Niche Resistant - Freelance Writer Shea Karssing

EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDERecord high quality video & audio with Riverside.See how recording, live streaming and repurposing your content with Riverside can help your freelance business. It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside-----------ABOUT THIS EPISODEThis time we're following Kirth Noel's journey from starting photography as a hobby to turning it into a freelance business. Initially worked doing side gigs to fund his passion for photography (all that equipment soon adds up). Then as he became a father, Kirth transitioned to baby and maternity photography - delving into video production to help promote it.We hear how Kirth switched his niche again, following his interests whilst being very aware of what might work as a business. His freelancing shift to corporate videography, the strategic investments in equipment, and adapting to COVID-19 by focusing on product commercials. In the past year he's gone from a home studio with little risk, to working from a big rented studio where he can set up as a robotic video specialist focussing on 'visual engineering'. Using his experience as as an engineer on London's trains to tinker, experiment and solve problems that create incredibly inventive, specialised videos. All the time sharing his behind the scenes process to show what's possible, just as he did with the maternity photography years before.Kirth discusses his continuous learning, relationship-building within the industry & local area, and marketing strategies, including developing his presence on LinkedIn and plans for live events.There's a lot to Kirth's freelancing story for us all to take away, whether you're a videographer or not. Enjoy! JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

This time we're off to South Africa to hear the freelancing story of writer Shea Karssing.Shea was changing jobs every couple of years. Boredom setting in again.Taking freelance projects on the side to keep things interesting, she eventually realised she didn’t need a ‘job’ after all.In this episode we chat about- setting boundaries- building a business without relying on social media- working from home- building a one-on-one network- the benefit of writing her own book- being ‘niche resistant’.Because now the freelancing side hustle has firmly become the main income. Boredom banished thanks to Shea resisting the advice to niche. Her flexibility has become her calling card - it keeps her interested, learning, and happy - keeps her a freelancer. PODCAST SPONSORThis episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Lulu.Printing your book on-demand, around the world, with you in control. Sound good?- Stand out as an expert- Land new opportunities- Diversify your income- Have the best business card everAnd of course a whole lot more when you write & publish your own book.Your words, your images and you’re in control.Join the millions who have already published with Lulu (a B Corp - hello!) & take your freelance career to the next level.Discover what Lulu could do for your business using this link. JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

Meet multifaceted designer and illustrator and one-person agency, Andy Hau. Andy shatters the typical freelance mold by sharing his unique journey from architecture to the wide world of design, revealing how a chance encounter with musician Imogen Heap kickstarted his career in a new direction. Andy discusses the challenges of marketing yourself, the evolution of social media in bringing him opportunities, and the importance of speaking to actual humans in the noisy digital age. Andy thinks the human touch distinguishes his work and approach in an era of AI and digital saturation. We also explore how the illustrations of ‘Quinn The Fox’ that Andy created to convey his own emotions have now turned into a successful homeware and print side business.It’s an inspiring and fun conversation filled with practical advice, heartfelt reflections, of goals realised or reworked and a deep dive into what it means to be truly freelance. Even if you don’t realise that’s what you are. Because sometimes ‘you have to be a bit cringe’ to be successful. Whether that be reaching out to people on LinkedIn, or talking about yourself to a popular freelancing podcast.   PODCAST SPONSORThis episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Lulu.Printing your book on-demand, around the world, with you in control. Sound good?- Stand out as an expert- Land new opportunities- Diversify your income- Have the best business card everAnd of course a whole lot more when you write & publish your own book.Your words, your images and you’re in control.Join the millions who have already published with Lulu (a B Corp - hello!) & take your freelance career to the next level.Discover what Lulu could do for your business using this link. JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

Age doesn't matter.Until it does.Until you get the feeling people won't hire you anymore because you're too old.For Mary, she was 58. From New Zealand, but having spent 30 years in Australia in 'normal' full time jobs.Faced with ageism, she realised maybe it wasn't just that the interview panels didn't want her. Maybe she didn't want them anymore either. Maybe it was time for a change. To reinvent herself.Someone suggested being a freelance copywriter. She didn't know what that was. But here are.10 years later. 'The Wrinkly Writer'. Owning, literally as a business owner, her age. Turning it to her advantage.Mary now lives in France. We chat about- building long-term client relationships- turning age to her advantage when business mentor Kate Toon suggested her new working name- continuous learning and passing on to the next generation as a mentor- her relocation to France, working as a freelancer in a different country with many clients overseas- achieving work life balance, prioritising her physical and mental health across the day and weekIt's such a fun conversation. Full of the joy of life and work life.  JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

James Barnard shares his journey of becoming a freelancer and the strategies he uses to find clients and grow his business. He emphasises the importance of niche specialisation. When James focussed on logo design it made it much easier to attract clients. Steve and James discuss pricing strategies in attracting the right clients. When to first discuss budget. And how James uses forms and a CRM to help him filter who will be a good fit for his freelance business. James also discusses the role of social media in lead generation. We hear how he creates valuable content for designers and clients on Instagram and TikTok. On top of that, he shares his experience of hiring an assistant, not for admin like emails, scheduling and accounts, but for the 'grunt work' of design freelancing, and a copywriter to up his email game.Steve and James pick over the time and energy given to content creation, experiments with creating digital products like courses and working with brands like Adobe as a content creator/online business and design influencer. From a work life balance side of things, James discusses his move from the UK to Australia and how freelancing allows him to be there for his young family.Getting on camera has made a huge difference to James' freelance business and life. Not just through the connections and opportunities that have come via social media, but through the confidence it's given him in dealing with clients.There is a LOT going on his conversation. Enjoy!EPISODE SPONSORED BY RIVERSIDERecord high quality video & audio with Riverside.Plus let AI help you out by creating social media ready clips, matched to your brand.You can even stream to the likes of LinkedIn and YouTube… and then repurpose that recording with AI summaries and video clips ready to go in before you’ve made a cup of tea to celebrate.See how recording with Riverside can help your freelance business. It’s free to get started, but use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on a paid plan.Use this link to help support the podcast or go to beingfreelance.com/riverside JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

Dan went freelance twice. First for creative freedom. Secondly to free him up for his family.Starting out as a designer for McDonald's but wanted a more varied diet of projects. With a lot of time freelancing in agencies, Dan learnt to stand out, be indispensable and build relationships to expand his chance of finding work. He also flexed himself creatively with illustration side projects (after college tutors said he’d never make a living from drawing!)Adding a unique flair to his freelancer personal brand as 'Rubber Penguin’. Using a business name helped him be remembered and found - useful if you have a common name (Shout out to all the Dan Baileys of the world!). It also let him focus on adding character to his freelancing design work through illustration.When you're a freelancer, you're a business. And whilst Dan's time in agencies helped him with dealing with freelance clients professionally, he still struggled to have confidence in his value, his pricing - what he could charge for projects. Getting to know other freelancers and becoming co-mentors with them gave him a chance to discuss pricing strategies, finally getting that piece of the freelance puzzle in place.For all the talk of fast food, this is a slow burner of a career. Dan has gradually built his reputation within the industry. As a freelancer he's now getting the kind of work he wants to be doing at a price he deserves. Being able to to work around his family in a way that in-house demands would never allow.Happy Meal? No. Happy Freelancer? Yes. JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

From big cat zookeeper to taming words as a freelance copywriter, Adri's freelancing story starts a little differently. Burnout led to her quitting the zoo before even securing a paying client. A persistence in cold emailing, dealing with rejections that would have made many give up has led to warm relationships and a niche in emails themselves.Adri shares her approach to cold and warm emailing. And discusses the way she pays attention to what in her work gives her energy. Adri appreciates the freedom and flexibility that freelancing offers and talks about how she deliberately chose to work less hours to avoid burnout, even if it meant earning less money.  JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

This time we're off to India to chat to self taught Logo & Brand Identity Designer Blesson Varghese.We cover the importance of networking, 'silent' mentors, balancing work and life, and the challenges faced by freelancers in a society that doesn't yet fully value creative professions. Additionally, Blesson shares insights on his approach to handling clients and projects, and his continual quest for learning in his field  JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

Meet VA & Social Media Assistant Erin Buck. Not that she knew what that was 5 years ago.But then, she was happy working in a school. She didn't need to know.But then a twinge in Erin's back turned her world upside down.Nerve damage could left her housebound, watching daytime TV. Instead she propelled herself into an online business world she hadn’t known existed.Erin’s optimism, hard work and ability to figure things out, won out.She has ‘ideas’. Ideas that found her a constant stream of work. That took her into online communities, that then supported her back out into the offline world. Ideas of a future spending winter in the sun. When the real ray of sunshine is her being her true self all along. It’s an inspiring listen. The flexibility of freelancing. Business growth and personal growth going hand in hand. Buck up your ideas. JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland

Early success on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork led to Andréa expanding her services and horizons. Using video and podcasts she built trust. She also built an agency.Dealing with the challenges of managing a team, working around family, and staying focussed in a world of shiny objects.With the 'Savvy Social' Podcasts, YouTube, Membership, courses, retreat… as Andréa points out: it can be summed up quickly, but it happened slowly… With client work still the bulk of her income. Building intentionally as her family grows too.Andréa is the host of the Savvy Social Podcast - so, since you like podcasts, go track that one down too.As ever, Transcript for this episode is at beingfreelance.comYou can also find a video version of this podcast on YouTube. JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland