These are my epiphanies after a decade of struggle.
Is running your own business the pinnacle of modern-day success?
Done well, business ownership affords you freedoms and riches. It enables you to beat the game of life, to live on your own terms.
I have moved in and out of self-employed several times over the past 15 years. Whenever…
With tailored, 1-to1- coaching with someone who’s seen it all
I have a chequered history in the freelancing business. I started freelancing in 2009 with just one client project worth a tiny £700. That was barely enough to cover one month’s rent. But I realised that it wasn’t the money that I struggled with, it was:
- Working in isolation
- Having…
Knowing the difference is vital to a fulfilling working life
Every one of us lands somewhere on the spectrum between functional and strategic in our work.
Functional people are skilled, but their work is mostly directed by someone else (hint: that someone is the strategic person).
Functional people are task-oriented and adept at getting stuff done. Strategic people have their…
Because clients are not prizes
You don’t have to look far for tricks and tactics for winning new clients.
But the problem is that “tricks and tactics” will only get you so far. Sooner or later, you’ll get found out.
We are not at war
To win is to imply that someone has to lose, but the strangest thing about…
How to be lucky
There are two types of luck:
- Luck that is fortuitous.
- Luck that you make yourself.
Most people confuse the two.
- Meeting a partner when you’re not looking for love is fortuitous.
- Meeting a partner after surviving months of dating hell is luck that you make for yourself.
Both might describe…
Wake up!
9 years ago I was in an unhappy relationship with my job. The boss didn’t have much work for me to do, so I often felt surplus to requirement.
I hated the feeling that I was wasting my time. But I wasn’t motivated to change my situation. …
How a four-part story can improve your writing
Check out my YouTube channel for freelancer tips: bit.ly/3scCrXD. Get coaching with me to accelerate your freelance career: mattsaunders.uk
What’s the difference between a professional writer and an amateur?
An amateur writer can be astonishingly creative, but often we think of them as lacking talent. In reality, they simply lack…
This strategy and motivation you need to really succeed
Check out my YouTube channel for freelancer tips: bit.ly/3scCrXD. Get coaching with me to accelerate your freelance career: mattsaunders.uk
As a freelancer, you probably don’t have what you would call “a business”, at least not in the traditional sense. You work with clients of various shapes and sizes. …
Three lessons and a word of warning
In early 2020 I wrote my first book. I work as a web developer for non-profits, and published The Digital Charity in February of that year.
The charity sector is notorious for lagging behind with technology, so I wanted to do what I could to empower those organisations to up…
Discover the secret for making others want to work with you
During the first meeting with a potential new client, most freelancers oversell themselves.
They furiously scribble down notes, attempting to capture everything the prospect is saying, before trying to impress by rattling off answers to questions that haven’t even been asked.
Then, with an overzealous tone, they say “I’ll have…
