#301: How To Set Yourself Apart From The Other 500,000,000 Freelancers In The World | Part 2

Ready for some tough love? This week's episode of the Six Figure Creative Podcast is a wake-up call for freelancers stuck in "survival mode". Here's the big question... are you letting your emotions run your business? If the answer is yes, it’s time to change that. In this episode, I break down: The 12 things you can't ignore to build a thriving freelance business. The brutal truth about why most freelancers fail. A powerful mindset shift to turn your business struggles into triumphs. Stop letting feast-or-famine cycles dictate your life. It's time to build a sustainable, fulfilling freelance business that doesn't crumble at the first sign of trouble. 🎧 Listen to Episode 309 Now In this episode you’ll discover: Why emotions are ruining our businesses How running a business adds tasks to your plate The 12 roles and responsibilities of any business owner Why Brian almost passed out during his first gym session Your choices if you can't go back to a day job Getting a personal trainer for your business For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/309

For two grueling years in my early 20s, I poured my heart into a day job at Gamestop, never missing a day and always showing up on time. Despite the love from regulars and kudos from my boss, my financial reward after all that hustle? A laughable jump from $5.15/hr to $5.50/hr. That's right, a whole $0.35/hr raise after two years. Sound painfully familiar? Unfortunately, many of us have been undervalued at some point, struggling to secure that well-deserved raise. But here's the flip side... when you're self-employed, you call the shots on your "salary". No more waiting years for a significant raise - freelancers can see substantial income increases in a matter of weeks or months if you play your cards right. Ready to find out how? Check out this week's episode of the 6 Figure Creative Podcast for a super-tactical and engaging session where we explore four actionable steps to give yourself a raise this year. In this episode you’ll discover: How to "get a raise" as a freelancer The limits on our businesses as freelancers Overcoming the constraints on your business Keeping your clients happy - and tracking repeat clients Eliminating a constraint to give yourself a pay bump Why whales are a risk to your business Improving your skills, beliefs, and character traits Finding the answers to your roadblocks For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/308

For freelancers, subscription pricing is like finding the holy grail. It changes the feast & famine nature of project-based work into a steady, reliable income stream. Last week, we kicked off this conversation, exploring how freelancers could shift from one-time gigs to recurring revenue models. The topic struck a chord, leading to an influx of interest and discussions. This week we’re going deeper into why this approach is also notoriously challenging for freelancers, and what you can do to have the best shot of making it work. Without knowing what you're doing, you might try to move to recurring packages only to find yourself overworked and underpaid. On top of that, clients are often hesitant to commit to recurring packages, fearing long-term commitments when they're used to paying for specific, one-off tasks. While the transition might be difficult, the payoff is absolutely worth it. Check out this week's podcast where I dive into 7 Pricing Strategies For Recurring Subscription Freelance Clients. In this episode you’ll discover: Why subscription packages are the holy grail for freelancers The advantages of value-based pricing Understanding that value isn't always financial Monthly pricing options to protect yourself Creating bundles for your pricing When (and how) to charge an onboarding fee Price increases over time Should you have a contract or not? How to offer incentives for clients to sign up for a subscription Safeguarding yourself from becoming overworked For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/307

The life of a freelancer sounds amazing on the surface.... The freedom of being your own boss and setting your own hours. The flexibility of working when you want. For some, even traveling the world as a digital nomad is a possibility. While that can all be true, the dark side is that there can also be a lot of unpredictability. What if you could change that? Imagine knowing how much you're going to earn each month and having a clear picture of who you're working for in the coming months. This isn’t just a nice thought... It's a reality for freelancers offering recurring services - think subscriptions, retainers, or monthly packages. When you do this, you move from always hunting for the next client to having "automatic clients." This idea comes from turning one-time gigs into ongoing relationships where clients pay regularly for continued services. Typically, freelancing is a one-and-done deal. You get a project, you do the work, you get paid, and that’s the end of the story. You start each month at zero—no guaranteed money, no clients waiting. It's like hitting the reset button every 30 days, which can make budgeting a nightmare and stability a pipe dream. But does it have to be this way? Not really. This constant chase for new gigs is a trap many fall into by only taking on one-off projects. There’s a better strategy that can help smooth out the highs and lows: setting up a recurring revenue model. If you’re tired of the freelance rollercoaster, check out this week's episode of the 6 Figure Creative podcast where I dive into recurring revenue for freelancers. In this episode you’ll discover: Creating a stable income stream by using recurring offers Identifying industries that work well with recurring (or reoccurring) models Helping your clients with a recurring service Selling unlimited packages on a subscription basis Making recurring packages valuable to your clients For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/306

Navigating life as a creative freelancer is all about balancing what you love doing with what pays the bills. It's often framed as "selling your soul", but really, it's about making tough choices: do you follow your passion or chase the cash? For creatives, this dilemma is pretty intense. You've got the classic 'starving artist' on one side. They're rich in satisfaction but often struggle financially. Then there's the other side - the freelancers who focus mainly on what brings in money. Sure, they might be doing better financially, but at what cost? This week's episode explores each side in a search for finding a healthy balance between money and passion or the seasons of life that may be the right time to focus on money instead of passion. Whether you're the classic "starving artist" or the money-focused freelancer, this episode is worth a listen. In this episode you’ll discover: Hobbies vs businesses Are you motivated by passion or profit? The importance of focusing on what your clients want Giving yourself more free time by being profit-driven Reducing your stress by becoming a profit-driven creative Why passion-driven creatives need to change For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/305

Client acquisition is obviously an important part of running a freelance business because it’s how you make sure you keep getting paid every month. Despite how obvious this is, many freelancers don’t take this seriously enough... and it shows when work dries up and you're back into the dreaded feast-or-famine cycle. If you worked in a day job that decided to stop paying you for weeks or months at a time, you'd probably do something about it. However, many freelancers never do anything about this in their own business. They just keep showing up to "work" week after week, month after month, accepting their fate. If you'd like to be a better "boss" to yourself and actually make sure you get paid every month, this week's episode is all about avoiding some of the most common client acquisition mistakes If you stop making these mistakes and start taking client acquisition seriously, you’ll have more stability, better projects, and fewer dry spells. What’s not to like about that? In this episode you’ll discover: Avoiding the basic mistakes that you make during client acquisition Adding value as a freelancer Why a high close rate is dangerous for your business How to increase your sales with a high-quality follow-up sequence Fix your pricing model! For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/304

In the final episode of this 4-part series, we're diving into one of the most powerful but often misunderstood methods of standing out from the crowd. I saved the best for last. This has been the "secret sauce" behind my all of my successful businesses, from freelancing, to Airbnb, to multiple software companies, and even podcasting. Without this last piece of the puzzle, nothing I've tried would have worked, and I'd likely still be working at Gamestop for minimum wage (missing out on millions of $ in the process) If you're ready to become absolutely indispensable to your clients, listen to this week's episode to the 6 Figure Creative Podcast. In this episode you’ll discover: The importance of specialization Why niches work better than others Conversion-focused web design as a differentiation method Niching down vs. niching out The advantages of pushing bad leads away For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/303

Want to know the 3 golden rules for winning more clients than your competition? First off, forget about competing on price. It’s a dead-end street. Instead, focus on adding value in unique ways that don’t undercut your worth. It’s about quality, not the lowest bid. Second, make sure your stand-out factors are visible from the get-go. Qualities like a "great client experience" or a "cool vibe" are awesome, but they only shine through after you’re hired. You need something that grabs attention before that stage, something that makes potential clients think, “Yes, THIS is the right person for us,” before they even talk to you. Third, K.I.S.S. (keep it stupid simple). Focus on one differentiator at a time. In a sea of sameness, one well-defined trait can be your ticket to standing out. It’s not about being a jack-of-all-trades but a master of one. Last week, we talked about the ways you can differentiate by brute force, which can be tough and pricey. This week, let’s get into something more accessible yet equally powerful: building trust and credibility, especially through social proof. It’s about showing, not just telling, that you’re the real deal. Social proof, like glowing testimonials or endorsements, can be a game-changer. It’s about having others vouch for you, and showing potential clients that you’ve delivered 🤩amazing🤩 work before. This kind of proof doesn’t need to break the bank but does require effort and intentionality to gather and showcase. In this episode you’ll discover: Using social proof for differentiation The impact of reviews on your business. Asking for feedback and reviews How to get case studies for social proof Content creation to generate quote requests For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/302

Why should someone hire you vs alllll the other options they have? If you don't have a good answer to that question yet, it's time to start working on it before the estimated 500 Million freelancers come online by the end of this decade. This week I broke down 5 "Brute Force Differentiators" you can use to set yourself apart. If you're trying to find more ways to stand out, this is a great start! In this episode you’ll discover: The three rules of differentiation Why lowering your price will never help you When you need to stand out to close the deal Focusing on one point so you aren't spread thin Types of differentiators Why being the best doesn't matter Why gear is not a good differentiator Growing a better network to stand out For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/301

"But they do it for less". If you've heard lines like that over the past year, get ready to hear it even more over the next 5-10 years. Why? Well here's a terrifying stat: There are an estimated 500,000,000 freelancers "coming online" by the end of this decade. WTF can we do to set ourselves apart from all those people WITHOUT resorting to dropping our rates? It all comes down to one unsexy word: Differentiation. Why should someone hire YOU vs alllll the other options they have? If you don't have a damn good answer for that, you're going to have a bad time... Stick around for this new series where I'll dive into all the nitty-gritty on how to stand out, earn more, and keep doing what we love for the rest of your life. In this episode you’ll discover: How freelancing grew in recent years Why should someone hire you? How low pricing hurts you and all other creatives The dangers of trying to appeal to everyone Making sure we don't lose our creativity while running a business The importance of differentiation in your business For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/300