Freelance Smarter, Not Harder

Freelance Smarter, Not Harder:
Sustainable Strategies for Success

By Heidi Craig, Barefoot Consultants Freelance Coach &
Winton Churchill, Barefoot Consultants Founder

Navigating the world of freelancing can be both exhilarating and daunting. Whether you're diving in full-time or exploring it as a part-time venture, sustainability is key to long-term success.

Use these seven tips to guide you in defining your niche, growing your skills, diversifying your income, and more, ensuring that you thrive without becoming your own worst boss.

Embrace the journey with confidence and practical steps that will help you build a rewarding freelance career.

Define Your Niche

Almost everyone can read and write, but your unique perspective and skills set you apart. Take a short assessment to understand what makes you unique.

Consider taking a Kolbe test, which focuses on your strengths or fill out the Barefoot Consultants Client Connection Sheet to identify your keywords, skills, and interests.  You can even start with a blank piece of paper, making two columns, one for what you’re good at and one for what you’re not so good at.

Although a carefully strategized profile is essential to stand out from the sea of freelancers, don’t spend too much time on this—if you’re struggling, get help and move on quickly.

The dollars you’re looking for are in the bids that you win. The profile is only there to back up the promises you’ve made in your proposals.

Grow Your Skills

Prioritize growing your skills by scheduling small bits of dedicated time on your calendar. Organize your day in work blocks, play blocks and study blocks, either on a Google Calendar or even a paper planner.

Try  learning a new program like “Toggl”, a time tracker, to monitor how you spend your time, like you would track what you eat in a food log. Track your time for a day, three days, or a week to identify areas for improvement.

Another essential skill is exploring AI tools like ChatGPT. Consider taking Winton and Evan’s “AI Freelance Profitability Program” to demystify these tools and integrate them into your skillsets.

It will ensure you stay ahead in the game and don’t end up selling buggy-whips on the corner while cars wiz by.

 Build a Stable Foundation

Your time is your only non-renewable resource, so choose how you spend it wisely. At the start of your freelancing career, focus on a three-pronged approach to build your online reputation.

First you have one goal and that’s a 3-pronged approach to building your online reputation. It’s like a 3-legged stool, you need each one to make it stable.

§ Choose “easy/simple” jobs

§ Do them and get paid

§ Get your reviews/stars

Second, follow the “choose a good client” tips from the “21-Days Freelancing course” or your “JumpStart Coaching Program”. They both include solid training on how to progress in your freelancing career in a fun, simple, magical way.

You can start piling your success on top of your initial foundation, the stool.

Third, aim for a stable rotation of clients and jobs you enjoy.

Master your time management by creating a schedule that suits your ideal lifestyle, whether it’s working a few hours a day or taking a week off every month.

 Be Reliable

For those of us “of a certain age”, this goes without saying, but to many freelancers it doesn’t hit their commonsense button. Logic is anything but common. So, don’t get yourself into a pickle by overpromising and underdelivering.

Do things within your scope until you’ve built some confidence and habits that put you into the category of under promising and overdelivering.

Confirm your appointments and meet your deadlines, communicating proactively if you need an extension. Reliability will build your reputation and ensure a steady stream of income.

 Learn from Mistakes, but Don’t Be Afraid to Make Them

Entering unknown territory can be daunting, especially if your confidence is a little shaky. Mistakes are a natural part of life.

Consider the concept that there are no mistakes, only opportunities to change the way we do something next time or to see it from a different angle. We can reframe them as opportunities to learn and improve.

Changing your perspective takes time and practice, so be gentle with yourself. We are each responsible for our own perspective so try to keep choosing one that is positive.

Prioritize What Brings You Joy

The saying “eat dessert first” holds wisdom—don’t wait to enjoy what you love. Think about how your passions can fit into your freelancing career.

Connect with others who share your interests and explore how you can meet their needs or solve their problems.

Taking small jobs in your favorite niche can lead to bigger opportunities and make your work enjoyable and rewarding.

There is something out there for everyone, it’s just a matter of finding it. There is one guarantee though, you can’t find it if you don’t look.

 Don’t Be Afraid to Say No

Good boundaries are essential. If your plate is full, don’t hesitate to pass up a job or opportunity that might overwhelm you. Focus on a start-to-finish approach and discover how you best get things done.

Saying no can leave room for the right opportunities to come your way at the right time, ensuring you maintain balance to achieve your goals.

Finally…

Remember, use a carrot instead of a stick to motivate yourself—reward your progress and celebrate your achievements.