We monitor countless quality sources on freelancing and choose only the best content to save your time.
Subscribe to our monthly Freeletter with a curated selection of world-class freelance news and subscribers-only content + get our free PDF guide How to become an international freelancer right now as a new subscriber:
Your privacy matters: We won’t share your email address with anyone else and you can cancel your subscription anytime. Also, we do not store anyone’s IP address nor do we track who opens and reads our newsletter.
There’s been a lot of talk about freelance pricing recently, and that’s a good thing. There are hardly any strict rules because freelancers are such a diverse group. Sharing experiences is one thing that truly helps — getting inspired by people's ideas, like the list of 12 things Austin Church learned about pricing during his 14 years of freelancing. We like his last bit of wisdom:
“You’ll know you’re getting closer to the right prices when they offend the wrong clients. To become the more expensive option will do wonders for your profits and your joy quotient.”
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink
Sarah Duran interviewed Robert Vlach on The Hustler’s Manifesto podcast about some themes covered in his best-selling business book The Freelance Way, and especially freelance pricing.
One of the highlights in their conversation was how pricing impacts the overall subjective experience of freelance work. Robert pointed out that if we dislike a particular job, it’s often because we are underpriced and overstretched. Doing the same work when well-rested or better compensated can feel entirely different.
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink
Personal marketing is a sore spot for many freelancers who don’t want to look self-centered and arrogant. On the other hand, self-promotion is a quite necessary part of the freelance way, unless you have skills that are unique or in high demand.
A socially acceptable approach is outlined in an article How to brag without sounding arrogant, according to new research.
It points out that people are much more comfortable with self-presentation that also highlights others — e.g. collaborators, sources, or inspirations. And indeed, if you follow successful freelancers on social media, they often do it exactly like that.
By the way, kudos to Sarah Duran for sharing the article in her awesome newsletter 😉
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink
Happy International Freelancer Day — and night! 🌠
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink
If you happen to be in Belgium this week, check out the Freelancer Summit 2023 that takes place on October 19 in Gent.
The event, co-organized by Unizo, NextConomy, and GigHouse, follows last year’s Day of the Freelancer conference, bringing together 250 freelancers to network and get inspired by 9 great speakers.
What a great way to celebrate the International Freelancer Day, which also happens to be October 19!
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink
Freelance Business Month presents an online Q&A session on freelance pricing and business negotiations with Robert Vlach, author of The Freelance Way and founder of Freelancing.eu.
The Q&A is scheduled for Friday, October 20, from 18:00 (CET) and you can sign up to this meeting for free via Zoom:
“Pricing and business negotiations are two essential skills for independent professionals. In this deep-dive Q&A session, Robert Vlach will take your questions and give comprehensive answers that will broaden your understanding of freelance pricing and negotiation strategies. This is crucial because pricing isn't just a one-off matter. There are no universal rules applicable to all the hundreds of industries and thousands of professions where freelancers offer their services. In essence, freelance pricing is a process of gradual improvement and this is also why debates like these are super-useful.”
Our tip: You can also register for the whole Freelance Business Month with free access, or get full access with a 25% discount.
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink
Do you create and publish professional content? If so, you shouldn't miss the outstanding book How to Take Smart Notes, which focuses on the zettelkasten method.
While Sönke Ahrens primarily wrote it for students, academics, and non-fiction authors, professional content creators will also find it highly valuable — whether they write, lecture, or even just produce short videos or social media posts. The book is concise, engaging, evidence-based, and utterly practical. If you're unfamiliar with the zettelkasten technique, you're guaranteed to learn much from it.
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink
Just a quick reading tip: If you enjoyed the groundbreaking book Genius Foods written by Max Lugavere (with Paul Grewal, MD) about foods and lifestyle choices supporting long-term brain health, there’s an equally good sequel.
The Genius Life broadens the picture by focusing on overall health and longevity, while sticking to solid, well-researched scientific foundations. Once again, the book is pretty dense, so expect a deep-dive with no fluff — a perfect read for any busy freelancer.
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink
Sarah Duran, who is one of the leading voices on freelance business in the U.S., praised The Freelance Way in the recent issue of Hustler’s Manifesto newsletter:
The Freelance Way by Robert Vlach is the most comprehensive freelance guide I have ever read. A lot of books on freelancing are just repurposed “best practices” that you could get from Google, but Robert’s book shares deep expertise and experience that you can only have from being an independent worker for many years. Instead of giving silver bullets and “secret” formulas, Robert shares his incredible knowledge as a freelancer and top-tier business consultant, which gives freelancers the information they need to forge their own path.
One highlight is the chapter on pricing. Pricing is so hard to talk about because everyone wants you to tell them how to do it when the reality is that pricing your work is the journey of a lifetime and is so specific to the industry and the type of work you do. Robert goes into great detail on so many pricing models and the theory behind them, giving freelancers a comprehensive resource for defining their worth.
The Freelance Way: Best Business Practices, Tools & Strategies for Independent Professionals has been published in 2022 by HarperCollins and is available worldwide from Amazon, along with several translations.
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink
Masaryk University is launching Season 4 of From Student ID to Business ID — arguably the longest-running full-semester freelancing course at a renowned European university.
100 students will delve into 10 business topics, inspired by Robert Vlach’s best-selling book The Freelance Way, and presented informally by a group of top-notch independent professionals on Zoom. And once again, the course is completely full.
Here’s an idea: Would you be interested in an English version available globally to all?
Share or discuss: LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Permalink