hear from you.FAQsWhat is a Life-First Business? A Life-First Business is one designed from the start to serve the life you want, not the other way around. Instead of building around your skills and seeing what life fits around the business, you begin with Step 0: defining what you want your life to look like. The business is then designed to support that.Does Life-First mean working less or only part-time? No. A Life-First Business is not about working fewer hours or generating passive income from a beach. It's about making intentional tradeoffs, choosing the freedoms that matter most to you, and building a business that protects them, whatever that looks like for your life.Why is this conversation happening now? Two forces are converging: AI is displacing or reshaping traditional jobs, pushing more people toward solopreneurship as a real option. At the same time, AI is giving solopreneurs the capability to run a serious business without a team. That combination makes this the right moment to define what a well-designed solo business actually looks like.What is The Ownership Trap? The Ownership Trap is what happens when a solopreneur builds without a life plan (saying yes to whatever pays, running everything on memory and email, with no system and no plan to evolve). The business grows, but it starts running the person instead of the other way around.What is the Life-First Movement? The Life-First Movement is the category of people, businesses, and ideas organized around one belief: the business exists to serve the life. Joe and Carly are building this movement at LifeStarr, but they're clear it's bigger than any one company. If you're working to help solopreneurs build businesses on their own terms, they want to connect.Life First. Then Business.

« Fais ce que tu aimes et tu ne travailleras jamais un seul jour de ta vie » : vraiment ?Dans cette troisième Minute Alix, je réagis à cette petite phrase inspirationnelle qui me rend… un peu chonchon.Parce qu'aimer son métier ne veut pas dire qu'on ne travaille pas, ni que notre activité va forcément marcher.Et si on arrêtait d'opposer passion et travail ? Est-ce que toi aussi, tu as déjà accepté une mission mal payée sous couvert qu'elle était trop chouette ? Et est-ce que ta passion t'a déjà joué des tours ?(

Tu veux lancer un produit digital mais tu sais pas encore lequel créer ? Télécharge la checklist pour créer ton premier produit digital en un week-end = https://www.minutelead.io/leboard/checklist-produit-digitalIls réunissent 100 créateurs, vendent leurs produits à leur place, et ne savent pas si c'est rentable avant le dernier matin du lancement.Voilà les chiffres réels du Cabinet des Curiosités, le plus gros bundle de produits digitaux de la francophonie, organisé depuis le Québec par deux solopreneurs qui réunissent chaque année plus de 100 créateurs dans le même panier.Dans cet épisode Solo Nation en duplex, Alexe Martel et Charles Davignon décortiquent le modèle économique en entier : ce que ça rapporte, où va l'argent, comment se passe le lancement, et surtout pourquoi vendre les produits des autres peut être plus rentable que de créer les siens.

Tired of being told you need to post three times a day to grow your business? This episode is your permission slip to stop.Carly and Joe sit down with Polly Pollock, the creator of capacity-conscious marketing and founder of the Antisocial Marketing Kit. Polly runs a thriving business without an active social media presence, and she is here to show you how it is done.In this conversation, Polly shares her journey with a late ADHD diagnosis and how it reshaped the way she runs her business. She breaks down why popular, trendy marketing advice leaves so many solopreneurs burned out, and she offers a real, step by step alternative built on visibility strategies like podcast guesting, guest teaching, and strategic partnerships.You will learn:Why consistency does not mean showing up every single dayHow to time-block your marketing so it takes a few focused hours a week, not hours a dayWhy one signature offer beats a stack of five or sixHow to find where your ideal client actually spends their timeA life first reminder to protect your weekends, your evenings, and your funIf you have ever felt stuck in the noise of online business, this episode will help you free yourself from the marketing you hate and focus on what you love.Grab Polly's free Antisocial Marketing Kit at antisocialkit.com.Leave a five-star review, share this with a fellow solopreneur, and subscribe wherever you listen.

Are modern church services finally moving away from dark, concert-style rooms and shifting back toward brighter environments? And if you are a lighting director, how do you make the jump from the MA2 console to the MA3?In this episode, we are joined by freelance AVL production expert Aria Hailey. Aria shares her journey into live production and discusses the reality of freelancing in the current industry. We explore a massive trend happening right now: why so many highly skilled audio and lighting techs are actually leaving the touring world to take full-time church tech jobs.In this episode you'll hear: 0:00 Intro: How Much Trouble Will Toby Get Into in Vegas?4:45 Aria Hailey's Journey Into AVL Production9:15 The Highs and Lows of Freelancing in Live AVL13:00 Overcoming "Blue Dot Syndrome" in Live Production15:15 The Trend: Are Techs Leaving Tours for Church Jobs?20:00 Designing Church Lighting for the Congregation (Not Your Ego)23:00 Lighting Trends: Are We Shifting Back to Brighter Church Services?28:15 How to Train the Next Generation of Church Lighting Techs33:00 Console Talk: The Biggest Differences Between MA2 vs. MA335:30 Tech Disaster Story: "Hey, There is Smoke Behind Me!"40:00 Keep Sundays Running: The Power of SnacksTake our survey here and you'll get the full report emailed to you December 4th!  Connect with HouseRight on your next integration project here. Check out jobs at HouseRight here.  Get more money back in your budget and more space in your closet by selling us your used gear here. Resources for your Church Tech MinistrySell Us Gear: Does your church have used gear that you need to convert into new ministry dollars? We can make you an offer here. Buy Our Gear: Do you need some production gear but lack the budget to buy new gear? You can shop our gear store here.  Connect with us: Sales Bulletin: Get better deals than the public and get them earlier too here!Early Service: Get our best gear before it goes live on our site here. Instagram: Hangout with us on the gram here! Reviews: Leaving us a review on the podcast player you're listening to us on really helps the show. If you enjoyed this episode, you can say thank you with a review! 

Episode Summary In this episode of the Work at Home RockStar Podcast, Tim sits down with Benas Leonavicius, founder of the personal branding agency Avium, to talk about the long game of freelancing. Benas started out writing for pocket money in university, spent years earning average income while sticking with it, and then found a new growth path in the last three to four years that led him to launch his own agency. Benas also opens up about one of his biggest setbacks — getting fired from a marketing agency job for trying to change how things were done — and how that moment, which felt like the end of the world at the time, turned out to be one of the best things that happened to him. From there, the conversation moves into building a home office that actually supports productivity, the self-care habits (sleep, gym, nutrition, walks) that keep his energy up as a business owner, and why he believes personal branding across a website, LinkedIn, YouTube, and podcasts is becoming essential in an AI-driven world. Tim and Benas wrap up talking about building a lean team instead of a big company, and why people follow people before they follow brands. Who is Benas Leonavicius? Benas is the founder of Avium, a personal branding agency that builds online visibility infrastructure for keynote speakers, book authors, and founders. He spent over a decade building a lean solo SEO business to more than $120k a year with strong profit margins, no office, and no outside funding, starting with SEO articles written for pocket money and briefly trying corporate work before walking away to build something of his own. That foundation became Avium, built to solve a specific problem: highly credible people whose real-world authority outpaces their online visibility. His clients include Dr. David Burkus, Jay Baer, and Susan David, among 36+ clients total, with a model that's intentionally kept small rather than scaled into a large agency. In the interview, Benas shared that he's been freelancing for over 10 years, only unlocking real growth in the last three to four years, and that he hired his first team member at the end of last year, followed by two more in recent months as he works to document his processes and build something less dependent on himself. Connect with Benas Leonavicius Website: https://avium.vip/ Personal Website: https://benasleo.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benasleo/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@benasleo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benasleo/ Substack: https://benasleo.substack.com/ Host Contact Details Website: https://workathomerockstar.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workathomerockstar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workathomerockstar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmelanson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkAtHomeRockStarPodcast Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/workathomestar Email: tim@workathomerockstar.com Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:35 Freelancing Success Story 02:54 Growth Mindset and Resilience 05:38 Biggest Setback Getting Fired 09:49 Home Office Setup 11:31 Productivity Upgrades at Home 15:25 Self Care for Entrepreneurs 20:38 Building a Lean Team 22:10 Personal Branding to Get Fans 25:13 Brand Platforms That Work Together 27:57 Agency Growth and Systems 31:10 Where to Find Benas 31:56 Favorite Band and Wrap Up Disclaimers Personal Opinions, Not Professional Advice The views shared by our guest are based on personal experience and opinion, not professional, financial, or legal advice. Always do your own research before making business decisions. Individual Results May Vary Any income figures or client outcomes mentioned about our guest are self-reported and have not been independently verified by Work at Home RockStar.

Tu passes des heures à planifier, créer ton contenu, peaufiner tes carrousels Canva… pour peu de vues et zéro résultat ?Et si le problème, c'était justement que tu réfléchissais trop ?Dans cet épisode solo, je te partage la méthode qui me permet de publier tous les jours sur LinkedIn et Instagram, en 10 minutes, sans calendrier de contenu, sans outil de programmation et sans perdre de temps !

Not finding reliable engineering talent for your projects when you need it? After 20 years running his AEC firm, Brian Sullivan knows that problem all too well — and he's now set out to tackle it from a completely different angle.

Signing the wrong client can mean months, or years, of stress, churn, and heartburn. In this episode, Carly and Joe break down how to vet clients and contractors before you commit.They cover why doing your homework upfront matters, how defining your business protects you from the wrong fit, and why personality can be just as important as the actual deliverables. You'll hear a clever way one consultant uses personality tests and questionnaires to gauge compatibility, why the gut check still reigns supreme, and the red flags that should make you pause. Think early freebie requests, panicky urgency, and how a prospect talks about past providers.Plus, Joe shares one of the worst hiring mistakes of his career and the lesson that stuck with him ever since. Hint, watch how people treat the waiter.If you want fewer bad-fit clients and more long-term relationships, this episode gives you the framework to get there.

Quand je dis facture électronique, tu tends l'oreille… ou tu pars en courant ? Dans cette deuxième Minute Alix, je parle de cette réforme qui arrive, mais surtout de ce qu'elle pourrait changer dans notre façon de regarder nos activités de freelance. (Pour des explications plus approfondies sur ce que les impacts immédiats de cette réforme sur ta micro, file sur le blog de Bande à Part).Et si tous ces outils, dashboards et données pouvaient enfin nous aider à mieux comprendre nos chiffres et à piloter notre activité ? Ou est-ce qu'au contraire, ils risquent de penser à notre place ?

Pourquoi est-ce qu'autant d'entrepreneur•es font des burnouts ? Est-ce qu'on est voués à dépasser nos limites et se cramer ? Et surtout comment on fait pour éviter ça ?Dans ce nouvel épisode, Thomas discute avec la thérapeute experte du système nerveux Estelle Keribin pour mieux comprendre ce sujet.Après avoir souffert de troubles du comportement alimentaire du fait d'un stress post-traumatique, Estelle est partie en quête des meilleurs outils thérapeutiques sur le sujet à travers le monde. Elle est aujourd'hui une thérapeut experte des TCA's et du système nerveux. Dans cet épisode Estelle et Thomas échangent sur des sujets comme : - Les effets physiques du stress, tels que l'hyperphagie- Le syndrome du bon élève et l'anxiété de performance des entrepreneurs- La remise en question de l'hyper croissance comme la norme- Impact du développement personnel sur les projets entrepreneuriaux- Les 4 modes de survie du système nerveux- Les effets du perfectionnisme sur le système nerveux - Comment guérir les TCA ?- Le fonctionnement du système nerveux atypique et neurodivergent- Comment réguler son système nerveux pour sa santé mentale- L'importance de l'oscillation entre prise de risque et relaxation - La stratégie cassée de Thomas après ses périodes de travail intenses- L'importance de la sécurité émotionnelle- La pratique de l'"ABC" pour se réguler émotionnellement au quotidien- Comment identifier et poser ses limites--- Suivez Estelle sur - Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/estelle_keribin/- LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/estelle-keribin-54583aa7/---Young, Wild & Freelance est un podcast hebdomadaire pour les entrepreneurs solo et les indépendants dans lequel Thomas Burbidge te partage toutes les clés pour créer, développer et structurer ton entreprise.Tu y retrouveras des interviews, des épisodes thématiques avec Thomas sur toutes les dimensions de ton entreprise (marketing, gestion, organisation, vente, finances, ...)Pour aller plus loin, retrouvez tous nos contenus pour les freelances sur :La newsletter : https://kaleidoscopehorizons.com/newsletterLe site media : https://kaleidoscopehorizons.com/le-media/mediaEt pensez à mettre une note de 5 étoiles sur le podcast

T'es freelance, tu as des followers sur Insta, une audience sur ton podcast... mais ça te rapporte rien ?Tu fais sûrement partie des milliers de freelances et créateurs à qui on a promis qu'une audience, ça vaut de l'or. Oui, mais l'audience, il faut savoir la transformer en or.Dans cette émission de Solo Nation, on t'apprend à monétiser ta communauté : pourquoi certains créateurs avec des centaines de milliers de followers n'arrivent pas à se verser un salaire, pendant que d'autres freelances et solopreneurs font 5 ou 6 chiffres avec des petites communautés ?J'ai réuni 3 solopreneuses pour en parler :

Think being a solopreneur means doing everything yourself? Think again. In this episode, we sit down with Rachael Davila, a virtual assistant since 2005 and founder of Extra Hands! Virtual Assistance, to break down everything you need to know before hiring your first VA.Rachael has seen both sides of the desk. She spent 16 years as a VA before hiring her own in 2021, and that experience gave her a fast education in why delegation feels so scary. We get into the real difference between "doers" and "collaborators," how to know which one your business actually needs, and why the cheapest VA is rarely the most affordable choice.You will also hear when to bring on support (spoiler, before you are drowning), how to document your processes even if your brain does not work that way, and why a human VA still beats AI for relationship-driven businesses.Whether you are curious, overwhelmed, or somewhere in between, this conversation will help you delegate with confidence.What you will learnThe difference between a doer VA and a collaborator VAThe signals that tell you it is time to hireWhy cheaper VAs can cost you moreHow to find and vet the right-fit VA at any budgetWhen a human VA beats AI (and when it does not)Rachael's life-first advice: start small and build trustLearn more about Rachael at extrahandsva.com and check out her podcast Hey! Do I Need a VA?Enjoy the show? Leave us a five-star review and share this episode with a fellow solopreneur who needs it.

J'enregistre cet épisode à chaud alors que les ventes du Sprint sponsoring sont encore ouvertes - et je te raconte les coulisses de mon lancement :1 mois de contenu, une masterclass à 300 inscrits (50% de présence), un simulateur de sponsoring créé avec Minute Lead qui m'a rapporté 421 leads, mon carrousel Instagram le plus vu (10.000 vues)… et toutes les best practices testées que tu vas vouloir me piquer pour vendre tes produits digitaux.

There's a powerful technique to increase your clients and sales, do you know what it is?Give value for FREE!It may sound a little unconventional, but it actually works. If you want more clients, you need to give more value for free.In this episode, we discuss a business principle that many people look at the wrong way. We often think about what we're going to get first, and what we can give later.That's exactly what we explored in this podcast.The most interesting part is that the mindset of giving value isn't just about increasing sales — it's also a powerful way to build long-term relationships and a strong reputation.Your next client may not come because they saw your offer.They may come because you've been providing them with value long before they ever became your client.The more value you provide, the more reasons you give people to trust you.

Every solopreneur eventually meets the client who pays the bills but crushes the soul. The one who calls at odd hours, ignores your boundaries, pays late, and somehow still feels impossible to let go of because the money is good.In this episode, Carly and Joe tackle one of the hardest parts of running a life-first business, walking away from a client you cannot afford to lose. They explain why the difficult client is not always the mean one, sometimes it is the perfectly nice person who has pulled your business away from its core.You will learn how to do the real math on what a problem client is actually costing you per hour, why communicating your boundaries comes before firing anyone, and how raising your rates can either fix the relationship or end it cleanly. Carly and Joe also share why keeping things professional matters more than venting, how to give enough notice so you never leave someone in a lurch, and what to do with your freed-up time once the client is gone.Whether that client is your only client or the one funding your vacations, this conversation gives you a clear, calm path out. Your paycheck and your peace of mind do not have to be at war.Leave a five-star review, share this with a fellow solopreneur, and subscribe wherever you listen, including YouTube.

Pour yourself a cuppa, it's time to chat about freelancing - and some of the biggest myths and truths out there! Hi, I'm Emma Cossey, and I'm a coach and mentor for freelancers.  Follow me on Instagram Email: hello@emmacossey.com  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Join the free Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business  

Tu rentres de vacances et, d'un coup, tu te mets à tout remettre en question ?Dans cette première Minute Alix

Warren Kornblum spent decades inside some of the biggest brands in retail, including Toys R Us across 27 countries, and he is convinced the solopreneur holds an advantage the giants would kill for. In this episode, Warren joins Carly and Joe to break down what really builds a brand when you are a business of one.Warren makes the case that branding was never about technology, reach, or advertising. It is about the customer, and solopreneurs are uniquely positioned to keep that focus razor sharp. He introduces his idea of the brand stand, the promise your business makes and keeps, and explains why a relationship will always beat a transaction.You will also hear why chasing followers and views can quietly work against you, the difference between share of mind and share of heart, and the danger of using AI to do the personal work that actually earns trust. Warren keeps it refreshingly real, and by the end you will have one simple thing you can start doing this week.In this episode you will learn:Why the solopreneur has a branding advantage over billion-dollar companiesWhat a brand stand is and how to build one that does not collapse into performanceThe difference between share of mind and share of heartWhy vanity metrics mislead you and what to measure insteadHow to earn trust without selling your soul for likesWhere solopreneurs most often overpromise and underdeliverWhether you are just starting or years into building your business of one, this conversation will change how you think about your brand.

You've been told you need to become a full-time content creator to grow your business. Post every day. Fight the algorithm. Do the newest TikTok dance. But what if you hate social media, and still need leads?In this episode, Carly and Joe break down practical lead generation strategies for solopreneurs who don't want to build an audience on social media. From leveraging your existing network to borrowing other people's audiences to building a referral system that actually works, these are relationship-first approaches that replace the pressure to go viral with something that feels a lot more real.Whether you're leaving corporate and dreading the "you need to be on social media" advice, or you've been solo for a while and want alternatives to the content hamster wheel, this episode is for you.Key topics covered:Why solopreneurs don't need a massive social media following to generate leadsHow to use social media for relationship-building without posting or broadcastingUsing LinkedIn for direct outreach and genuine connection (not selling)Tapping your existing network (past coworkers, vendors, clients, friends, and family) as your first lead generation pipelineThe simple outreach message that lets people know what you do without being pushyBorrowing audiences through podcast guesting, webinars, guest articles, and PRHow to build a referral system instead of hoping word-of-mouth happens on its ownBook recommendation: The Referral Engine by John JantschMemorable TakeawayRelationships, reputation, referrals...everything you do should go back to human connection and trust.Resources & Links MentionedThe Referral Engine by John JantschLifeStarr Community Alex Hormozi's YouTube channel

Are you stuck in the hourly billing trap, racing against the clock while your clients pressure you to go faster, cheaper, and more? In this episode, Jonathan Stark, the "Ditching Hourly" guy, joins Carly and Joe to break down exactly how solopreneurs can escape time-for-money pricing and switch to a value-based model that benefits both you and your clients.Jonathan shares the surprising moment he realized hourly billing was the root cause of nearly every frustration in his business, from scope creep to client tension to capped income. After making the switch, he doubled his income in year one and watched his client relationships transform almost overnight.This isn't abstract theory. Jonathan walks through his exact process for determining what your work is worth to a client, including his "why conversation" framework, a series of strategic questions that uncover urgency, business value, and what a home run looks like before you ever quote a price. He also explains how to structure a three-option proposal, why he defines scope last (not first), and how to handle scope creep without awkward confrontations.You'll also hear Jonathan's take on retainer pricing, why he doesn't send "rates are going up" letters, when hourly billing might still make sense for newer solopreneurs, and why he keeps contracts minimal even though any lawyer would call him crazy for it.In this episode, you'll learn:Why hourly billing creates a self-fulfilling cycle of scope creep and client tensionThe "why conversation" framework: three categories of questions that reveal what your work is actually worthHow to build a three-option value-based proposal that practically sells itselfWhy Jonathan prices first and defines scope last, and how that changes everythingHow to handle scope creep requests without damaging the client relationshipThe difference between project-based value pricing and retainer-based advisory pricingWhen hourly billing might still be appropriate (and when it's a trap)Why getting paid upfront changes the entire dynamic of client workHow to raise your prices over time without losing existing clientsResources mentioned:Jonathan Stark's free email course: valuepricingbootcamp.comJonathan's website: jonathanstark.comDitching Hourly podcastIf you found this episode helpful, share it with a solopreneur friend who's struggling with pricing. And don't forget to leave a five-star review and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, including YouTube.

Raising your rates can feel downright terrifying, even when you know deep down that you are worth it. In this episode, Carly shares the very personal story of prepping for weeks, practicing in the mirror, and walking into rate conversations shaking, only to hear a calm yes every single time.Carly and Joe break down why the fear of loss keeps so many solopreneurs stuck, how imposter syndrome and the feeling of being greedy sneak into these conversations, and why a low rate is not generosity but quiet resentment waiting to happen.You will learn how to do your homework and check competitive rates, why big leaps in pricing can backfire, and how to inch toward the number you actually deserve. Joe shares a smart strategy for raising rates with new clients first to build the confidence to approach existing ones, plus how inflation gives you an easy justification for a bump.If you are running a life first business, this one is for you. Your price protects your capacity to do good work, and raising it might be the very thing that gives you back your time.Know someone gearing up for that scary conversation? Share this episode with them so they know they are not alone.Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, including YouTube, and leave us a five star review to help us reach more solopreneurs building a life first business.

Are you using AI to sharpen your thinking or to slowly dull it? In this episode, Carly Ries and Joe Rando sit down with Johan Roos, creator of Lego Serious Play and author of Human Magic, to explore the two trajectories every solopreneur faces when working with AI.Johan breaks down the erosion curve versus the amplification curve and explains why the default path quietly makes you less curious, less critical, and more dependent. He shares the early warning signs that you have slipped into erosion, how to turn AI into a genuine sparring partner instead of a yes-machine, and why depth matters more than the mountain of text these tools can produce.You will learn why experts get the most out of AI while novices risk being taken for a fool, how to protect your critical thinking and communication skills, and the four questions that make up what Johan calls the wisdom compass. This one is packed with practical wisdom for any solopreneur building a business that supports their life.In this episode, you will hear about:The difference between the erosion curve and the amplification curveEarly warning signs you are becoming too dependent on AIHow to assign roles to AI and use it as a real sparring partnerWhy sycophancy from AI tools is a subtle trapThe five human capabilities AI cannot easily replicateHow to avoid mistaking quantity of output for quality and depthThe four questions of the wisdom compassWhy peer groups matter more than ever for solopreneursFind Johan at humanmagic.one.