The Freelancer's Teabreak

Hosted by Emma Cossey from The Freelance Lifestyle

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307

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

The Freelancer's Teabreak is the short and sweet podcast you can enjoy while you make a cuppa, full of tips, tricks and advice for freelancers.

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60 recent

November 5, 20265 min

Are freelancers faithfuls or traitors?

This episode is sponsored by The Admin Den. I've worked with Alicia for a few years now, and I'm proud to work with her to bring you these episodes! You can find out more about The Admin Den here https://theadminden.co.uk/teabreak or follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theadminden Ever felt like you were playing a part at work, saying one thing while thinking another? This week I'm pouring a cuppa and drawing a very simplified (but heartfelt) link between The Traitors, the corporate world and the freelance life. It involves James Acaster, a blindfold, and the difference between feeling like a Traitor and feeling like a Faithful. Spoiler warning: I talk about the celebrity series two finale, so pause here if you haven't watched it yet. Timestamps: 0:00 Welcome to the Freelancer's Tea Break 0:40 James Acaster, The Traitors and why I'm talking about it 1:30 Playing the game ethically and authentically 2:15 Why I felt like a Traitor in the corporate world 3:00 Going freelance and feeling like a Faithful 3:40 Navigating the grey areas of running a business 4:10 Why being a Faithful is less exhausting 4:45 Over to you and what's coming next week Check out the website: www.freelancelifestyle.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/emmacossey Email: hello@emmacossey.com Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership: https://freelancelifestyle.podia.com/ Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business: https://link.amazon/B01qhTzb3

October 29, 202625 min

Do You Need a CRM? Client Systems for Freelancers with Jo Shock

After years of very gentle bullying, I finally got Jo Shock onto the podcast! Jo has been the magic behind my business for over a decade, and she's the person everyone in the Freelance Business Lounge gets sent to the moment anyone mentions systems and CRMs. In this episode, we're talking all things CRM: what they actually are, when you need one, what to look for, and how to avoid getting dazzled by shiny software. If you've ever lost track of a lead in your inbox or wondered whether a spreadsheet is still cutting it, this one's for you. Timestamps: 0:00 Meet Jo, the magic behind my business 1:00 Jo's journey from editor to VA to systems specialist 2:15 Why everyone in the Lounge says "talk to Jo" 3:00 What is a CRM? 4:55 Taking the mental load off 5:20 When do you actually need a CRM? 6:50 The basics every CRM needs 8:15 The hidden bonus: useful client data 9:00 Starting with free tools 9:40 All-in-one tools vs specialist tools 11:15 Why your software should feel nice to use 12:05 Automations without losing the human touch 13:15 Don't forget the ICO data protection fee 14:00 Ready-made vs build-your-own CRMs 15:30 Bespoke services, packages and bolt-ons 18:20 Why Jo sent me back to LinkedIn 18:50 Jo's free resources 19:55 Building up from a basic system 21:45 Getting your tools to talk to each other 23:10 Where to find Jo 23:55 Jo's top tip: start with your process 24:25 The lure of shiny things Find Jo at Streamlines Virtual Support: streamlinesvirtual.com , where you can also sign up for her newsletter and grab her free resources. And connect with Jo Shock on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-shock. The Speedy Client Management Software Audit: resources.streamlinesvirtual.com/client-management-software-audit Streamline Your Client Admin & Care checklist: https://resources.streamlinesvirtual.com/your-client-management-checklist Her newsletter: https://resources.streamlinesvirtual.com/sign-up My stuff Check out the website: www.freelancelifestyle.co.uk Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/emmacossey Email: hello@emmacossey.com Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership: https://freelancelifestyle.podia.com/ Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: www.freelancelifestyle.co.uk/Discord Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business: https://link.amazon/B01qhTzb3

October 22, 202610 min

Bookend your freelance day

Let's talk about bookending your freelance day! Flown (affiliate link) https://flown.com/register?join=emma-cossey-dfa56 Follow me on Instagram Email: hello@emmacossey.com Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business

October 15, 202614 min

Part-Time Freelancing

This week, we dive into the topic of part time freelancing around a job. Pour yourself a cuppa! Follow me on Instagram Email: hello@emmacossey.com Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business

October 8, 20264 min

The gold in your client forms

Your onboarding forms might be the most underrated bit of marketing research you own. This week's episode is a quick admin prompt: dig out your client questionnaires and look at what people actually say when they explain why they chose you. I share what I discovered when I did this myself (spoiler: I'd been talking about the wrong thing on my sales page), plus some easy ways to spot the patterns, from good old-fashioned highlighters to AI and word clouds. Follow me on Instagram Email: hello@emmacossey.com Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business

October 1, 20266 min

I quit

...I'm going back to having the podcast as audio only. In this episode, I share what I learned during my experiment to offer the podcast as a video format too. Follow me on Instagram Email: hello@emmacossey.com Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business

July 30, 20263 min

Summer Break: What Do You Want to Hear Next?

It's the last episode before a well-earned summer break! I'm swapping the mic for some quality time with my son before he starts secondary school, because some moments matter more than deadlines. There'll be no new episodes in August, but I'll be back in September, refreshed and ready to go. Before I go, I want to hear from you: video episodes or audio only? Weekly, fortnightly, or monthly? Any guests or topics you're dying to hear covered? Drop me a message on Instagram ( @emmacossey ), pop into the Facebook group or Discord, or email hello@emmacossey.com . I'm genuinely listening and can't wait to shape the next chapter with your ideas. Enjoy the summer, and see you in September! This episode has been lovingly edited by Alicia at The Admin Den (and the wonderful Sarah has brought you the blog and Youtube), helping busy podcasters like me sound their best without lifting a finger. Alicia Cornell is a Virtual Assistant and Business Support specialist, based in Berkshire with over 14 years experience in improving business systems to truly work for the people using them. Alicia founded The Admin Den to support mothers running small businesses because she's one herself, and she knows exactly what kind of chaos that particular combination brings. The Admin Den team offers hands-on VA support , email marketing, social media content and takes on specialist projects (including CRM integrations, automations and training sessions) for businesses that need an extra expert pair of hands allowing clients to spend less time on admin and more time on the parts of their business they love. Connect with Alicia! Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Newsletter | Get her free, printable Summer Holiday Planner which helps small business owners map out the school holidays without losing their business, or their mind, in the process. Timestamps: 0:00 Freelancers Tea Break: Welcome & Introduction 0:18 August Summer Break & Podcast Changes 0:31 Freelancing as a Parent: School Transitions 1:18 Access to Work Funding Cuts for Neurodivergent Freelancers 1:43 Future Format: Video Podcasts for Freelancers? 2:22 Community Feedback: What Freelancers Want 2:46 Thank You & See You in September Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: hello@emmacossey.com Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business

July 23, 20263 min

My iPhone Podcast Recording Hack

Fancy starting a podcast but the thought of buying a mic, learning fancy software, and building a whole "studio" fills you with dread? Good news, you might already have everything you need in your pocket. This episode is a quick, happy little discovery about a hidden feature on the iPhone that could save you time, money, and a fair few headaches if you're thinking about recording audio. We're talking about the humble Voice Memos app and its secret weapon: Studio Voice, which cleans up your audio and strips out background noise like magic, plus a built-in transcript feature. Whether you're recording on the go, don't have space for a full tech setup, or just need a low-effort way to get your voice out into the world, this one's proof that great content doesn't need to be perfect, just real. A lovely little tip for anyone dipping their toes into podcasting. Timestamps: 0:00 Freelancers Tea Break: iPhone Podcasting Hack for Freelancers 0:17 iPhone 16 Voice Memos Studio Voice: Record Podcasts Without a Studio 0:42 How to Use iPhone Studio Voice & Transcripts for Podcasting 1:51 Why Imperfect Audio Wins: Authentic Podcasting for ADHD Freelancers 2:20 Accessible Freelancing: Podcast From Bed With Just Your Phone 3:09 Start Podcasting Today: iPhone Voice Memos Setup for Freelancers Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: hello@emmacossey.com Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business

July 16, 20263 min

Underpromise, Overdeliver: My Secret to Business Success

Quick one this week, but it might just be the best piece of freelance advice you'll ever get. Ever said "I'll have it to you by Friday" when nobody even asked for Friday, then spent the next few days low-key panicking? Yeah, us too. In this episode, we're talking about why that little habit of overpromising (and the scramble that follows) is quietly sabotaging your chances to actually impress your clients. The fix is refreshingly simple: underpromise, overdeliver. Give yourself a bit more wiggle room than you think you need, and suddenly you've got the breathing space to do brilliant work, hit deadlines early, and leave clients genuinely wowed instead of just... satisfied. It's a small mindset shift with a big knock-on effect, and one you can start using today. Short, sweet, and worth writing on a Post-it. Timestamps: 0:00 - My Best Freelance Advice Intro 0:25 - Find Your Freelance Community: Join Our Discord Server 0:44 - Under Promise Overdeliver: The Best Freelance Business Strategy 0:58 - Overpromising & Underdelivering: The Freelancer Trap to Avoid 1:55 - Give Yourself Wiggle Room: Deadline Tips for ADHD Freelancers 3:02 - How to Wow Clients: Managing Results & Expectations 3:16 - Final Takeaway: Build a Sustainable Freelance Career Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: hello@emmacossey.com Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business

July 9, 20264 min

How Much Do Other Freelancers Charge?

How much should you actually be charging as a freelancer? Spoiler: there's no magic number, but there are some brilliant guides out there to help you stop plucking figures out of thin air. This episode is your cheat sheet to finding out what other freelancers are really charging, so you can stop guessing and start pricing with confidence. We're rounding up the best places to snoop on industry rates, from YunoJuno's annual guides to LondonFreelance.org's brilliantly nosy "what I was actually paid" submissions, plus IPSE, Reddit's Freelance UK threads, and a handy calculator to get you started. There's also a timely nudge about the gender pay gap in freelancing (yes, it's a thing here too) and why doing a bit of local research matters just as much as national averages. Come for the numbers, stay for the confidence boost, and if you've still got questions, the community's waiting for you on Discord (link below to join). Links from the episode: YunoJuno , Londonfreelance.org , IPSE , Reddit Freelance UK , and Sally Farrant's Pricing Calculator Timestamps: 0:00 How Much Do Freelancers Earn? Podcast Introduction 0:21 Freelance Pricing: Why There's No 'Perfect' Rate 0:40 Freelance Rate Guides: Where to Find Reliable Data 0:57 YunoJuno Industry Guide: Freelance Rates by Sector 1:25 LondonFreelance.org: Anonymous Freelance Pay Reports 2:08 IPSE: not-for-profit membership association dedicated to the self-employed. 2:30 Reddit: Freelancer Community Resources 2:41 Freelance Gender Pay Gap: Why Women Charge Less 3:22 How to Research Freelance Rates in Your Area 3:42 Freelance Rate Calculator: How Much Should You Charge? 4:04 Join the Freelancer Community (neurodivergent friendly!) Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: hello@emmacossey.com Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz Order my book: The Freelance Lifestyle: Your Friendly Guide to Starting a Freelance Business