Overcoming the Fear of Networking

Brittany runs her own design studio and knows she needs to get out from behind her screen and start meeting people face-to-face. The problem: she’s shy, and local networking feels downright terrifying. Preston and Clay walk her through exactly how to break into the local business world without pretending to be someone she’s not—from joining a BNI leads group to an unexpectedly genius $100-a-week community stunt that opens doors without a single sales pitch. Support our show sponsors → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠ Submit your own question → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Check out Clay's business → ⁠https://golinus.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emma Clark runs Clark Content Co. and has spent years managing projects from her inbox and a few spreadsheets—until now. With two contractors on board and plans to hire more, things are getting messy fast. Preston and Christine Olivas break down why defining roles and responsibilities is the real foundation of any good system, and share the surprisingly lean tech stack that keeps Christine's 25-person team running smoothly across complex, fast-moving agency engagements. Support our show sponsors → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠ Submit your own question → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Learn more about guest co-host, Christine → ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/colivas/⁠⁠ — ⁠⁠https://nosingleindividual.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Omar has built something worth protecting—a roster of loyal clients who hired him as a freelancer and trust him personally. Now he’s growing Vision Craft Studios into a full agency, and the hardest part isn’t finding new clients. It’s handing off the old ones. Preston and Christine Olivas, founder and CEO of No Single Individual, dig into what it really takes to transition client relationships to your team without breaking the trust it took years to build. Support our show sponsors → https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors Submit your own question → https://freelancetofounder.com/ask This episode has been aired previously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Layla from Bright Horizon Media has built something real — a small social media marketing agency with two part-time team members and real momentum. Now she's facing the question every growing agency owner hits: how much of your client revenue should you give to your sub-contractors? Is it cheating to charge high and pay low? Preston and Christine Olivas dig into the art of agency pricing, the mindset shift around articulating value, and why who you target matters just as much as what you charge. Support our show sponsors → https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors Submit your own question → https://freelancetofounder.com/ask This episode has been aired previously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christine Olivas scaled from solo freelancer to leading a 24-person operation—but the path wasn't as simple as just "hire when you're busy." Preston and Christine dig into one of the most misunderstood decisions in freelancing: when to bring someone on, who to bring on first, and how to avoid trading one grind for another. If you're turning down work and losing sleep, this episode will help you figure out whether you're ready to grow—or just ready to burn out faster. Support our show sponsors → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠ Submit your own question → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ This episode has been aired previously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CodeCrafter is talented, working hard, and building something real—but a nagging voice keeps whispering that he's not expert enough to charge more, land better clients, or call himself a professional. Preston digs into one of the most common mental traps freelancers fall into: waiting to feel ready before they act. This episode breaks down how to reframe what expertise actually means, why your clients don't need the world's best—they need someone who can solve their specific problem, and how to start building confidence not by knowing more, but by doing more. Support our show sponsors → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠ Submit your own question → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ This episode has been aired previously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subcontracting can feel like a smart move—until you realize your business is quietly disappearing into someone else's brand. Sound familiar? In this solo episode, Preston digs into a question from Garrett, a 30-year-old nonprofit consultant who's starting to wonder: am I building my business... or just theirs? He's been subcontracting for a seasoned consultant, and the lines between "partnership" and "being swallowed up" are getting blurry fast. Merge, stay, or go solo? Preston walks through how to test your market without blowing up a valuable relationship, set real boundaries before resentment kicks in, and make the leap from subcontractor to independent consultant—without burning the bridges that got you here. Support our show sponsors → https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors Submit your own question → https://freelancetofounder.com/ask This episode has been aired previously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dream client. Huge project. Zero team. Do you say yes and figure it out later—or build the team first and hope they stick around? Preston and Austin break down the classic chicken-and-egg trap every growing freelancer hits... and reveal a third option that could save your reputation, your sanity, and your shot at finally making the leap from solo to agency.Support our show sponsors → https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsorsSubmit your own question → https://freelancetofounder.com/askJoin Austin's Premium Community → ⁠⁠https://www.freelancecake.com/community⁠⁠Get Austin's Book, Free Money → ⁠⁠https://austin-l-church.kit.com/cf0feb3e27⁠This episode has been aired previously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does your zip code actually matter to American clients? Dieter's freelancing from Europe and wondering if the US market is even worth chasing. The answer might surprise you. Preston and Austin break down why being "foreign" isn't the handicap you think it is — and how to flip your location into a competitive edge that US-based freelancers simply can't match. If geography's been your excuse, this episode pulls the rug right out from under it. Support our show sponsors → https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors Submit your own question → https://freelancetofounder.com/ask Join Austin's Premium Community → https://www.freelancecake.com/community Get Austin's Book, Free Money → https://austin-l-church.kit.com/cf0feb3e27 This episode has been aired previously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Think you're ready to hire a VA... but have no idea where to start? You're not alone. Every growing freelancer hits that wall — a million tasks, not enough hours, and zero clue who to trust with the work. In this episode, Preston sits down with Austin Church (founder of Freelance Cake Community) to break it all down. Austin brings 4+ years of real VA experience and shares the one thing most freelancers get wrong when hiring — plus his dead-simple framework for knowing exactly what to hand off first. Character vs. skills. Freedom vs. burnout. This one might change how you run your business. Support our show sponsors → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠ Submit your own question → ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Join Austin's Premium Community → ⁠⁠https://www.freelancecake.com/community⁠⁠ Get Austin's Book, Free Money → ⁠⁠https://austin-l-church.kit.com/cf0feb3e27⁠ This episode has been aired previously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices