It's the final countdown

I've now recorded this episode five times, which tells you everything you need to know about how tricky this topic is. This week I'm sharing where I've landed on AI for now, what I won't be doing, what I'm still unsure about, and the one question that has helped me most. I don't have a perfect answer, but I'd love to know if you're as tangled up in this as I've been. Timestamps: 0:00 Welcome to the Freelancer's Tea Break 0:45 Why this episode took five attempts to record 1:30 AI is already everywhere in our lives and businesses 2:15 Why generative AI is the tricky bit 3:00 What AI is doing to the freelance industry 4:00 Where I've drawn my line on generative AI 5:00 Asking "is this a responsible use of AI?" 6:30 Using AI minimally and admitting I'm not perfect 7:15 Over to you and the Discord 8:00 Still cheerleading freelancers This episode is sponsored by The Admin Den. I've worked with Alicia for a few years now, and I'm proud to work with her to bring you these episodes! You can find out more about The Admin Den here https://theadminden.co.uk, or follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theadminden Follow me on Instagram Email: [email protected]  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business  

This episode is sponsored by The Admin Den. I've worked with Alicia for a few years now, and I'm proud to work with her to bring you these episodes! You can find out more about The Admin Den here https://theadminden.co.uk/teabreak or follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theadminden  Ever felt like you were playing a part at work, saying one thing while thinking another? This week I'm pouring a cuppa and drawing a very simplified (but heartfelt) link between The Traitors, the corporate world and the freelance life. It involves James Acaster, a blindfold, and the difference between feeling like a Traitor and feeling like a Faithful. Spoiler warning: I talk about the celebrity series two finale, so pause here if you haven't watched it yet. Timestamps: 0:00 Welcome to the Freelancer's Tea Break 0:40 James Acaster, The Traitors and why I'm talking about it 1:30 Playing the game ethically and authentically 2:15 Why I felt like a Traitor in the corporate world 3:00 Going freelance and feeling like a Faithful 3:40 Navigating the grey areas of running a business 4:10 Why being a Faithful is less exhausting 4:45 Over to you and what's coming next week Check out the website: www.freelancelifestyle.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/emmacossey Email: [email protected] Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership: https://freelancelifestyle.podia.com/ Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business: https://link.amazon/B01qhTzb3

After years of very gentle bullying, I finally got Jo Shock onto the podcast! Jo has been the magic behind my business for over a decade, and she's the person everyone in the Freelance Business Lounge gets sent to the moment anyone mentions systems and CRMs. In this episode, we're talking all things CRM: what they actually are, when you need one, what to look for, and how to avoid getting dazzled by shiny software. If you've ever lost track of a lead in your inbox or wondered whether a spreadsheet is still cutting it, this one's for you. Timestamps: 0:00 Meet Jo, the magic behind my business 1:00 Jo's journey from editor to VA to systems specialist 2:15 Why everyone in the Lounge says "talk to Jo" 3:00 What is a CRM? 4:55 Taking the mental load off 5:20 When do you actually need a CRM? 6:50 The basics every CRM needs 8:15 The hidden bonus: useful client data 9:00 Starting with free tools 9:40 All-in-one tools vs specialist tools 11:15 Why your software should feel nice to use 12:05 Automations without losing the human touch 13:15 Don't forget the ICO data protection fee 14:00 Ready-made vs build-your-own CRMs 15:30 Bespoke services, packages and bolt-ons 18:20 Why Jo sent me back to LinkedIn 18:50 Jo's free resources 19:55 Building up from a basic system 21:45 Getting your tools to talk to each other 23:10 Where to find Jo 23:55 Jo's top tip: start with your process 24:25 The lure of shiny things Find Jo at Streamlines Virtual Support: streamlinesvirtual.com, where you can also sign up for her newsletter and grab her free resources. And connect with Jo Shock on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-shock.  The Speedy Client Management Software Audit: resources.streamlinesvirtual.com/client-management-software-audit   Streamline Your Client Admin & Care checklist: https://resources.streamlinesvirtual.com/your-client-management-checklist   Her newsletter: https://resources.streamlinesvirtual.com/sign-up   My stuff Check out the website: www.freelancelifestyle.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/emmacossey Email: [email protected] Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership: https://freelancelifestyle.podia.com/ Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: www.freelancelifestyle.co.uk/Discord Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business: https://link.amazon/B01qhTzb3

Let's talk about bookending your freelance day! Flown (affiliate link) https://flown.com/register?join=emma-cossey-dfa56  Follow me on Instagram Email: [email protected]  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business  

This week, we dive into the topic of part time freelancing around a job. Pour yourself a cuppa! Follow me on Instagram Email: [email protected]  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business  

Your onboarding forms might be the most underrated bit of marketing research you own. This week's episode is a quick admin prompt: dig out your client questionnaires and look at what people actually say when they explain why they chose you. I share what I discovered when I did this myself (spoiler: I'd been talking about the wrong thing on my sales page), plus some easy ways to spot the patterns, from good old-fashioned highlighters to AI and word clouds. Follow me on Instagram Email: [email protected]  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business  

...I'm going back to having the podcast as audio only. In this episode, I share what I learned during my experiment to offer the podcast as a video format too. Follow me on Instagram Email: [email protected]  Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business  

The Freelance Business Lounge is going up in price from the 1st of October. Join now and stick at the current price!  Join here: https://freelancelifestyle.podia.com/the-freelance-business-lounge

Ever caught yourself still playing by the old corporate rulebook, even though you left the 9 to 5 behind years ago? In this episode, Emma talks through the habits and expectations we carry over from employee life that freelancers simply don't have to keep. From unpaid "quick chats" that eat your lunch break to team-building days you never wanted to attend in the first place, this is your permission slip to stop doing the things nobody's actually paying you for. Timestamps: 0:00 Freelancer's Tea Break: Your Permission Slip to Drop Corporate Habits 0:42 Playing the Game as a Freelancer With ADHD 1:51 Unpaid Overtime: Why You Don't Have to Say Yes to Every Meeting 2:51 The Team-Building Bike Bar Story (You Had to Be There) 3:38 How to Charge Clients for Out-of-Hours Meetings 5:00 Ditch the 9 to 5: Working With Your Own Energy 5:55 Presenteeism, Networking, and Building the "Career Tree" 7:38 Turning Down Work Trips as a Freelance Mum 9:00 Your Freelance Permission Slip: Wrap Up and Community Links Check out the website: www.freelancelifestyle.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/emmacossey Email: [email protected] Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership: https://freelancelifestyle.podia.com/ Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business: https://link.amazon/B01qhTzb3

In this episode of The Freelancer's Teabreak, I'm going to discuss the power of freelance friendships, and how to find your own freelance friendship circle 00:00 Welcome & Take a Break 01:19 Drains vs Radiators 02:14 Alicia's Story 04:39 The Freelance Business Lounge 05:17 Membership Details 09:02 Get Involved 10:16 Goodbye