My Freelance Life

Hey there! I'm James Sowers. About two years ago, I took over as the new owner of the My Freelance Life podcast. Since then...I've made zero progress. But that's okay, because I'm in a different place now and I'm feeling motivated to revisit the idea of launching MFL Season 2 and perhaps expanding the podcast into something more substantial. In this episode, you'll learn the following: If you want to chat about your experience with My Freelance Life, what your current freelancing...

Just over an year ago, Andy decided to quit his day job to go full-time into freelancing, travelling the world, and living life on his own terms. Today, we wrap up his freelance life journey... Our goal for this show was to document Andy's freelance journey and we hope we've been able to share some useful insights. You can listen to all the episodes at http://freelancelifepodcast.com We hope you enjoyed Andy's 1 year long journey of his freelance life. We'd love to hear from you...

Everyone needs a vacation - a time to recharge batteries and give their brain a well deserved rest. This holds true even more so for freelancers like Andy. “It’s great to be able to take some time off when needed... I love the flexibility!” - Andy In today’s episode, Andy shares his tried and tested tips to taking some time off of work without really affecting his freelance income. Tools / Resources discussed in this episode - Company of One: Why Staying Small Is the Next Big Thing for...

Sometimes there comes along a freelance project that is stimulating, even frustrating to some extent - but at the end of the day is just the right mix. In today’s episode, Andy gives us insights into such a new project, keeping his motivation level up, and how using a coworking space is increasing his productivity. Tools / Resources mentioned in this episode TrelloWeWork Show notes for this episode can be found at http://freelancelifepodcast.com/ Podcast mixed and edited by Danny Gilman...

We're excited to announce our partnership with 'House of Who' to bring you a brand new podcast called ArtistCEO - a podcast by women, about women in business... ArtistCEO is a podcast for creative entrepreneurs and anyone trying to make business and art live in harmony. Host Kerri Lowe documents Shannon's journey as she attempts to integrate her two selves (her "artist" self and her "professional" self) in order to become one self - an ArtistCEO. Listen in to enter the mind of a...

When you’re getting paid for project completion and not for being “on the clock”, it’s quite a different experience for you and the client. In today’s episode, Andy shares his thoughts on the hourly vs fixed debate and gives us insights on which pricing structure works best for him. Andy's recently took on-board two fixed priced projects; a change from his usual hourly based pricing. But are fixed-priced project worth pursuing? Are they better than hourly pricing in the long run? We find...

Andy’s temporary relocation was the perfect opportunity to try out something new in his freelance life… like joining a coworking space. Working at a home office can be tough sometimes. You might find yourself not leaving the house for days and trying to talk to your cat just to feel sane. In this week’s episode of My Freelance Life, Andy reveals his decision to give coworking spaces a chance. So was it worth it? We discuss the takeaways so you can decide for yourself. Tools / Resources...

Andy has relocated to California for a few months, to spend time with family, all while continuing his work in full gear - thanks to his freelance lifestyle. In today's episode, Andy also talks about the transition being easier than he expected and how this month is shaping up to his best yet. This and much more in episode 24 of My Freelance Life Tools / Resources mentioned in this episode: - MacBook Alarm (Secure your laptop with an alarm) Show notes for this episode can be found at...

It’s been a whole year since Andy decided to leave his full-time job for a full-time freelance career - and there's no stopping him. This week, he's recorded his highest earnings ever! In episode 23 of My Freelance Life, Andy shares his tips to getting testimonials, the possibility of acquiring a ‘non-Upwork’ client and the ability to relocate to a different city all thanks to his freelance work structure. Show notes for this episode can be found at...

Just over an year ago, Andy sent a memo to everyone at his full-time job, announcing that he was leaving his desk-job to pursue freelancing full-time. He is now a full year into his freelance career - and loving every bit of it. "Now, after freelancing for about a year, I can safely say it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.", says Andy. A few weeks have passed by since the last time we talked to Andy, who’s been away on a trip to Trinidad. In today’s episode, he talks about...

Figuring out your freelance rate is one of the most challenging things a freelancer faces. Andy is no exception. The fear of selling himself short and the anxiety caused by setting the bar too high is a fine balancing act that Andy keeps in mind while quoting his clients. “My clients don't pay me for what I do, they pay me for the solution I have for their problem” In today’s episode, Andy discusses how he justifies his ‘above market’ rates to clients - so that the subject of money is...

Andy is quite happy not to take on new clients at the moment. He doesn’t need to work 24/7 and only requires a handful of clients to match his target income. In today’s episode, Andy talks about the flexibility of choosing clients and fluctuating his own rates, calling it his ‘biggest advantage’ working as a full-time freelancer. In the second part of the show, Andy gives his thoughts on whether you should accept a lower paying gig if business is ‘slow’. “If the opportunity seems right, go...

Andy’s biggest challenge isn’t convincing his clients to pay him more money or chasing after payments. Rather it’s internal - convincing himself that he’s worth the rate he wants to charge. In today’s episode, Andy dives in deep and share with us his strategies to negotiating with clients and how exactly does he go about pricing himself. Andy also gives his thoughts on something that’s been debated among freelancers ever since the origin of the freelance profession i.e. the great pricing...

Waking up every morning to a fresh set of challenges and satisfying little puzzles, is what keeps keeps Andy determined. It’s a dream come true. No more hours of commuting, feeling stuck in a cubicle, listening to that ever dull hum of fluorescent lighting or stressing about traffic going back home. Some love the structure of an office life, Andy thrives in his freelance life. In today’s episode of My Freelance Life, Andy talks about how he controls his own schedule, works where and when he...

The key to long-term freelance success isn’t just your work output - it’s also nurturing great working relationships with your clients. In this episode, Andy talks about his strategy to maintaining a steady income thanks to his ‘alternative’ approach to working with clients. In today's episode of My Freelance Life, you’ll learn Andy’s way of building a relationship with clients and how it’s an ongoing process that starts with the first interaction and continues on with every project. “I’ve...

Focusing on your brand identity and the type of clients you work with can make your freelance life much easier - and ultimately very successful. This week, Andy gives us his tips for attracting high-quality clients and becoming a profitable freelancer. How exactly does Andy avoid working for lower-quality clients? He attracts higher-quality ones - by simply adjusting his approach towards clients. It’s all about not compromising on what you’re worth and who you’re willing to work with. In...

Part of the attraction of switching to full-time freelance is the ability to hand-pick what to work on and to have multiple project possibilities - comapred to working for just one company. This week, Andy runs us through his routine after coming back from Europe, talks about the impact of vacations on his freelance projects - and the effect it had on his earnings. In this episode, we also talk about: Show notes for this episode can be found at http://freelancelifepodcast.com/ Thanks to...

“Hey Andy, I’m impressed, can we start on this today?” - and that’s how Andy’s landed an amazing new gig right after returning back home from a 3-week long trip to Europe. It’s been months since Andy said sayonara to his full-time job to dive off the deep end into full-time freelance work and in this week’s episode, he recalls his mini-vacation adventures and talks about the flexibility he enjoys while trying to build his freelance lifestyle. Show notes for this episode can be found at...

Andy has been working the same hours lately while gradually raising his hourly rates. The result? He’s setting new records every day in terms of highest revenue earned! In today’s episode, Andy talks about how frequently should freelancers be taking vacations and also gives advice on one of the most daunting challenges facing freelancers - raising rates without losing quality clients. Show notes for this episode can be found at http://freelancelifepodcast.com/ This episode is brought to...

Taking a leap of faith into the freelance world can feel more like pushing yourself off a cliff. Andy knows, because he did exactly that a few months ago. In today’s episode, Andy talks about the realities of freelancing and his thought process to going from a ‘flexible’ day job to a full-time freelancing career. We also talk about the ‘burden’ of freelancing and how to keep a balance by working while on vacations. “Vacations are never quite the same after becoming a freelancer”, says Andy....