Freelance Jumpstart Podcast

A freelancer lost a client due to their lack of organization and trying to juggle too many clients at once. They ask about some ways they can improve their organization so this doesn't happen in the future. Project Management Tools: Basecamp: https://basecamp.com/ Asana: https://asana.com/ Trello: https://trello.com/ *All three tools listed above have a free tier available.

There is an age-old debate on which is more important marketing or branding. Those which a marketing background tend to have a bias toward marketing versus designers who tend to have a bias toward branding. The truth is everything comes down to how you define marketing and how you define branding. These two are not in competition with one another but are compliments. There is no way you can implement marketing without branding, and a brand can only grow if it utilizes marketing in the right way. So what does this mean? Marketing is the tactics and strategy used to gain people's attention, while branding is about creating consistent experiences to build trust in your customer's/client's mind. Once you are clear on the definition of both marketing and branding than how each impacts your business becomes all the more clear. Donald Miller on branding - https://youtu.be/oxvlGfw85cM Chris Do, Melinda Livsey and Fabian Geyrhalter discuss branding on TheFutur: - https://youtu.be/yK7Rk7Oe588

How can you find out the unique audience and skill you can offer clients? Some people call this a niche. Once you combine your hobbies with your past education and an industry-specific problem you will have a unique value you can offer clients.

Some more context: "I have been speaking with a potential client who is having issues with their website. Their current developer costs a lot of money and when they implement updates functionality of different aspects of the site break. I gave them some bullet points of what’s wrong with the site. I was emailed by someone in upper management asking for a list of things wrong with the site for them to give to their developers to fix. Have you had this happen and how should I respond? I’m not in the business to teach another developer everything they need to do to fix their client’s website."

I was watching a video on YouTube and the person in the video was an animator. They were discussing how they and others with similar channels review animation, movies, comics and sometimes illustrate and animate popular characters. I live in a state of constant anxiety, I could wake up one day and the channel I worked so hard to build has been demonetized. This is our livelihood and how we eat... Here’s the thing: The Platform has the Power You may have built up your channel and provided entertainment but YouTube created the platform, purchased the servers, keep the app updated. Since that is the case. The Platform has the Power So do you have a business? Are you a product on another person’s platform? Ask yourself are you replaceable or a substitutionary product? Are you easily replaceable? Here’s an example. If YouTube were to go away today, would you still have a business? If the answer is no, it’s time to look at your business because right now you are at the mercy of YouTube. It is time to start rethin

Episode Notes: https://freelancejumpstart.tv/78 In this episode a designer suggested that his friend meet up with him and they strategize how to increase their online presence and create strategy so they can compete online with their competitors. After a verbal agreement the friend took the advice and strategy but then hired another designer who was cheaper. Who's in the right? Productized Consulting: https://nathanallotey.com/tv/064-productized-consulting-with-jane-portman/ Looking to level up in your freelance business? You may need Creative Coaching: http://nathanallotey.com/coaching Like the content? Donate to the Cause: http://nathanallotey.com/donate

The 5 Ways to transform you portfolio are: Copy Other Agencies Show Your Process Add Visual Storytelling Using Mockups Your About Section References in this episode: https://nathanallotey.com/tv/059-freelancer-vs-consultant-vs-agency/ https://nathanallotey.com/tv/067-never-call-yourself-a-freelancer/ https://nathanallotey.com/tv/068-your-job-title-matters-cory-mccabe-interview/ I used to believe if I focused on having great skill that was enough to attract clients. As long as I could prove I worked harder or produced better work then somebody else I would always be the client's choice. This couldn't have been further from the truth. The truth is it doesn't matter how good you may seem if that is not communicated through how you present your work then you are diminishing your value. You cannot control the fact that people are going to compare you to other designers. However, you do have the ability to influence their perception of your abilities.

Do you feel like you have no creative control when completing projects for clients? Be a professional, not an amateur. Looking to level up in your freelance business? You may need Creative Coaching: http://nathanallotey.com/coaching DISCOUNT CODE: PODCASTFOLLWER Freelance Jumpstart Podcast on iTunes: http://nathanallotey.com/itunesaudio Free Course on How to Double Your Worth: http://respectandvalue.com — Like the content? Donate to the Cause: http://nathanallotey.com/donate

For this episode of Traffic Talk we look at the answer the question: My client has taken my beautiful work and ruined it with their suggestions! What can I do? How to Stop Endless Client Feedback: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ppc7VUswe5w Speak Up for Your Work: https://youtu.be/IZtFFcx5_3w Thanks for the Feedback (Book): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143127136/ — Looking to level up in your freelance business? You may need Creative Coaching: http://nathanallotey.com/coaching — Like the content? Donate to the Cause: http://nathanallotey.com/donate — Contact Me My website: http://nathanallotey.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/nathanallotey Facebook: http://facebook.com/TheNathanAllotey Instagram: http://instagram.com/nathan.allotey Google+: https://plus.google.com/+NathanAllotey

Normally I use January as a planning month but as I plan I wanted to share with you what is on my mind as I move forward in 2019 toward the goals I would like to accomplish.

As I reflect on the year 2018 I explain what I felt went well, what did not go so well, and assess whether or not my goals were reached.

As I think back on how 2018 went, I wanted to make mention of a fantastic experience I had in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Epic Unknown is an invitation to explore your roots and the roots of others intimately and uniquely, deep in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. No two trees grow the same. No two stories are identical. It is so easy to be cavalier with the notion of leadership these days. It's a unconference that includes hiking, biking, climbing, and adventures beyond sitting in a room all day.

As the end of the year comes to a close there will be many people who will focus on setting goals in the new year. I want to give you a framework for setting goals first made popular by George T. Doran in 1981. The most critical factor in establishing a goal is HOW you define success. SMART Goal Framework 2:15 = Specific 2:40 = Measurable 3:35 = Actionable (Achievable) 4:36 = Realistic (Relevant) 5:52 = Time Bound 7:07 = Measuring success

Without even realizing it my YouTube channel turned 3 years old in October. In this video I discuss what happened this past year on YouTube and what I plan to do in the future. My 2018 Goals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbBp5z2FDsw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQQAinyRkhg

For this episode of traffic talk someone asks when is the best time to begin discussing pricing rates. They have been asked to come up with a mockup with an existing client and are not sure whether or not the client is willing to pay for the mockup.

In this episode we look at the pros and cons of whether to move forward with your personal name or your business name. Here's a hint the name doesn't matter what you publicly project matters.

For this episode of traffic talk we answer the question: Do people still buy art? I share my unique experience of what I learned in Los Angeles and the fact that art and illustration is as popular as its has ever been but you have to pair your art with a story.

What's the difference between a $30 piece of art and a $30,000 piece of art? This episode of Freelance Jumpstart I cover the main takeaway I learned from visiting agencies and museums while in Los Angeles, CA.

This past month I've had nothing but troubles professionally, with my day job, family and other things in my personal life. It sucks and it doesn't feel good. However, I believe I am being met with so many challenges because the goals I've been working on for year are within arms length. No One Cares: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ziu4fNMgvM&t=2s Tobe's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/tobenwigwe/videos Epic Unknown: https://www.epicunknown.com/

This episode of traffic talk is a little different. In order to answer this question I thought it fitting for me to visit my alma mater, Baylor University, and answer a question about how I made the switch to web design. For some context let's look at a question asked by Samuel. How exactly do you decide what to go into business for? If I recall correctly, you started in electrical engineering and then switched to web design – what was your line of reasoning for that?