News and updates

SHOWING 10 LATEST NEWS OUT OF 781

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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WEEKLY DIGEST #26 OF 2025

• Growth as Gospel: Why We're All Addicted to "More", by Sarah Duran — Is endless growth really the goal? This thought-provoking piece questions our obsession with economic expansion and asks: What if true success meant enough—time, meaning, sustainability—instead of always more?
• Matthew Fenton shares 26 lessons from 28 years of solo consulting, drawn from both experience and observation.
• My "Lazy" Path to Learning Spanish, by our member Jan Onesork — Looking to expand your horizons, boost your focus, or prep for Spanish-speaking clients—without burning out? Here’s how Jan used a ‘lazy’ yet powerful method to learn Spanish while running a busy life.
• Why I Quit Being a Digital Nomad, by Amy Suto — After 5 years of travelling and working from anywhere, Amy decided to pause and settle down—prompted by a personal reckoning with the lifestyle of a digital nomad.
• Remote Work Routine That Actually Works, by Jack Nolan — A good remote routine protects your time, focus, and peace of mind. Jack shares practical strategies—like time-blocking, habit anchors, and smart tools—to help you work more effectively from home or anywhere.
• How Freelancers Can Negotiate to Double Their Rates Without Losing Clients, from The Freelance Informer — Most freelancers undercharge out of fear or habit. Backed by research from Stanford and Harvard, this guide shows how to negotiate with confidence, ask the right questions, and double your rates without losing great clients.

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AI AND WORK

Cal Newport, author of Deep Work and Digital Minimalism, offers a grounded look at how AI is truly impacting our work lives. While much attention has gone to AI writing tools, Newport argues the real game-changer is smart search. Tools like ChatGPT are already replacing Google for many users by providing faster, more focused answers. For developers, AI is becoming an essential assistant—speeding up coding but not replacing real expertise.

He also notes that the scaling laws that once drove rapid AI progress are now losing steam. Instead of building genius-level models, companies are tuning existing ones for narrow tasks. We may not be on the brink of AGI—but the changes already underway are significant.

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WEEKLY DIGEST #25 OF 2025

• This is What 80 Looks Like, by Viv Chen — Meet Raymond Holbert, an 80-year-old artist and fashion icon who has documented his life daily for 57 years—proving that consistent journaling can reveal authentic style, a creative voice, and a legacy far richer than outward appearances alone.
• Your Dream Writing Life Is Possible — But It’ll Cost You These 3 Things, by Amy Suto — What will freelancing cost you? You don’t need to quit your job right away or have six months of client work lined up. But as Amy Suto writes, “What you do need is the willingness to trade in some comfortable habits for the kind of growth that actually leads to creative freedom.”
• How to Ask for Referrals & Get Repeat Business, by Austin L. Church — Consistent follow-ups, clear referral requests, and simple tools like CRMs can turn past clients into ongoing income. This guide by Austion breaks down how to ask for more business—without sounding awkward—and build growth that lasts.
• Quarterly Check-In: Are You Charging Enough? by Sara Gibson — Your rates should grow with you. This quarterly check-in from Freelancing Females could help you assess your pricing, spot signs it’s time to raise rates, and confidently update your structure.
• Study: Self-employment Could be Good for Your Heart, by Katherine Steiner-Dicks — Is freelancing making people healthier or are healthier people drawn to freelancing? A US study of 20,000+ adults found that self-employed women have significantly lower cardiovascular disease risks than traditionally employed women. While causality isn't certain, the findings suggest flexible work may offer real health benefits.
• Designing The Perfect Home Office as a Freelancer, by Jack Nolan — Your home office doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should support your focus. If your back hurts, cables are a mess, or your desk is facing a blank wall, it might be time for a quick upgrade. Here’s a simple checklist to help you rethink your space.

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FREELANCE BUSINESS PRICING FORUM

Elina Jutelyte, our member and the founder of the Freelance Business Community, is organizing the Freelance Business Pricing Forum, an online event fully dedicated to pricing your solo business.

Here are a couple of sessions that caught our attention:

• Filip Fucic: How to Know when it’s Time to Raise your Rates
• Melina Palmer: The Truth About Pricing
• Jonathan Stark: Why Hourly Billing Fails Freelancers. And What to Do Instead

The forum takes place on 26–27 June, and you can register online.

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WEEKLY DIGEST #24 OF 2025

• How Much are Your Contacts and Recommendations Worth? Probably more than you think, argues Robert Vlach in his op-ed for the latest Freelancing.eu newsletter, now re-published as an article on his LInkedIn profile.
• How to Manage Being Fully Booked Without Burning Out, by Sara Gibson — Being fully booked doesn’t have to mean being constantly overwhelmed. Sara shares how she restructured her business using smart systems, clear calendar boundaries, and tools like Notion and Flodesk to stay productive without burning out.
• Freelance Business Pricing Forum, Elina Jutelyte, founder of the Freelance Business Community, presents the first event fully focused on one topic: pricing your solo business. Join online on 26–27 June and hear from experts like Melina Palmer and Sarah Duran. Registration is open now.
• How to Build a Truly Sustainable Business, by our member Magdalena Cevelova — Sustainable business isn’t just about the planet—it’s about your energy. Magdalena explores how to avoid burnout by setting boundaries, calming your nervous system, pricing smartly, and building a business you can enjoy long-term, not just survive.
• Laurie Smale on Reinvention, Mentorship, and Technology — At 79, Laurie Smale proves it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. In this Wisepreneurs Podcast episode, he shares how he overcame fear, returned to school at 37, and launched a YouTube series at 78—thanks to mentorship, resilience, and lifelong learning.
• Years of Evidence, by Jason Fried — Looking for coworkers? “Years of experience” means little without proof. What truly matters, as Jason puts it, is years of evidence—real work, visible output, and projects people are proud to share. Don’t hire for time served. Hire for the work. It tells the real story.

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WEEKLY DIGEST #23 OF 2025

• I Took a Nap at 2PM and Didn’t Hate Myself for It, by Sara Gibson — In this reflection on freelance life, Sara redefines rest not as something to be earned, but as essential for sustaining creative work. She replaces the guilt-ridden “Did I do enough to rest?” with the more compassionate “Have I rested enough to keep going?”—and shares small, tangible rituals like finishing early on Fridays, taking "fake commutes," or simply leaving the house, all aimed at preserving joy, energy, and mental health.
• The Workload Fairy Tale, by Cal Newport — Does working fewer days mean getting less done? Cal looks at 4-day workweek trials and argues that the real issue isn’t time, but how much unnecessary activity fills our schedules.
• How Personal Branding Helped Me Build a Six-Figure Freelance Business, a podcast by Lizzie Davey in which she describes how, step by step and little by little, she gradually built a personal brand that significantly increased her income and helped her attract interesting clients.
• Just the Right Length — Seth Godin reminds us that the “perfect length” of content—songs, books, videos—was often shaped by old tech limits, not creativity. For freelancers, the lesson is to adapt your work to today’s platforms and habits. Formats change; your content should too.
• 6 Tools for Moving Forward with Confidence Even If You Don’t Know What You Want, by Austin L. Church — Not sure what to do with your life? That’s okay, says Austin, who shares six tools such as experiments, semesters, and a “career portfolio” to help creative, multipassionate people move forward with confidence, even without a clear long-term plan.

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