Ask a Freelancer

Bigger clients aren’t always better clients, business resources, and buying back your soul. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - How do you get bigger clients that gave you more job security? - What are the best resources for getting started with the business side of freelancing? - Did the money you make buy back your soul? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Progressing your career, splitting your time, and promoting yourself. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - I have a full schedule, I'm booked for a few months in advance with regular clients, and I enjoy my work. Now what? What should be my next step to progress my career? - What's a rough estimate of how you split your time promoting yourself, following leads, interacting with clients, and doing billable work? - How do you increase sales and engagement? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Promoting, rights & usage, and building up client work with a full-time job. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - Do art directors still expect illustrators to snail mail them postcards or do they prefer to see digital work now? - I was approached by an agency to do some illustration work for a 2-month project on-site and they asked me for my day-rate. I think they want a work-for-hire situation, which seems a bit odd for me. Aren’t there rights, usage, etc., which need to be factored into the cost even if I work on-site? - How do you build up enough client work to freelance full-time while working a full-time job? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Balancing workloads, passion projects versus paying the bills, and maintaining social health. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - How do you strike the balance between too little work and too much work? - How do you balance doing work that you’re passionate about versus work that pays the bills? - As an extrovert, the hardest part of freelancing for me is the lack of human contact. In particular, I miss those consistent relationships you build over time with people on your team or in the office. What are your strategies for maintaining your social health? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

The ups and downs, entering new markets, and switching to retainers. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - What did your first year look like? How long did it take before you realized you made the right choice? - How do you enter new markets when your existing clients are in a different market? - How do you transition from per-project pricing to retainers with larger clients? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Calming your nerves, freelancing 10 years in, and landing big clients. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - What do you do to calm your nerves about all the things that can go wrong while you’re trying to become a freelancer? - What does freelancing look like 10 years in? - How do you land big clients? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Saying “no” to say “yes”, increasing your rates, and dealing with difficult clients—with special guest, Will Bryant! --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - How do you say “no” and protect your brand from potential backlash? - How do you know when it’s time to increase your rates? - How do you deal with a difficult client? Hosted by Andy J Miller Guest Question by Will Bryant Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Scaling your pricing with your workload, personal versus professional brand, and handling clients who change their mind—with special guest, Danielle Evans of Marmalade Bleue! --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - How do you best scale your pricing and your workload? - Personal brand or professional brand? - How do you handle clients who change their mind and ask everyone what they think of your illustrations? Hosted by Andy J Miller Guest Question by Danielle Evans of Marmalade Bleue Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Value-based pricing for small budgets, staying creatively relevant, and freelancing vs full-time.—with special guest, Dan Mall of Super Friendly! --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - Have you always freelanced? - Do you think freelancing full-time helps or hurts you in staying creatively relevant? - Everyone's talking about value-based pricing, but how can you apply that thinking to clients with smaller budgets? Hosted by Andy J Miller Guest Question by Dan Mall of Super Friendly Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Project management workflow and growing your solo business—with special guest, Meg Lewis of Ghostly Ferns! --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where experienced freelancers answer questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - What does your project management workflow look like? - If you were to grow your solo business, what role would you hire as your first employee? - How do you actively grow your business without overselling? Hosted by Andy J Miller Guest Question by Meg Lewis of Ghostly Ferns Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Determining your pricing, sacrificing to get the work you want, and clients who don't want a discovery phase—with surprise guest, Laura Bohill! --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where an experienced freelancer answers questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - What sacrifices do you make to get the work you want? - How do you work when clients aren't interested in a discovery phase? - How do you determine your pricing for each project? Hosted by Andy J Miller Guest Question by Laura Bohill Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Pay vs exposure, less than professional clients, and diplomatically firing a client --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where an experienced freelancer answers questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - Is it smart or stupid to do a job without pay for experience/exposure? - How do you handle payment and contracts with less than professional clients? - How do you diplomatically fire a client? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Convincing your spouse on freelancing, creative fulfillment vs paying the bills, and client lists without well-known clients. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where an experienced freelancer answers questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - How do you get your partner on your side when going freelance? - How do you scratch your creative itch when it's not the work that pays the bills? - If you don't have well-known clients, should you include a client list on your website? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Freelancing instead of full-time, keeping a routine, and staying fulfilled over time. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where an experienced freelancer answers questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - Why would I freelance when I could have a full-time job? - What do you do to consistently keep a daily routine and not work unsociable hours? - How do you stay fulfilled over an extended period of time? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Overcoming the stress of freelancing and dealing with slow periods throughout the year. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion podcast where an experienced freelancer answers questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - What do you do when freelancing slows down? - Does freelancing ever get less stressful? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com

Acquiring your first client, getting new projects, and transitioning from full-time to freelance. --- Ask a Freelancer is a new Cushion audio series where an experienced freelancer answers questions about freelancing. This episode's questions include: - What's the key to getting your first client? - How do you get new projects? - What's the best way to transition from full-time to freelance? Hosted by Andy J Miller Music by Metavari Brought to you by cushionapp.com