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HOW AI WILL AFFECT VARIOUS PROFESSIONS

Microsoft just published a detailed look at how generative AI tools like Copilot are actually being used — and what that might mean for different professions.

They analyzed 200,000 anonymized Copilot conversations from 2024, matched the tasks to official U.S. job activity data, and gave each occupation an AI applicability score (how much of its work overlaps with things AI already does well).

Key takeaways:

• Most “AI-reachable” roles: knowledge- and communication-heavy, such as interpreters, writers, sales reps, customer service, programmers, and journalists.
• Least affected (for now): roles involving manual labor, operating machinery, or physical care, such as construction, machine operators, cleaners, and healthcare support.
• Weak link to wages: many might assume AI’s impact would be concentrated in higher-paying jobs, but the study finds the correlation is small; some mid- and even lower-paid roles are just as “AI-reachable.”

You can download the whole study as a PDF here.

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WEEKLY DIGEST #32 OF 2025

• The 80-Year-Old Sales Principle That’s Vital in the AI Age, by Austin L. Church — In his recent article, Austin reminds us: it’s not about the service, it’s about the outcome your clients want.
• Freelancer Referral Fees: Percentage, Pros, Cons, and Best Practices You Need to Know, by Freya Laskowski — Should you ask for or offer referral fees? This article explores the pros and cons; including how referral fees can strengthen your network and generate extra income. It also covers typical fee percentages and best practices for using contracts to protect both parties.
• Stop Chasing Clients. Make Them Come To You Instead, by Katherine Steiner-Dicks — Instead of chasing clients, focus on being easy to find. Build trust through a blog, LinkedIn, or a newsletter. Share valuable insights with people who need them and naturally position yourself as the expert clients seek out.
• How to Find Better Clients (That Actually Respect Your Boundaries), by Sara Gibson — This article outlines how freelancers can attract better clients by building a strong personal brand, setting clear expectations, confidently saying no, and raising their rates. Sara encourages freelancers to shift from desperation to alignment—working with clients who value their expertise, pay fairly, and communicate professionally.

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WEEKLY DIGEST #31 OF 2025

• How to Recession-Proof Your Freelance Niche, podcast by Lizzie Davey — In her latest episode, Lizzie discusses the downsides of being too specialized and the rise of "contextual intelligence" and consultative creatives, and how AI has not only affected our work but also shifted the focus of clients and what they are seeking from freelancers.
• How Much Extra is the Gift Wrap? by Seth Godin — Transforming a product or service into a thoughtful experience can turn an ordinary transaction into a memorable story. As Seth points out, presentation matters.
• How to Build a Successful Collaboration, by Chloe Miller — Collaboration can be a powerful growth strategy for freelancers. It opens doors to new clients, markets, and knowledge. Strong partnerships are built on clear values, aligned goals, thoughtful communication, and mutual trust. When nurtured intentionally, these relationships can deliver long-term business and personal value for everyone involved.
• Knives and Battleships, by Jason Fried — Feel like you should always be doing something bigger, new, or different? This reflection from Jason is a reminder that refining what you’re already good at isn’t small thinking—it’s the work.
• How to Find Your Ideal Clients with Rebekah Mays, podcast by Ilise Benun — Copywriter Rebekah Mays shares how refining her LinkedIn profile and content helped her attract exactly the kind of projects she wanted. Clear positioning, engaging with her target audience’s posts, and treating the client as the audience made all the difference.

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DOES NICHING DOWN STILL WORK?

"Is specialization still a safety net for us freelancers, or has it become our Achilles heel?" asks Lizzie Davey in her latest podcast, where she discusses the downsides of being too specialized and the rise of "contextual intelligence" and consultative creatives — how AI has not only affected our work but also shifted the focus of clients and what they are seeking from freelancers.

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WEEKLY DIGEST #30 OF 2025

• Building Your Reputation As a Freelancer, by Sarah Duran — "Brand is what people say when you're not in the room. If they say anything at all." In this Freelance Forum recap, Sarah explores how freelancers can build a lasting reputation—not through flashy marketing, but by consistently delivering great work, building genuine relationships, and sharing their unique story.
• PROMPT_. Why I Avoid Using LLMs As a Publisher…, by Tomáš Baránek — A personal confession from a book publisher and tech enthusiast: once fascinated by AI, Tomáš now questions how LLMs may hinder deep thinking and creativity.
• Notes to Myself, by Seth Godin — 65 inspirational thoughts and short aphorisms for each day of your business journey.
• How to Craft a CEO Day And Why You Need One, by Sara Gibson — Growing your freelance business isn’t just about delivering client work, doing marketing, or managing finances. It also requires space for planning, strategy, and reflection. A regular CEO Day can help—bringing clarity, smarter decisions, and renewed motivation.
• How to Spot High-Quality Projects on Freelance Marketplaces, by Jack Nolan — Not every project on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork is worth your time. Jack highlights the key signals to watch for—like clear briefs, fair budgets, and good communication—so you can choose projects that build your reputation, income, and confidence.
• The World's Top Beach Spots for Remote Working, by Katherine Steiner-Dicks — Looking for a great beachside spot to work remotely this summer? The Freelance Informer shares top destinations ranked by temperature, safety, cost of living, internet speed, and more.

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TAKE PART IN FREELANCE BUSINESS MONTH

Freelance Business Month is back for its 6th edition, and we’re proud to support their efforts as partners. This global celebration of independent work, organized by our member Elina Jutelyte, kicks off on October 1st and runs throughout the entire month, uniting freelancers and communities across the world.

Like last year, you are invited to join the program by hosting your own in-person or online events. If you’d like to be part of the line-up, submit your session or event by August 15th using the forms below:

• online session
• in-person events

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WEEKLY DIGEST #29 OF 2025

• Community As Advantage, by Austin L. Church — You are who you surround yourself with. Being part of a motivated, active, and supportive community gives you a huge advantage: strategic and inspiring connections, quick access to expert advice, motivation, and fresh drive for your work.
• Using Interactive Content To Showcase Your Freelance Work, by Burkhard Berger — Presenting your work to clients? Try an interactive portfolio—one they can click, swipe, drag, explore. It builds trust by showing the process, not just the result, and stands out through its uniqueness.
• The Creative Reset: A 3-Day Challenge to Reignite Your Passion, by Sara Gibson — If your freelancing feels more like a 9–5 rat race, and you're working just to pay bills instead of for fun and passion as you used to (or as it was meant to be), try this 3-day creative reset to reconnect.
• How to Know What to Charge When There’s No Industry Standard — Lizzie Davey shares tips on how to set your price when you have no other guidance. Essential advice? Define your minimum, list the benefits you bring to the client, and consider how excited you are about the project.
• Trauma-Informed Marketing, by our member Magdalena Čevelová — Most marketing relies on fear, shame, and pressure—often triggering customers’ trauma without realizing it. Magdalena presents an alternative approach that encourages letting go of manipulative and unethical techniques. It is gentle and sensitive, but above all, it builds trust, client loyalty, and the reputation of an ethical business. It’s worth it if you care about serving people, not just making a profit.
• How to Learn the AI-Proof Skill Everyone can Master, from The Freelance Informer — In this new series of future-proof career articles, the Freelance Informer is exploring how freelancers can boost their confidence and stay competitive in an AI-driven world, for example by deliberately developing creativity, practicing problem-solving techniques, and strengthening other essential human skills that AI (for now) can’t replicate.

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HOW GOOD ARE YOU WITH PRICING

Elina Jutelyte, the founder of the Freelance Business Community and our member, is conducting a new research on freelance pricing challenges. She’s aiming to better understand:

• How confident freelancers are that their pricing reflects the value they deliver
• How rates are typically determined
• Which pricing models are used most often
• How often freelancers adjust their rates
• Challenges related to client negotiations and pricing misalignment

It only takes a couple of minutes to share your experience. You can find the survey here.

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WEEKLY DIGEST #28 OF 2025

• How Good Are You With Pricing Your Freelance Services? — Elina Jutelyte, the founder of the Freelance Business Community and our member, is conducting research about pricing. She’d love your help in figuring out what your challenges are and how to map out a solid plan to help freelancers set their prices.
• The Truth About Writing With AI — An essay by Amy Suto on using AI in writing as a content creator. She shares her own, genuine experience as an AI sceptical writer: a writer can benefit from AI without losing the tone and a feeling of cheating. Actually, the thinking will still be yours, let AI help with the annoying rest.
• Essentials: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep — Struggling with sleep? Andrew Huberman and neuroscientist Dr. Matt Walker explain why good sleep matters, how REM and non-REM stages rejuvenate body and mind, the effects of caffeine, alcohol, and melatonin, plus tips for truly restful sleep.
• The Art of Writing Effective Proposals: How to Win More Clients, by Olesia Filipenko — Want your freelance proposals to finally get noticed? Learn how to write pitches that highlight your skills, stand out with authenticity, and land clients—even in a crowded market.
• How to Calculate Your Freelance Rate, by Sara Gibson — Just getting started as a freelancer? This clear, practical guide helps you set sustainable rates by covering income goals, expenses, taxes, and billable hours so you can price confidently and make your freelance work truly viable.

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WEEKLY DIGEST #27 OF 2025

• Conflicts of Interest: Freelancers vs Clients, by Robert Vlach — Successful freelance partnerships depend on aligning interests. Treat freelancers as partners, not commodities. Lasting alignment leads to better results, higher fees, and loyal long-term cooperation.
• I Turned ChatGPT Into My $100K Business Strategist With One Document, video by Tiago Forte (40 minutes) — Tiago explains that most people waste 80% of AI’s potential by starting every chat from scratch. The solution he presents is a “master prompt”: a single, thorough document that gives ChatGPT all your business context up front, turning it into a second brain for strategy, planning, and automation.
• How To Find Your Life's Purpose, by Daniel Pink — Instead of asking "What's my passion," try these questions: What made you weird as a kid? Where can you make the biggest contribution? What would you do if money was no object? etc. These questions can help you reconnect with your true interests, strengths, and values, and find meaningful work that serves both you and others.
• Why Funemployment Can Actually be Good for You (and Your Business), by Sara Gibson — When the “famine” part of the freelance cycle hits, see it as a chance to reconnect with your business’s purpose and direction. The article offers six practical tips (and more) on how to make the most of that downtime.
• A Family That Makes Art Together… by Courtney Martin — To boost your creativity at work, try making art at home with your family. As Courtney writes, you don’t need a fancy studio—the kitchen table works just fine. It’s about enjoying the process and making creativity part of daily life.
• Namibia: Live Stream in the Namib Desert …and if you've had enough of all the excitement, information and self-development, check out the live feed from the watering hole in the Namibian desert. Have a great summer!

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