If I added up all the hours I used to spend daydreaming about living out my best self-employed life I could have most probably definitely started my journey a little (read: a lot) earlier. Here are the roadblocks that were stopping me from creating my dream career and how I undid them. By Emma Nolan.

I speak to so many freelancers about their dreams of ditching clients and creating more space for creativity and the things they love. As a freelancer, client work is how we make our money, but when it takes up every moment of our day, life starts to look a little mundane. We feel uninspired and exhausted very quickly. Here are a few ways to get off the client hamster wheel and start loving your biz again.

You’ve probably heard how important it is to choose a niche. But choosing your niche can be overwhelming and confusing. It can bring up fears of feeling “boxed-in” or fears of “cutting-out” clients *which BTW is totally not true*. If you’re wondering what the heck a niche is, before I go on, a niche is simply a focus zone that you can serve (or learn to serve) really darn well. And when you find it, leads, cash and ease shall follow.

As someone who runs two businesses, adding a baby to the mix was a wild experience to say the least. The learning curve was steep *on so many levels*. I quickly learned surrender would be the only way for me to service this highly transformative time. Here’s my advice.

If you’re reading this, I’m going to take a stab in the dark and say you’re probably self-employed *on that note alone, let’s all take a moment to raise a (tall and preferably strong) glass in your honour*. As we know too well, freelancing is no easy feat. In fact, it’s equal parts rewarding and exhausting. Here’s why.

Have you ever been so engrossed in a task that you lose track of time? Perhaps when drawing, journaling, reading, surfing, meditating, or running? Chances are if you’ve noticed time dissolving and you felt at one with what you’re doing, you’ve tasted the flow state. Flow, also known as being “in the zone”, is defined as 'an optimal state of consciousness and is a powerful ally when it comes to productivity.

Think about the brands you love. There’s something about them that keeps loyal AF and lining up to buy. They have that special kind of charm that woos you, makes you feel good, and keeps you coming back for more. But how can you cultivate that same level of brand love in your small biz? Take inspiration from the big brands and start now.

You’re a creative human, you know you’ve got bangin’ ideas, but you’re struggling to switch on ‘creative mode’ to make them happen. You’ve lost your creative mojo. Changing up your environment could be an easy way to find here, here’s 4 science backed way’s to do it.

When we neglect to pause and reflect, goal setting can be pretty damn tricky. We need a starting point—without this, it’s impossible to know where we want to go. Grab a pen, a fresh piece of paper and some space and start by going inward with these 11 questions before you dive into 2021 goalsetting mode.

Do you take time off? Or do you work through the holiday season? It can be hard for us freelancers to truly switch off and take a break. I made a promise to myself last year to take December off (and I did it), but it took some planning to get there. Here are some tips to help you switch off this holiday season too.

Feeling a little frazzled with the number of enquiries coming in? Or are you booked out for the next 3+ months? It might be time to start a client waitlist.

Have you ever held back on raising your prices for fear of losing clients? As a boss, you are going to have to face those difficult conversations a number of times throughout your freelancing career—especially if you want to make an impact on your income and your life.