Freelance to Founder

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583

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

Freelance to Founder is a call-in show helping real-life freelancers grow their businesses and escape the feast-famine lifestyle. The podcast is hosted by Preston Lee, a former freelancer who has started, built, and even sold successful businesses of his own. Preston is joined nearly every weekday by other expert founders, freelancers, and entrepreneurs to help you take your solo business to the next level. You can submit your questions at FreelanceToFounder.com/ask If you enjoy content from shows like The Futur, Being Freelance, The Accidental Creative, Smart Passive Income, or The Side Hustle Show, then you'll love Freelance to Founder. Join us every weekday to take the next step on your journey from ... freelance to founder.

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60 recent

June 16, 202618 min

Stop Prepping. Start Getting Clients.

Diego Morales is thinking about making the leap into freelancing and wants to know what seasoned freelancers would do differently if they could start over. Preston and Meredith Cooley—founder of Page and Purpose and a copywriter-turned-mentor for teachers—share the honest, practical lessons that most "how to freelance" guides get completely wrong. From skipping the logo obsession to the slow-burn reality of building a side business, this episode is a candid look at what actually matters when you're starting out. Links: Support our show sponsors -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Attend The "10X Your Freelancing" Summit -> ⁠⁠https://10XFreelance.com⁠⁠ (FREE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June 15, 202618 min

This Changes Everything About Going Solo

Aisha Raman wants to know the single biggest lesson you learn when you first go out on your own. Preston and Meredith Cooley—copywriter, educator-turned-entrepreneur, and founder of Page and Purpose—have a lot of ground to cover. From the sneaky pull of shiny object syndrome to the surprising difficulty of managing your own time when no one else is watching, this conversation gets honest about the real growing pains of building a freelance business. If you're in the early days of figuring this out, you'll find a lot to take with you here. Links: Support our show sponsors -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Attend The "10X Your Freelancing" Summit -> ⁠⁠https://10XFreelance.com⁠⁠ (FREE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June 12, 202621 min

No Time to Freelance? You're Wrong. Here's Proof.

A Reddit question sparks a conversation that hits close to home for thousands of side-hustling professionals: a full-time teacher wants to know how to balance a demanding classroom career with landing and serving their first freelance clients. Preston sits down with Meredith Cooley—former 17-year educator turned full-time copywriter and teacher-to-freelancer mentor—to dig into the real, unglamorous work of building something on the side when your day job leaves almost nothing in the tank. From mindset shifts to a surprisingly simple paper-and-pencil time audit, this episode is a practical guide for anyone trying to grow a freelance business without quitting their day job first. Links: Support our show sponsors -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Attend The "10X Your Freelancing" Summit -> ⁠⁠https://10XFreelance.com⁠⁠ (FREE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June 11, 202612 min

No Portfolio, No Problem… Here's Where to Start

Tharun is ready to take the leap into freelancing—but one question is standing between him and his first paycheck: how do you actually land that very first client? Preston and AJ Cassata from Revenue Boost share their own origin stories (a bagel shop, a school yearbook, a wave of cold calls) and break down the two simplest moves any new freelancer can make to get that first client through the door. No complicated funnels, no elaborate lead gen systems—just smart, human approaches that actually work when you're starting from zero. Links: Support our show sponsors -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Attend The "10X Your Freelancing" Summit -> ⁠⁠https://10XFreelance.com⁠⁠ (FREE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June 10, 202617 min

More Clients, Less Freedom — What Went Wrong?

Shalimdar quit his 9-to-5 as a UI/UX designer, went full-time freelance, and hit a new income high. The problem? He's working more hours than ever—and still doesn't feel like he owns his time. Preston and AJ Cassata from Revenue Boost dig into exactly why this happens and walk through a practical framework for diagnosing where your time is actually going, what to cut, what to automate, and what to hand off—so you can stop trading every hour for a dollar and start running your business like a founder. Links: Support our show sponsors -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Attend The "10X Your Freelancing" Summit -> ⁠⁠https://10XFreelance.com⁠⁠ (FREE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June 9, 202619 min

Always Chasing Clients = You're Doing This Wrong

Tamer put it bluntly on X: one week he's scrambling for leads, the next he's buried in work with no time to look up. It's the defining tension of freelance life—and it doesn't fix itself. Preston and AJ Cassata from Revenue Boost unpack why the feast-famine cycle is really a marketing problem in disguise, and what it actually takes to build the kind of predictable lead flow that makes growing an agency feel possible instead of reckless. Links: Support our show sponsors -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Attend The "10X Your Freelancing" Summit -> ⁠⁠https://10XFreelance.com⁠⁠ (FREE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June 8, 202622 min

Why Premium Clients Aren't Finding You

Poivino runs a design agency and he's hit a ceiling—his local clients don't pay what his skills are worth, and he knows it. He wants to break into the premium market: higher-budget clients, international companies, serious engagements. Preston and AJ Casada from Revenue Boost break down exactly how to make that leap, from building a digital presence that passes the credibility test to running targeted cold outreach campaigns that speak directly to the clients you actually want. Links: Support our show sponsors -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Attend The "10X Your Freelancing" Summit -> ⁠https://10XFreelance.com⁠ (FREE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June 5, 202620 min

Are You Charging Too Little… On Purpose?

Adam Barta's design agency just signed five clients in three days — and now he's wondering if it's time to raise his prices. The momentum is real, but so is the fear of charging too much and watching it all fall apart. Preston and guest co-host AJ Cassata from Revenue Boost walk through the art and science of pricing: how to test your limits incrementally, why a high close rate is actually a red flag, and how to start building agency-level pricing into your business before you ever hire your first employee. Links: Support our show sponsors -> ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask Attend The "10X Your Freelancing" Summit -> https://10XFreelance.com (FREE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 8, 202616 min

Why Clients Ignore Your Portfolio

Meg has been freelancing for eight months and can't figure out why inquiries keep going cold. Her skills are solid, her rates are fair—but her portfolio just isn't closing the deal. Preston and Christine crack open what actually makes a portfolio convert, from the way you frame past work to what potential clients are really looking for when they land on your page. If your portfolio exists but isn't working, this episode will show you exactly where it's breaking down. Support our show sponsors -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 7, 202617 min

Are Networking Groups Actually Worth Joining?

Clay knows firsthand that the wrong networking group doesn't just waste your time — it drains your energy and kills your momentum. After building his agency through intentional, high-quality connections, he's developed a sharp eye for spotting the groups worth joining and walking away from the rest fast. This episode breaks down the framework Clay uses to find communities built on genuine value, and how the right room can quietly become one of your most powerful growth engines. Support our show sponsors -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors⁠⁠ Submit your own question -> ⁠⁠https://freelancetofounder.com/ask⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices