Coaching series: Can Zach get this beginner freelancer (Brad) to a 6-figure income ($8,333/mo) within 6 months?

Follow their journey through the ups and downs and watch them grow!

Milestones from today’s episode:

• Upwork success from utilizing personalized videos
• First freelancer podcast episode completed and Brad’s simple Twitter strategy for booking guests
• Increased rates on Upwork and focusing on strategic vs commoditized work

Coaching highlights from today’s episode:

• Importance of processes and systemization in business, especially client outreach
• When to raise rates and creating a plan to increase income
• Tools for effectively managing time and focus with ADHD

Original coaching call recording date: 07/05/2023

Want to get one-on-one coaching from Zach?

The DYF Accelerator community includes weekly live 20-minute one-on-one Zoom coaching with Zach that follows the same format as you saw here.

You’ll also get access to our huge library of all past coaching calls, along with a text-based community and weekly accountability check-ins.

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AI-Generated Summary:

• 0:00 – 2:00 — Zach introduces the podcast series focused on coaching freelancer Brad to achieve a six-figure annual income.
• 2:00 – 4:00 — Zach outlines the financial goal for Brad and mentions Brad’s expertise in YouTube marketing, which has influenced the coaching process.
• 4:00 – 6:00 — Zach discusses the dual use of call-to-action links for tracking engagement from YouTube and podcast listeners.
• 6:00 – 8:00 — Brad shares his approach to selecting potential clients on Upwork, emphasizing the use of personalized videos in outreach.
• 8:00 – 10:00 — Zach and Brad discuss the efficiency and predictability of securing work on Upwork, along with the possibility of outsourcing parts of the process.
• 10:00 – 12:00 — Zach and Brad discuss the cost of bidding on Upwork jobs, with Brad spending about $15 a month for 80 connects and exploring strategies to optimize this spending.
• 12:00 – 14:00 — Brad shares his average monthly earnings from Upwork projects and discusses the impact of raising his hourly rate on client responses.
• 14:00 – 16:00 — Zach calculates the potential monthly income Brad could generate from Upwork, considering client acquisition costs and time investment in the selection process.
• 16:00 – 18:00 — Discussion about the potential for delegating the client pre-qualification process to a virtual assistant, freeing up Brad’s time for more valuable tasks.
• 18:00 – 20:00 — Brad expresses a desire to move beyond Upwork, but Zach emphasizes the value of optimizing his current system before transitioning to other opportunities.
• 20:00 – 22:00 — Zach discusses the importance of process and systematization in business, encouraging Brad to audit his client research system for potential outsourcing.
• 22:00 – 24:00 — Zach suggests Brad test his existing system of acquiring clients on Upwork by tracking time spent on various tasks, aiming for two new clients a week.
• 24:00 – 26:00 — Brad expresses relief at focusing on existing income systems and Zach emphasizes the need for consistency and avoiding the lure of novelty.
• 26:00 – 28:00 — Zach encourages Brad to view his current work on Upwork as practice and investment in developing business skills, particularly in marketing and scaling.
• 28:00 – 30:00 — Brad shares his refined offer positioning, focusing on providing authority or thought leadership, and discusses the potential of tailoring services to specific needs and goals.
• 30:00 – 32:00 — Brad considers running paid ads for clients as a quick win for generating leads and sales, leveraging his expertise in ads.
• 32:00 – 34:00 — Brad shares his experience of hosting his first podcast, using it as a mechanism for networking and potential client acquisition.
• 34:00 – 36:00 — Zach praises Brad’s podcast strategy as a successful example for others, asking for a succinct description to share with the community.
• 36:00 – 38:00 — Brad details his simple Twitter strategy for booking podcast interviews with authors and influencers in the freelancing niche.
• 38:00 – 40:00 — Zach and Brad discuss the importance of defining the tangible benefits of services, like lead generation, alongside broader goals like establishing authority.
• 40:00 – 42:00 — Zach emphasizes the importance of defining who Brad serves and tailoring his services accordingly, highlighting future steps for business development.
• 42:00 – 44:00 — Brad discusses his recent rate increase on Upwork and the challenges of justifying higher rates to clients, particularly for commodity work.
• 44:00 – 46:00 — Zach advises focusing on strategy over implementation to justify higher rates and challenges the value of paying $100 per hour for commodity tasks like video editing.
• 46:00 – 48:00 — Zach suggests Brad continue working at his current rate, tracking all business activities, and adjusting rates only when experiencing an excess of work.
• 48:00 – 50:00 — Zach outlines a plan for Brad to gradually raise his rates based on workload and client demand, encouraging a balanced approach to avoid overworking.
• 50:00 – 52:00 — Zach and Brad discuss ADHD management strategies, including medication and other methods like diet and exercise.
• 52:00 – 54:00 — Brad expresses his openness to considering medication for ADHD, sharing his recent diagnosis and ongoing learning about its effects.
• 54:00 – 56:00 — Zach talks about his own ADHD management experiences, including dietary changes and medication, and their impact on productivity.
• 56:00 – 58:00 — Brad reflects on the value of extending his time horizon in business planning and dealing with ADHD-related challenges in work.
• 58:00 – 1:00:00 — Zach sets specific deadlines for Brad’s Upwork prospecting strategy and emphasizes the importance of trying continually, even if deadlines are missed.
• 1:00:00 – 1:02:00 — Zach suggests using focus tools like Brain FM for ADHD management and outlines Brad’s tasks, including prospecting and creating a list of video titles.
• 1:02:00 – 1:03:42 — Zach wraps up the session, encouraging Brad to do the assigned work and mentioning the benefits of joining the accelerator community for others.