Being Freelance

Hosted by Steve Folland

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364

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Freelancing? Being boss of your own life and business can be tough and isolating. But it can also be totally rewarding. Pick up tips, advice and strategies on how to make it as a freelancer, an solopreneur, as the owner of your own independent business - by hearing other creative freelancers share their experience. Hosted by fellow freelancer Steve Folland. Serving the world's self-employed with episodes since 2015. Come join us in the Being Freelance Community - You're not alone being freelance. www.beingfreelance.com/community

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June 14, 2026Episode 36148 min

Freelancing as an Unpaid Carer - Adrian Ashton

Adrian’s been a successful freelancer for 21 years. But in the past 7, his definition of framing success has changed.For the last seven years, Adrian has also been an unpaid carer for three immediate family members. He talks honestly about what that's meant for his business - the travel he's had to give up, the networking events he can't get to, the inquiries he's had to turn away, and why he deliberately caps how much work he takes on (and how much money he can make).But he also talks about the bigger picture. Seven years ago, he went looking for support and found nothing. Half a million freelancers were in the same boat - and nobody was talking about it. So he stepped up and opened up.In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland, we cover:Why Adrian chose to make his caring role a "first date disclosure" with every new client - and how it's actually strengthened client relationshipsPlanning marketing around your worst week, not your bestThe theory of constraints - and why having less can unlock more creativity and enjoymentHis annual impact report: a 20-year habit that's never won him work directly, but keeps him accountable, sane, and focusedThe impending crisis for the UK as the numbers of freelancers with unpaid caring responsibilities increasesHow we can make a difference and a changeThe impact freelancers have in the world - yep, you includedThis episode is available to watch in video on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify.Adrian is a member of the Being Freelance Community - come join us, you’re not alone being freelance.Find Adrian at adrianashton.co.uk And his Impact Reports are available too.---LINKS FOR CARERS MENTIONEDIPSECarers UKNumber 18, In The Corner BlogCitizens Advice - CarersBenefits & Financial Support for Carers (UK)---EPISODE SPONSORED BY ECAMMFor years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret.Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac. Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time.Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats.Try Ecamm for free. Use code BEINGFREELANCE to save 15% on your first payment.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

June 7, 2026Episode 36059 min

Her Niche Is Fishe - Becoming The Ocean Writer - Melissa Hobson

Melissa spent over a decade in PR & Comms. She was good at it but she was drawn to the ocean.So she started pitching dive magazines on the side, moved to Mozambique to volunteer with a marine conservation charity, and when the pandemic sent her home, decided to go all-in as a freelancer rather than look for another job.Still it was PR work she was picking up but frustrated by. “I just want to write about fish” she told her mastermind friends in the Being Freelance Community.They encouraged her. And she went for it.Three years ago Melissa became The Ocean Writer. Now her work appears in National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, and a growing list of major publications around the world. Editors come to her when something pees in the ocean.This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland we take a deep diver into the life of The Ocean Writer:Pitching editors constantly - and dealing with rejectionTurning down work that doesn't fit the niche - even when it's hard - and why that's what made the niche workUsing LinkedIn actively and how it keeps sending opportunities anywayHow Ocean Writer branded clothing sparks recognition and conversationsBuilding financial resilience - even six weeks off sick this year didn't derail herHiring a VA to handle the bitty stuff so she can focus on writingStop getting in your own way - why you should pitch sooner than you think you're ready--EPISODE SPONSORThis episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Ecamm.For years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret.Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac. Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time.Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats.Visit beingfreelance.com/ecamm to try Ecamm for free and use the code BEINGFREELANCE on that link to save 15% on your first payment.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

May 31, 2026Episode 35950 min

Becoming a Freelance Illustrator for Marvel, Disney and DC: Doaly

How does a creative side project turn into a decade long freelancing business working with the biggest names in pop culture, like Disney, Pixar, Marvel, DC Comics, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros and Sony Pictures?All good super-heroes have an origin story. And this interview tells the series of events that took Doaly from working for a company in Birmingham, England, to the front page of comic covers seen all over the world. Signing at Comic-con events. It's quite the transformation.Tarlochan Doal, AKA Doaly, spent 15 years as a full time in-house web and UX designer. Illustration was the side hustle he did to scratch a creative itch, designing movie posters for films he loved.Then one Saturday morning, Doaly woke to an email from a movie studio. And his whole script changed.This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers:- Why he filled his portfolio with the work he wanted to be hired for, and how design blogs and social media got it in front of the right people- The passion projects that catapulted his career — including a Wonder Woman piece that sold 1,500 posters in a weekend and let him quit his day job- Using UX contracting to bridge the financial gap in his first year of full-time freelancing- Building a garden office to separate work from home - because when you love what you do, you'll work all day and night if you let yourself- How a random 45-minute conversation at a New York convention led to his first Marvel Comics cover- Multiple income streams across movies, comics, book covers and advertising - so no single client base can sink you- The weekly phone calls with a fellow designer that serve as his informal co-mentoringIt's one hell of a story. And you might think - well, I'm not trying to work with Marvel, how will this freelancer's story relate to me? But there's so much relatable freelance advice and business tips to be drawn from his experiences. --EPISODE SPONSORThis episode of the Being Freelance podcast is supported by Ecamm.For years people have asked how Being Freelance live shows look so good. Well, this is the secret.Ecamm is a video studio for your Mac. Give anything you do with video, a pro look in real time.Presentations, screen shares, webinars, video calls, demos. Plus livestream/record in landscape & vertical at the same time, perfectly designed for both formats.Visit beingfreelance.com/ecamm to try Ecamm for free and use the code BEINGFREELANCE on that link to save 15% on your first payment.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

May 24, 2026Episode 35922 min

Business Name vs Your Own Name: Which is Better for Freelancers?

It's a question Steve Folland gets asked a lot: as a freelancer, is it better to have a company name or use your own? In this compilation episode, Steve digs deep into 11 years of the Being Freelance podcast archive - pulling together voices from guests including brand copywriter Mark Grainger, branding expert Bhavini Lakhani, copywriter Graeme Piper, illustrator Dan Bailey, social media consultant Alison Battisby, marketing agency founder Ross Simmonds, and more - to try and get to the bottom of it once and for all. Why some freelancers hide behind a business name - and why that's not necessarily a bad thing How a company name can shift your mindset and make you feel like a proper business The practical reasons to avoid trading under your own name: spelling, pronunciation, searchability, and standing out in a scrollable world When a business name helps you work with bigger clients, organisations, and even government Why your business name should be future-proof - what happens when you pivot away from the service it describes? The case for using your own name, and why Ross Simmonds says don't underestimate the power of your personal brand Why in an age of AI, being a visible human is more valuable than ever How some freelancers make the best of both worlds - with names like Jessi Illustrates, By Hollie Arnett, and Letters By Julia Of course, there's no single right answer - but Steve rounds things up with his own take on when each approach makes sense. HEAR THE FULL EPISODES You can hear the full freelance stories of these guests by checking out their original episodes. Simply try these links to open in your podcast app: - Rebecca Shipham - Mark Grainger - Bhavini Lakhani - Graeme Piper - Joel Klettke - Col Skinner - Dan Bailey- Alison Battisby- Mary Cameron - Louisa Heinrich - Hollie Arnett - Ross Simmonds JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

May 10, 2026Episode 35843 min

Becoming the go-to freelancer in your niche - Jessi Illustrates

Jessica Hartshorn was trained as an illustrator, but unable to get work as one she went in another direction. Jessica spent the next 16 years working in museums and galleries. But the itch to illustrate never went away. So she set up a secret Instagram account and started painting again without telling a soul. Seven years on, she's a successful illustrator, freelancing with museums, galleries, heritage sites and parks across the UK. And her 16 years behind the scenes at the museum? Turned out to be her biggest selling point. Hear Jessica, AKA Jessi Illustrates, chat with Steve Folland in the episode of the Being Freelance podcast which covers: Going from a secret Instagram to an being known as the go-to specialist How 16 years working inside museums became her unique selling point as a freelance illustrator COVID as an unexpected turning point: when museums couldn't open Why she goes to museum conferences and networking events (and is often the only illustrator in the room) Using a printed pricing list not just to give costs, but to give inspiration as to what she could be hired for Investing £500 a year in her business - and what that's bought over the years, from a videographer to a badge-making machine Working with a creative mentor to cut out the work that looked good but wasn't worth the time Co-mentoring with Jo (a graphic designer from the BF community) Saying no with a standard copy-paste email - and why taking the emotion out of it makes all the difference Jessica is part of the Being Freelance Community — come and hang out with Steve, Jessica and plenty of friendly freelancers who get what it's like! JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

May 3, 20263 min

Freelancer BTS - Some things are more important

New episodes with fresh freelancing stories coming very soon. But as Jess Bruno said on her episode of Being Freelance: "Content can always blood wait". JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

March 22, 2026Episode 3571 hr 6 min

Stop Waiting for Clients. Start Making - Charles Commins

Charles Commins handed his notice in at his pub management job with no plan and no business. His partner gave him one month to figure it out. All he knew was that he wanted to love his job. Seven and a half years later, he's an award-winning freelance podcast producer whose almost entire client chain traces back to one decision: making a football podcast about Northampton Town. That podcast would act as his show ground and his playground. Testing and ultimately proving to clients that he should be freelancing for them. Along the way he's had a succession of word-of-mouth freelancing clients, realised his dream of appearing on BBC Radio, and made all of it work around being there for his family. This episode of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland covers: Starting It's All Cobblers To Me as a portfolio piece, and how a Northampton Town fan indirectly led to a four-year retainer Why and how 90% of his work comes through referrals The "starting from…" pricing approach: why he won't publish fixed rates, and how he edges prices up with each new client Work-life balance: from pub late nights to home office, to a new baby derailing everything, to finally getting it to 60/40 The never-ending circle of freelance guilt - working, not working, being with family… there's always something to feel bad about Co-running MIC's Podcast Club with Vic Turnbull - 1,400 members, monthly virtual meetups, and why running a community full of "competitors" is actually brilliant Launching The Warrington Scoop, a hyperlocal monthly podcast, as a low-lift way to generate local business leads Co-mentoring with Amy: how a monthly accountability call became one of his most valuable freelance tools The biggest challenge: not finding clients, but believing work will come when you're in a trough Charles is part of the Being Freelance Community - come and hang out with Steve, Charles and plenty of friendly freelancers who get what it's like! JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

March 15, 2026Episode 35647 min

Field Trip Fridays and Four Bank Accounts - Illustrator Perryn Ryan

Perryn Ryan didn't set out to become a freelance illustrator. After a degree in computer information systems (to keep her parents happy), years in tech,, and a long stint in the fashion industry, she eventually gave herself permission to just... draw stuff she liked. Nothing serious. Then a stranger with a million followers re-shared her work, the enquiries started flooding in, and a freelance illustration career was born almost overnight. In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, Perryn talks about: How a career in fashion taught her to cost properly - including the "invisible costs" most freelancers miss What happened when she dived into her first illustration brief without a contract, and what she learned from it Why she approaches every client relationship as a partnership - but with clear limits on revisions, timelines, and communication Her surcharge system for clients who insist on net 30 or longer payment terms How her niche grew organically by simply making what she loved - flowing line art, wellness themes, women-focused brands Why she's stepped back from Instagram and leans on direct outreach to art directors instead The Illustrator's Business Journal; her writing project sharing business lessons through storytelling rather than how-to lists Her four-bank-account system for managing freelance finances without the end-of-year panic Protecting her creativity with time blocks, no weekends, and Field Trip Fridays Enjoy a story with a few twists, a couple of false starts, and the reminder that every weird job you've ever had is probably preparing you for something. JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

March 8, 2026Episode 35555 min

Chase Those Late Payments - Graphic Designer Laura Whitehouse

Laura Whitehouse didn’t follow the usual path into graphic design. While studying archaeology and anthropology (told you) at university, she started designing posters for student theatre shows. At first for free, then for £20 here and there (or sometimes just a pint). What began as a creative outlet quickly became the foundation of a freelance career. Thanks to word of mouth clients and the help of various mentors, she built skills and confidence. Until five years on, one of those mentors simply told her: "Just do it". So she did. She quit. And start freelancing full time In this episode Laura talks about: Building a business through word-of-mouth referrals Gradually increasing her rates after nudges from other freelancers Showing only certain types of work online to shape perception Running her one-woman studio Mighty Fine Why she prefers working with freelancers rather than building an agency The reality of managing 45 projects at once Being completely unapologetic about chasing unpaid invoices Why the financial side of freelancing can be the most stressful part And the strange phenomenon of people wanting to “just grab a coffee” to pitch startup ideas Laura also talks about working in film and TV graphics, co-hosting the podcast Opening Credits, and how reading fantasy novels recently helped her switch off from work in the evenings. It’s a fun and honest conversation about building a freelance business your own way, without necessarily following the usual advice about niches, marketing strategies, or growth. Sounds like a mighty fine idea. JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.

March 1, 2026Episode 35419 min

How to Find Your Freelancing Niche

In this short compilation episode, Steve revisits conversations from across 11 years of the Being Freelance podcast archive to explore what actually happens when freelancers specialise in a niche. Full of stories of how these freelance creatives found their niche and the impact it had. You’ll hear: THE IMPACT OF NICHING How specialising can make marketing simpler and sales conversations easier Why expertise can lead to higher-value opportunities HOW TO FIND YOUR NICHE How to choose a niche based on experience, enjoyment or values Why your niche doesn’t have to be permanent Featuring insights and stories from James Barnard, Liz Painter, Katie Chappell, Ayo Abbas, Louise Shanahan, Eman Ismail, Estelle Hakner, Ebonie Allard, Hannah Dossary and Stephen Adams. Whether you’re just starting out or rethinking your positioning years into freelancing, this episode might help you scratch that niche itch. FULL EPISODES for each guestJames BarnardLiz PainterKatie ChappellAyo AbbasLouise ShanahanEman IsmailEstelle HankerEbonie AllardHannah DossaryStephen AdamsPaul Jarvis Q&A Hosted by freelance podcast editor and video podcast editor Steve Folland. JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.JOIN THE COMMUNITYYou're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends).beingfreelance.com/community NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!The Being Freelance course is made for you!Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership. FREELANCER MERCHGet Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shopLike VIDEO? - Check out the Being Freelance on:Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelanceYouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFollandBeing Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.