Author: James Cross

In today's episode, I'm dedicating the entire discussion to the creative versus the entrepreneur. We'll explore the pros and cons of each side, helping you navigate the battle within and find that sweet spot in the middle—the balance that leads to a happier, healthier, and more prosperous freelance career.

 

First, let's really understand your creative side. As freelancers, most of us start as creatives at heart. We stumble upon a skill or a passion that sparks our imagination, ignites our creativity, and propels us to share our art with the world. It's what drives us to be here in the first place.

 

But to become a successful creative freelancer, it takes more than just passion and raw talent. It takes a truly entrepreneurial approach. This is where the magic happens, where we turn our creativity into a viable business.

 

Remember, both the creative and the entrepreneur are essential elements of your freelance business. Embrace the good parts of both and avoid the dark sides of both.

 

By finding that sweet spot in the middle, you'll find the ideal balance for running a happier, healthier, and more profitable freelance business.

 

So, if you're a creative freelancer who wants to earn more from your creative skills (without selling your soul), this episode is an absolute must-listen.

 

In this episode you’ll discover:

I get how it feels when your website doesn't bring those sought-after leads. It's frustrating to spend so much time and care building a beautiful site, only to be greeted with crickets.

 

The thing is, your website is likely more like a confusing labyrinth for potential clients… All those options, paths, and choices can be overwhelming.

 

It's like a choose-your-own-adventure novel, where you're never quite sure if you're heading for the jackpot or a dead end.

 

So what happens when your clients can't navigate this maze? When they're faced with too many options, they don't stick around.

 

They abandon your site before even reaching out. It's a lose-lose situation, and it's costing you leads and clients.

 

Fortunately, there's a better way…

 

Did you know you could guide your clients purposefully through their journey instead of leaving them stranded?

 

The key is understanding the six critical stages of the client journey. And once you master that, you can use carefully crafted funnels to guide your clients through each stage.

 

Curious about these funnels? You'll be excited to learn they are two of the best-performing funnels for freelancers – the Lead Gen Funnel and the Opportunity Funnel. They're no magic tricks but clear, straightforward strategies to turn more leads into clients.

 

This week's episode of the 6 Figure Creative podcast talks all about the 6 Steps of the Client Journey and the two best funnels for freelancers. Learn about this, and you'll be on your way to creating a great experience for your clients.

 

In this episode you’ll discover:

Here's a concept that will make you more money – everything in business is based on inputs and outputs.

 

Yes, this sounds soulless, and yes this seems to take away the creativity, but stick with me.

 

It's all about understanding how your freelance business operates, just like any other machine out there.

 

Picture this: When you work a regular job, you know your input is your time, and the output is your hard-earned cash, right? It's simple.

 

Similarly, with a car, you put in gasoline, and you get mileage or horsepower as the output. Easy peasy.

 

But here's the thing: Many freelancers forget about this essential concept of inputs and outputs, and it's holding them back.

 

You see, the more input you put in, the greater the output…

Makes sense so far, right?

 

But here's the kicker: It's not just about two-dimensional thinking…

 

 

Better job = more $$ for the same hours.

 

Better car = more miles for the same amount of gas.

 

Your freelance business is the machine in question here. Just how well-oiled is it?

 

Here's where things get interesting – the better your freelance business machine, the higher your income and the less you'll need to work on things you don't want to do. Leverage is the name of the game.

 

But let's be real. Some of you might be working for less than you could earn at McDonald's.

 

Nothing's worse than pouring your heart and soul into your work and feeling under-compensated.

 

So on this episode, we're breaking your freelance machine down into five major pieces, then talking about the inputs and outputs of every individual part.

 

Bring your toolbox, and let's start tinkering.

 

In this episode you’ll discover:

Have you ever had an amazing potential client reach out to you? They seem really interested and they look perfect for you… But then, poof! They just vanish.

 

Time goes by, the job doesn't happen, and you're left scratching your head, wondering, “wtf did I do wrong?” This can be really frustrating, but guess what? We can fix it!

 

If this sounds like something that's happened to you, here's how you fix it: Be impossible to ignore.

 

The truth is, if this part is hard for you, you're likely only getting 50% of the clients you could be getting, which means you're flushing money down the drain.

 

How do I know? Well, when I looked at my own business, I found out that half of my earnings in a year came from clients I had to check back with five times or more.

 

In this week's podcast episode, I'll give you five effective strategies on how to stay top-of-mind and be impossible to ignore.

 

Ready to dive in?

 

In this episode you’ll discover:

In any freelance business, there are two ways to increase your income:

 

While most freelancers focus on the first method, most of us ignore blatantly obvious ways you can make each and every client worth more $$$ to your business.

 

The beauty of focusing on how you can make each and every client worth more is that the improvements you make here can have a massive impact for the rest of your life.

 

Despite this, few freelancers spend time thinking about how they can better monetize the clients they already have. And that's where this episode comes in handy.

 

So, if you're maxed out on clients, and you're looking for ways to still increase your income (without burning yourself out), this episode is for you.

 

In this episode you’ll discover:

On today's podcast episode, I wanted to have a candid chat about something critical to your success as a freelancer…

 

It's a topic that's often glossed over, but it's the backbone of your entire business: Fulfilling the services you're paid for as a freelancer.

 

Have you ever wondered why some clients never return, or why they don't refer your services to others? Maybe you're finding that more and more of your clients and projects are becoming a pain in the 🍑?

 

If so, it might be time to take a good, hard look at your fulfillment processes.

 

In this episode, I dive deep into the six common mistakes that can completely derail your fulfillment experience as a freelancer. Spoiler alert: if you're committing any of these, especially the first one, you might be setting yourself up for a nauseating ride.

 

Here's why… As a freelancer, you are literally getting paid to deliver on your promises. When you mess up fulfillment, you're inadvertently sabotaging your own business. This can lead to fewer referrals, less repeat business, and the potential for some seriously stressful interactions with clients.

 

The good news is that this episode isn't just about identifying the problems; it's about finding solutions and paving the way for smoother, more satisfying client relationships and more rewarding freelance projects.

 

I can't wait for you to join me in this discussion. We'll go through these six pitfalls, figure out where you might be going wrong, and most importantly, talk about how to right those wrongs.

 

In this episode you’ll discover:

Today, we're kickstarting a new podcast series. We're calling it the “Freelance F*ckups” series – because, let's be real, we all have those moments.

 

This series is special because it aims to address one of the main issues we face when listening to advice-rich podcasts – information overload.

 

Picture it as an “Advice Buffet” where you're trying to juggle countless pieces of advice, strategies, and tips. It's overwhelming, isn't it?

 

For a lot of us, this all-you-can-eat Advice Buffet leaves us frozen in Analysis Paralysis Mode instead of actually helping us move forward.

 

What if we can switch the narrative from what you should do to what you should avoid?

 

This, my friends, is the vision behind our Freelance F*ckups series. Each episode will focus on major pitfalls that freelancers encounter, areas where we commonly trip up, and how to sidestep these mistakes.

 

So, let's navigate these bumps in the road together, step by step, week by week. This series won't be about adding new tasks to your ever-growing to-do list. Instead, we'll examine the habits, practices, and mindsets that might be tripping you up, allowing you to pivot, adapt, and avoid these missteps in the future.

 

Let's get started!

 

In this episode you’ll discover:

I've been talking to a lot of freelancers recently, and I'm a bit troubled by their underwhelming financial goals. It's not about being greedy, it's about being realistic…

 

This is why I am presenting a bold idea: $100k should be the new minimum wage for freelancers.

 

Many freelancers look at $100k as their most ambitious goal, while I look at it as merely the start.

 

Hear me out.

 

Gross income as a freelancer is vastly different from a salary in a day job. The reason is simple: expenses. They're part and parcel of being a freelancer, and I'm not just talking about pencils and paper here.

 

I'm talking about substantial, often overlooked, expenses that can take a big chunk out of your earnings. In this episode, we're going to delve into those figures, so you can gain a clearer understanding of where your money goes, why $100k should be your new minimum goal, and what you should be doing to get yourself there.

 

The aim of this episode is to challenge your thinking and to help you set yourself up for a better, more stable life as a freelancer.

 

In this episode you’ll discover:

We all know the life of a freelancer isn't easy. There's an unending list of tasks to tackle, clients to please, and portfolios to build. On top of that, we juggle personal commitments and the oh-so-precious “me time” that often gets squeezed out.

 

So, it's no surprise that we often find ourselves feeling overwhelmed, the creativity squashed out of us, and, at times, a sense of exhaustion that doesn't seem to let up.

 

Sound familiar? It does to me.

 

In our latest episode, I dove headfirst into this ocean of overwhelm in response to a heartfelt listener question.

 

They wrote in, juggling a 60-hour work week, a freelance business, a spouse, and the all-important quest for sleep. And their question was, “how do I battle exhaustion and overwhelm when I need to use any free time to transition to working for myself?”

 

I know this will likely resonate with you. It certainly did with me.

 

Now I'm not about to pretend to be some sort of authority on managing overwhelm, but I am someone who's experienced these struggles and found ways to manage.

 

I hope that by sharing my experiences and insights, I can help you navigate your own journey a bit more smoothly.

 

This episode isn't about quick fixes or short-term solutions. We won't be tackling overwhelm as if it's a symptom to be temporarily alleviated. Instead, we'll be diving into the root causes, aiming to unearth lasting solutions that help you overcome this persistent roadblock.

 

If you're constantly feeling overwhelmed (or if you're the one who submitted the original question) this episode is for you.

 

I hope it brings some clarity, perhaps even sparks some realizations, about your own experience of overwhelm and how to overcome it.

 

In this episode you’ll discover: