My Annual Review
The Freelancer's Tea Break
Hello and welcome to a special episode of The Freelancers Tea Break! I'm Emma Cossey, and as this is our last podcast episode of the year, I'm doing things a bit differently. Today, I’m conducting my own annual performance review as a freelancer. From attendance and punctuality to goals, organisation, and communication, join me as I reflect on the past year, celebrate achievements, and identify areas for improvement. My affiliate link to Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 01:10 - Attendance and Punctuality 04:30 - Reviewing Goals 07:50 - Organisation and Systems 11:00...
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Freelance Wins: Boundaries, Learning and Clients
The Freelancer's Tea Break
In this episode of The Freelancers Tea Break, Emma Cossey, a coach and mentor for freelancers, discusses the importance of reflecting on and celebrating freelance wins. She categorises these wins into three main areas: boundary wins, skills and growth wins, and client and money wins. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to The Freelancers Tea Break 00:20 Reflecting on the Year: Wins and Challenges 00:54 Celebrating Small Wins 01:55 Boundary Wins: Setting Limits for Success 04:07 Skills and Growth Wins: Learning and Improving 06:05 Client and Money Wins: Tangible...
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Your Freelance End Of Year Admin Checklist
The Freelancer's Tea Break
Welcome back to the Freelancer Tea Break! I'm Emma Cossey, your coach and mentor for freelancers. In this short episode, I share some essential admin tasks to wrap up the year and start January clearheaded. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to the Freelancer Tea Break 00:38 Review Your Invoices 01:38 Update Your Out of Office 02:56 Review Your Terms and Conditions 03:53 Analyse Your Client List 04:54 Check and Adjust Your Rates 06:06 End the Year on a Positive Note 06:39 Conclusion and Farewell Follow me on Follow me on Email: Come join us in...
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Combatting Freelance Loneliness
The Freelancer's Tea Break
Freelancing can get lonely, especially as the days get darker. This week, I’m sharing simple ways to stay connected, even if you’re an introvert who loves working from the sofa (hi 👋). Try relaxed networking (like netwalking or coffee meetups) Explore local coworking spaces or apps like Reef Arrange casual coffee catch-ups Join online freelance communities (like my Facebook & Discord groups!) Just because you work alone doesn’t mean you have to feel alone 💕 Networking and Co-working mentioned: Follow me on Follow me on Email: Come join us in the free Want...
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Who Should Pay - The Client or the Freelancer?
The Freelancer's Tea Break
This week on The Freelancer’s Tea Break, I’m tackling a surprisingly common dilemma: If a client wants you to use specific software, who should foot the bill? Here’s the gist: If they require it (and you won’t use it elsewhere) — they should pay. If it’s a tool you’ll use across clients — it’s likely worth investing in yourself. Always agree on who owns the content created in that software! A quick listen while you make a cuppa ☕ Follow me on Follow me on Email: Come join us in the free Want more support? Check out the courses and membership. Join the Freelance...
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Top 3 ADHD Time Hacks for Freelancers
The Freelancer's Tea Break
This week on The Freelancer’s Tea Break, I’m sharing 3 ADHD-friendly time hacks that actually work (and honestly, they’ll help anyone feeling frazzled right now): 🧠 Don’t just read and leave, read and schedule! ⏳ Stop giving yourself all day! Shorter time blocks = more done 👯♀️ Body doubling + accountability = focus magic Perfect listen while you make a cuppa. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to The Freelancers Tea Break 00:20 Introduction to ADHD Time Hacks 00:50 Tip 1: Don't Read and Leave, Read and Schedule 02:59 Tip 2: Don't Allow Too Much Time 04:56 Tip 3: Body...
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How Much Responsibility Should You Take for Your Freelance Clients?
The Freelancer's Tea Break
As freelancers, we want to help our clients succeed - but where’s the line between great service and doing too much? In this week’s episode of The Freelancer’s Tea Break, I’m chatting about: ☕ Setting healthy boundaries (and sticking to them!) 📋 Onboarding with clear expectations 🔁 Regular check-ins to keep things on track You can’t fix your client’s whole business — and you shouldn’t have to! Listen while you make a cuppa 👉 #FreelanceLife #FreelanceTips #Boundaries #ClientManagement #TheFreelancersTeaBreak Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to The Freelancers Tea Break...
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My Freelance Pet Peeve
The Freelancer's Tea Break
In this bite-sized episode of The Freelancers Tea Break, we're tackling one of the biggest freelance icks: when a client says, "You're too expensive." Emma shares a viral LinkedIn post exploring why that phrase hits differently, and how a simple shift in language can change the entire dynamic. It's not about your rates being too high; it's about whether they value your work. Tune in for a quick pep talk on pricing confidence, boundary-setting, and why the best clients respect your worth. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:49 Why the phrase "you're too expensive" resonates...
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Why Do Freelancers Charge More per Hour Than Employees?
The Freelancer's Tea Break
Welcome to another episode of The Freelancers Tea Break with Emma Cossey, a coach and mentor for freelancers. In this episode, Emma delves into the common question of why freelancers charge higher hourly rates than employees. She explains that freelancers have to cover additional costs such as holiday pay, sick leave, pension contributions, office space, and equipment expenses, which employees typically receive from their employers. Emma also discusses the benefits of hiring freelancers, including access to specialised skills, project-focused quality work, and the lack of a long-term...
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7 Tools for ADHD Freelancers
The Freelancer's Tea Break
Welcome back to The Freelancers Tea Break! In this episode, we dive into indispensable tools that can help freelancers with ADHD or anyone else looking to boost productivity. Learn how Emma leverages AI for processes using ChatGPT, organises her business with Notion, manages inbox chaos with Sunsama, and more. Discover tools like OneTab for browser management, BePresent for limiting phone usage, Notability for digital note-taking, and Speechify for turning text into audio. Stay tuned for practical tips and strategies! Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to The Freelancers Tea Break 00:24...
info_outlineNavigating Solo Entrepreneurship with Maggie Patterson
In this episode of The Freelance Teabreak, host Emma Cossey is joined by Maggie Patterson to discuss the challenges and benefits of running a solo business. Maggie, the founder of BS Free Business and author of 'Staying Solo', shares her extensive experience from over 20 years in freelancing. The conversation delves into the pressures freelancers face to scale their business, the importance of building a sustainable and profitable solo business, and practical tips on increasing income and avoiding burnout. They also address societal misconceptions about solo entrepreneurship and highlight the value of maintaining control and flexibility. If you are a freelancer feeling overwhelmed by industry expectations or seeking ways to thrive as a one-person business, this episode is a must-listen.
00:00 Intro
01:44 Maggie's Freelance Journey
03:04 The Solo Business Landscape
05:35 Challenges and Misconceptions
09:39 Strategies for Solo Success
21:05 Avoiding Burnout
28:57 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Maggie
Maggie's bio
Maggie Patterson is the creator of BS-Free Business® (https://bsfreebusiness.com/) and the author of Staying Solo®. With 20 years of experience as a successful entrepreneur in client services, Maggie helps service business owners build what she proudly calls a “boring business”-strategically small, sustainable, and designed to fit their lives without the constant hustle. A podcaster and writer, Maggie is a vocal advocate for humane business practices rooted in respect, empathy, and trust. She hosts two podcasts, Staying Solo and Confessions of a Micro Agency Owner, and co-hosts the consumer advocacy podcast Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business.
Link to the book - www.bsfreebusiness.com/book
Also mentioned on the call: Talia Loderick https://www.talialoderick.co.uk/
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