This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Val Abbott AKA Anonymous. She says:“How do you get over a client breakup?Recently I had a client who I felt I worked really hard on. Prioritising their work when it was dropped on me at the last minute, replying to whatsapp at any given hour, working weekends (I know, I know) only to receive a message to say that they felt I was too busy and had found another agency to replace me.Whilst I know that I actually went above and beyond for this client and that I really had worked my hardest, I can’t help but shake the feeling of guilt that I could have done more.So my question is, how do you get over a client breakup? It is just a common thing that happens to freelancers? Tell me I’m not alone in feeling this way??"What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••Download a DIFTK Bingo cardPlay DIFTK Bingo onlineFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

Doing It For The Kids

How to get over a (client) breakup

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Serena Steele AKA Anonymous. She says:“I’m expecting my second baby later this year. Do you have any tips on planning maternity leave (pre- and post-birth) and maybe around lining up work for 2022? I don’t want to prepare too much because I don’t know how I’ll feel after the birth. But I also don’t want to go into this without a plan! I love the idea of taking all the time I need but I don’t know how realistic that is. I guess I’m worried I’ll have to start all over again when I come back? Help! Thanks”What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••Frankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

Planning your maternity leave as a freelancer

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from web and graphic designer at Spurwing Creative — Claire Wood. She says:“Hi both! My current dilemma is a question I keep coming back to and yet have never found a way to resolve.I started my freelance business 13 years ago and over the years my role has moved from a predominantly creative business into a more developer/online business. I love designing and creating but now find that I am so bogged down in 'adminy' and technical jobs, that I end up being less and less creative. I am incredibly lucky that the bulk of my work is referrals and that I’m busy — but I find the more websites and systems I produce, the more I get recommended for that kind of work, which exacerbates the issue.I understand how I got here (I’m good at producing these systems!) but I find them incredibly boring to produce and am still in a mindset where I’m unable to turn down work.Now I’m in a position where I'm not enjoying the bulk of my workload and feel isolated, lonely and bored thanks to working from home — my mental health has suffered. In an ideal world I would have a financial cushion that would allow me to turn down some of these projects and pursue more that interest me, but — as many self-employed people are — I work very hand to mouth (especially being a widowed parent). My question is, how can I somehow incorporate more of what I love (and ultimately went freelance to do), without losing out financially? Somedays I think I'd love to work outside or do something completely different, but understand this isn't possible (unless I win the lottery), but the ideal would be to design book covers all day, but that is only 5% of what I currently do.Any ideas on how to help morph my business back to a place where I am not voluntarily doing something I don't enjoy? Thanks! Claire”What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Spurwing Creative websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

When your creative business isn't creative anymore

A very quick message to say that we won't be doing a full episode this week after all as we've just got too much to do on the last week of term!!! WAAAAAHHHH.Apologies for the quality of Frankie's audio. She messed up. #awardwinning

End of term bye-byes

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Founder & Designer at See, Think, Do — Jason Hunt. He says:“OK DIFTK crew!The (for me at least) perennial question has come around again...How do I credibly present my agency as a viable team when actually, it's just me?? The reality is that my agency is just me, and that I outsource/sub-contract anything I don't do or have no time to do, but I have a sense that in an imminent pitch — that may not be quite what the client wants.Do you have any tips about how to sell this setup to a larger client? Explaining the benefits (there must be some right?!), and eliminating all/most perceived negatives? What about 'stability', financial security, everything under one roof – all things I would struggle to prove. I have 10+ years of solid trading, increasing and solid revenues, some great (and relevant) client experience and just want to give myself the best shot. Thanks!”What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••See, Think, Do websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

When your agency is just, er, you

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from sportswear designer Lily Pawley. She says:“Retainers. The holy freelance grail. But WTF?? I've got one with a client I’ve worked with a fair bit before, it's new and shiny but now I'm in a weird relationship with the client — Am I freelance? Am I an employee?From working out how to allocate my time (them, other clients, life, smalls) to which email account I need to use (the one they set up for me — which I keep forgetting to check and isn't linked to my phone grrr? Or mine — which has my freelance signature on so it's confusing?) What are the top tips for retainers, managing them successfully and basically retaining some semblance of life?! It feels like I really wanted this annoying toy that I kept seeing advertised and now I’ve got it, I’m not sure how it works or what it does and I think I just need to take the batteries out. I own a retainer furby! Help!”What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Lily Pawley's websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

Retainers: WTF

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Quinn Finn, aka Anonymous. They say:"I know this has been discussed in the group and on the podcast so others are doing this too... Over the last 12 months I have made the decision to stop working with certain clients who either don't pay me, take the piss with their expectations of my time or just aren't a right fit for whatever reason. It's my business, I can choose who to work with, right?For the second time in a few months, the response to my email to end the client relationship has been one of questioning my decision and disappointment that I have let them down.I am telling myself that this is their issue and not mine but as it's happened twice now (almost identical wording) I'm beginning to question whether I'm being too unreasonable in choosing who to work with?I would love to hear other experiences of moving on from clients who aren't a good fit. My T&Cs state a 15 day notice period  on both sides and I always give at least a month so it isn't that. What can I / should I do differently?"What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Frankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

Breaking up with a difficult client

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Tom Snow, aka Anonymous. They say:“Hi Frankie and Steve,My partner is a very creative person, but is currently doing an employed job that helps others in creative education, but is bogged down with institutional admin, company politics, meetings etc. It doesn't allow her to be creative herself.I'd like to encourage her to take the leap to become self employed and find the thing she loves doing. Finding 'the thing' is the hard part — how do you turn your love of creating and making into a money earner? How do you find what your passion might be on the one hand, and also think about how it will bring in money on the other?Thanks a lot, Tom"What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Frankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

Finding your 'thing'

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Jason Chase, aka Anonymous. They say:“My question is about professional 'ghosting'... spooky!I was recently in touch with an old acquaintance who now works with a big organisation that I have been interested in working with for a while. This person encouraged me to pitch for quite a big contract, chatted through the project with me on the phone and even read through my ideas and made encouraging suggestions before I submitted.But — I didn't get the gig.I was really gutted but assumed I was up against some tough competition. The acquaintance apologised, and told me that there would be further opportunities coming up really soon and also offered — unprompted — to give me some feedback on a call. Great, I thought!But when I replied to schedule a time to chat I didn't get a reply. A week or so later I sent a follow up message and again... silence!!I think this professional ghosting is becoming more and more common and I hate it! How hard is it to send a quick message to someone, especially if you have volunteered to share the information in the first place?I would love to move on from this, but feel a bit embarrassed, and also annoyed, and a bit like a ditched date! I'd love a chance to work with this organisation, and to have the feedback that was offered up. Would love to hear what you think! Any advice?”What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Frankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

Coping with professional 'ghosting'

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from coach, leader and feminist Lisa Townsend. She says:“I need some help to work out which opportunities are for me and which to say no to!An opportunity to collaborate comes my way for example and my mind automatically lists off all the negatives/worst case scenarios. I've been wondering lately if that’s just the fear of feeling like I've potentially got someone else to answer to (which is why I left employment) or whether the opportunity just isn’t right.How can you make a best guess about a new opportunity, without having any prior experience to relate to?"What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Lisa Townsend's websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

When you're not sure about a new opportunity

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Kate Nikityuk, founder of Questime. She says:“How do you put yourself back together if all you want to do now the kids are back in school is lay down and stare out of the window?I allowed myself a day of rest on Monday. It is already Thursday and I am still not a rock star 'nailing it'. More like a jellyfish answering a few enquiries from clients and delegating bare minimum to the team. My list of work-to-be-done-when-kids-are-back-to-school is growing, the pressure to make ends meet is terrible and in a blink of an eye it will be the Easter break with both kids back at home and juggling it all again. Any ideas on how to quickly come back to life?'What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Questime websiteKate Nikityuk's LinkedInFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

Putting ourselves back together

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Casey Gunn aka Anonymous. They say:“What advice do you have when your clients habitually deliver things late which then completely messes up your planning and diary?For context, I’m a social media manager. I have three big clients — all contracted for minimum three month periods — and two of my three clients do this! Usually, these clients are good — we have a good relationship, they pay on time (ish), pay a rate I’m happy with... BUT the constant lateness is making things really tricky for me.My diary gets booked up well in advance (especially at the moment with no childcare!) and their lateness means I have to cram work into already scarce time. I can’t just move the work until when my diary clears, because then the campaigns I’m working on for them become irrelevant as often they are attached to a particular calendar event.I build in ‘wiggle room’, send reminders and prompts but.... NOPE, still late. I don’t know what to do!!!Do I charge more if work has to be completed post-deadline? Like, the equivalent of ‘overtime’? How do I protect myself from this situation in my contract?It means that next week, for example, I have to build three advertising campaigns (when my planning says I was supposed to only be working on one) and write two campaign analysis reports, alongside my day to day duties with another client... oh and homeschooling my two kids aged 6 and 8 because — PANDEMIC.Basically, I’M FUCKED AND I WANT TO CRY. End.”What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Frankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

When your clients are always late

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from podcast producer Dave Howard. He says:“I develop and make podcasts for people — universities, PR companies, businesses, charities. I’m largely a one-person operation, with a few trusted freelancers available to take on odd bits of work here and there when things get busy.But now there is just too much work. I seem to have won a lot of business all at once, and I’m finding myself constantly racing to edit people’s programmes, to meet deadlines. Some things are getting rushed and some things are a bit stuck on the back burner.There’s no time for working on the business, updating the website, socials, etc. (Accepting that home schooling is also happening — and is a shitshow).So, is it some sort of pipeline management strategy I need? Do I just need to learn to say no – or even ‘I can help with that but not until April’? To adjust my prices? Move to a model of bringing in subcontractors?(I’ll be honest, I don’t really want to become someone whose day-to-day work is managing and overseeing other people — been there, done that, didn’t enjoy it. But I can see that being a way forward).”What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Dave Howard's websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

When it feels like it's time to scale up

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from designer and web developer Laura Ockenden. She says:“As a newbie full-timer, I'm struggling a bit with planning in work and knowing how much I can take on and when.I've got a few jobs on now but often find myself procrastinating under the guise of waiting for clients to get back to me — should I be looking for more work? Should I book in clients for next month? How long will a job take? How long is a piece of string?!I've been quite lucky that things have sort of just fallen into place recently but it feels like I need to start giving this whole idea some brain-space now it's the thing that actually pays my mortgage!"What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Agorapulse.Managing social media has never been easier. Schedule your content, get reports, and engage followers with one simple tool. Try Agorapulse FREE for 1 full  month.Go to www.agorapulse.com/diftk•••Lauren Ockenden's websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

Deciding how much work you can take on

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Mel Horn, AKA Anonymous. They say:“How do you cope with "Client Ick"?  Like that physical cringe you experience when you see someone you snogged at a staff party years ago but this time, it’s because your client is calling you and you secretly hate them.Clients are good. Clients pay the bills. I should love that I have this client. Times are hard and I shouldn’t be ungrateful — after all I worked hard to get them in the first place.But the honeymoon period of this client has died a death. My dilemma is that despite being a nice (but very insecure) person, as a client they are a royal pain in the bum. Which is fine when you are being paid for the service but right now we are in limbo between projects, so I’m officially off the books.It’s a culmination of lots of little things that have started to grate on me. But after months of working with them and recently having  some issues with bill payments, I now see their name appear on my phone or receive an email and I want to hit the gin (before responding in a professional manner, obviously!).I hate that they annoy me (I need them!) and hate that they suck my time even when I’m not charging for it (look at me writing to you about them right now!)Should I just accept that our relationship is tainted, move on and hope that a better client comes along? Is this the end?? Or am I just being a dick, battered after a year of sodding covid draining all my patience and humility."What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Agorapulse.Managing social media has never been easier. Schedule your content, get reports, and engage followers with one simple tool. Try Agorapulse FREE for 1 full  month.Go to www.agorapulse.com/diftk•••Frankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi

Dealing with "icky" clients

The weekly 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 on Facebook. www.facebook.com/groups/DIFTK