Careers Over Coffee North Recap: Managing the Freelancer Rollercoaster

Written by Tricia Barendregt.

Is your freelancing career more dramatic than you expected? At Careers Over Coffee North on September 11, we talked about “Managing the Emotional and Financial Rollercoaster of Freelancing”.

Freelancer and speaker Emily Leach taught us what to do to gain control of the wave. Emily is a pioneer in the world of uniquely talented people who feel empowered to go beyond conventional jobs and create businesses from unique vantage points and perspectives. She is the founder of the Texas Freelance Association, the first statewide association of freelance workers in the country and The Freelance Conference, a national conference geared specifically for freelancers.

Emily’s freelance “ride”. In 1992, Emily dived in to freelancing when she quit her job and moved to New Mexico on a whim. Since then, she has learned a lot from riding her own freelance rollercoaster and connecting with other freelancers. Throughout her journey, she found that freelancers know their craft but the majority of them don’t know the business side of freelancing.

Tips for Managing Your Rollercoaster

• Learn the business side. Emily found that when you learn the business side you gain control over the emotional issues.
• Find where you need to “niche”. Developing a niche allows you to be more effective.
• Connect without pressure. Emily found that when you aren’t worried about the business side you can connect with others easier. Having coffee with someone without an agenda really allows for that relationship to grow. If you create relationships, then you don’t have to do the marketing side of business.
• Build up savings. Having one year of savings can provide peace of mind and provides a financial cushion during dry spells.
• Understand your books before hiring a bookkeeper. Make sure you are both on the same page so that they can make the most of what you have.
• Time management. Set boundaries with your time. Figure out what schedule fits your needs and communicate that to your clients so that they don’t cross your boundaries.

Thank you to Emily Leach for sharing her freelance story and secrets with us. Thank you to the wonderful freelancers who braved the traffic and brought their rollercoaster. We had a wonderful group and informative session!

Join us for our next Careers Over Coffee North on Friday October 9 for a discussion on your favorite career books. Come with your own recommendation and leave with a list of must-read books for every professional woman – or man!

Careers Over Coffee North meets at Mimi’s Café, 10515 N. Mopac Expy NB #O, on the south end of The Shops at Arbor Walk).