Doing It For The Kids

Hosted by Doing It For The Kids, Frankie Tortora, Steve Folland

Business Careers Kids Family ParentingInterviews guestsExplicit

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Episodes

137

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-GB

About the show

*GOLD Best Business Podcast — British Podcast Awards 2021* *BRONZE Best Business Podcast — British Podcast Awards 2020* The podcast for parents who work freelance. Hosted by Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland. Get involved! Use #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. To join, go to https://www.doingitforthekids.net/

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 15, 202620 min

When the client asks if you can do it for less

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from ANONYMOUS. “Hey Frankie & Steve! My question is: What do you do when a potential client who is very interested in using you isn't able to afford your quote? I've offered to try and condense the amount of work to fit their budget (i.e. prioritise what is most important) but they just simply can't afford what they want... BUT I really would like the work!! Without sounding desperate, do I offer an 'introductory' offer / discount to get them on board? or do I stand my ground with my prices and potentially lose a new client? HELP PLEASE! It's really tricky when you have bills to pay.” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

October 1, 202620 min

When you’re thinking of going all in

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from the Founder of Chapter One Journal — Stepan Mitaki. He says: “Hi Frankie & Steve, I've got a full-time product job in London, a 3 year old, an 11 year old stepdaughter, and a small iPhone app I've built alone in the evenings. It's been on the App Store for two months. It has a few paying customers and it earns nowhere near what my salary does. Everyone gives me one of two answers. Go all in, or drop it. I can't do either. Quitting a London salary with two kids is not a decision I get to make on optimism. Dropping it means the one thing I actually care about building quietly dies. So I keep going at about ten hours a week, mostly after bedtime, and I genuinely cannot tell whether that is discipline or a very slow way of failing. How do you work out whether a side thing is a business that hasn't started yet, or an expensive hobby you should be honest with yourself about? And is there a version of this where you never make the leap, you stay in the job forever, and that's actually a fine answer rather than a failure? Thanks, Stepan” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• Stepan's OneJournal website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

July 16, 202629 min

10 Years, 10 Truths — Happy Birthday DIFTK

To celebrate DIFTK turning 10 years old this year, this episode is a little bit different! We’re taking NO questions. Instead, we’ve asked 10 DIFTKers to tell us 10 Truths about freelance parent life. Something they wish they’d known about freelancing with kids. Something they’ve learnt. Some ‘truth’ or realisation — positive or negative! Something they think you’d all benefit from knowing about. Because the absolute BEST bits of this podcast always come from all of you. So we are LITERALLY HANDING OVER THE MICROPHONE. Enjoy! Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

June 11, 202621 min

When you’re not needed as much

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from copywriter Helen Savage. She says: “I’m a freelance writer and have less work than I’ve had for the 6 years I’ve been freelance — but at the same time my youngest child has just started walking to school by himself. I’m struggling a bit with the fact I’m going to be needed less and less by my kids and don’t have the work to fill my time and give me that sense of purpose. I appreciate a lot of parents might want to scream at me for complaining about children being more independent 😬 but I’m having a whole new identity crisis with the combination of these two things. How do I navigate this new phase?? How do I regain a sense of purpose when I increasingly feel no longer needed?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• Helen's BlogWrite website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

May 21, 202622 min

To share or not to share (your freelance income)

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Piggybank aka ANONYMOUS. They say: “Hi Frankie and Steve. My question is this: I often see freelancers and creators sharing what they make money wise. I must admit I can’t help but read, listen or watch this stuff. I find myself wondering if I should do this? But then I worry… what if people think it’s just showing off. Is it? What if people start attacking me for when I do well? What if people think I suck when I don’t do so well? I feel like people might judge me for NOT posting what I earn. Am I just being too British about it — how dare we talk about money? Penny for your thoughts? So long as you tell everyone online where you got that penny from 😉 Detective Piggybank” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

April 30, 202624 min

When you’re thinking about starting a community

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from graphic designer and brand strategist, Joanne Grubb. She says: “My best friend and I have a really good idea for an online membership 'club' for charity comms professionals. We want to build a community that's as engaging and supportive as DIFTK and Being Freelance. Where do we start? And what do you wish that you both knew before you started? My initial entry point before I joined was your amazing podcasts, as it feels like they’re really important for breaking down barriers to entry and building your brand?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• Joanne's JG Creative website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

March 26, 202620 min

When you don’t have any family available to help

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from social media trainer and strategist, Sarah Pascaru. She says: “How are we all coping without any family to help nearby?? I’m in this situation — and also a single parent — and it’s hard. What are we all doing to avoid burnout and stress? Anything?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• Sarah's Social Jooce website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

March 5, 202619 min

How to stop feeling guilty about not working during working hours

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Jon Richards — graphic designer at Goodness By Design . He says: “How do I stop feeling guilty about not working during 'working hours'? I've been freelancing for over 15 years, but until last year it was always alongside a part time 9-5. So this is the first time I've been fully freelancing and I'm noticing a lot of guilt around when I'm not working. If it's a weekday and within 'normal' working hours, I feel like I should be doing client work, marketing or something. But as a creative, sometimes I'm just not in the right mood. Someone suggested recently that this might be a hangover of working in a 9-5. One of the main drives to go freelance was the flexibility it would bring. So I guess my question is, how can I get better at giving myself permission to do things like, go to Bristol for the day, visit an art gallery or just watch a film, when my head isn't in the right place to work? Do you ever have the same feeling?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• Jon's Goodness By Design website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

February 5, 202621 min

When you’re feeling conflicted about AI

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from career coach for parents at The Balance Collective , Clara Wilcox. She says: “I'm unapologetically anti-AI for a whole load of reasons — ethical, against the ‘big bro tech boys’, and the way they steal information to train it etc. But how do you work and promote yourself in a world that seems so pro-AI without sounding like a Luddite?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• The Balance Collective's website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

January 15, 202620 min

When you're struggling to get going

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from career and worklife coach Vicki Kirk . She says: “Hi Frankie & Steve, Is it just me that is finding it really hard to get going again this new year? Normally I’m all for diving into the planning / organising / new year-ing but this year I just want to curl up under the duvet! There’s a few reasons behind it (potential big family stuff on the horizon, a bit burnt out from last year, not entirely sure where I want to go with my business this year) but with a to-do list the length of my arm, I’d really like to find some motivation soon! Anyone else feeling like this? Any words of wisdom?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community . ••• Vicki Kirk's website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi