Last weekend, I spent most of the weekend scrutizining what was shaping up to be the biggest update in two years to Planscope, my software-as-a-service (SaaS) startup. And as I was working on the pricing grid and trying to come up with how I could incorporate many of the new features and services I’m working…
The other day I was listening to one of my favorite podcasters talk about some of the differences between podcasting and hosting a traditional radio show. He was almost giddy at the fact that he was, as he put it, “un-cancelable”. No one, but his listeners, could put him off the (virtual) airwaves. And even…
In this episode, I sat down with Matt Inglot of Tilted Pixel. He started the company over 8 years ago, and went from being a solo freelancer to opening up a brick & mortar office in Toronto. After building up a successful team and building out an office, he decided to go 100% remote. We discussed the…
This week I’m joined by Dennis Field, who — like me — has struggled with burnout. Who am I kidding though? This affects ALL of us. Late nights, weekends, and being “on call” for your clients can cause you to regret ever starting your own freelancing business. Dennis’ website How to Fight Burnout as a…
If you’ve been getting my newsletter for a while or have taken my course DYFR, you know all about my love for productized consulting. It’s a fantastic way to package your time into what looks and acts like an off-the-shelf product, and — done right — it can be huge for both the long-term stability…
This week I sat down with Jan Jones of Oozou, an agency based out of Bangkok, Thailand, and Jonathan Tarud of Koombea, another agency, this one in Colombia. We discussed what it’s like to run an agency when your clients are half a world away from you. Whether you’re in San Francisco, Topeka, or Saigon, you’re…
On Monday, I did something I’ve never done before. I (virtually) spoke in front of 390 people. Had you known me just a few years ago, you’d know just how big of a deal this was for me. I would have been terrified. I’ve always struggled with self-confidence. As a kid, my lack of confidence came…
“Everything is negotiable. Whether or not the negotiation is easy is another thing.” The problem with selling time is that the buyer knows margins are high. When I ran my consultancy, I was constantly pressured to negotiate down our rates. Our formula was pretty simple: We had a client rate, and then we had what…
Ben writes in from the Philippines, “My biggest problem in freelancing (mine is web development) is not having enough ”good“ portfolio to show prospective clients. Do I really need to have one? I want to start all over again as a freelancer. Do I need to have portfolio pieces before I can start making my…
Malcolm writes, “It gets harder to contemplate going full time when your day job has a very high salary, great benefits, room for advancement and is in a explosive growth industry. (That also usually comes with long hours, lots of stress, and lots of travel, which can be a strain on your family.) Any advice…