These books have helped agency owners and freelancers around the world. Maybe they’ll help you too. Link is in the bio.

Stock Tip: With the Jays out, people wonder who to cheer for..   The key is to eliminate the Philadelphia Phillies. A Philly team winning the World Series is the surest sign of an economic downturn. It happened in 1929, 1930, 1980 and 2008.   So, cheer against the Phillies.🤷‍♂️

LONDON — Meeting under the arches. Despite the incursion of the art scene, the area south of the Thames retains its grit. #london #underthearches #southofthethames

LONDON — Still in the streets near the Tate Modern, you’ll find one of London’s old industrial neighborhoods. I love the brick arches here. #londonhistory #tatemodern #architecturephotography

Runners at #biidaasigepark Toronto, greeting the longest day of the year. Gotta get those kms in… #runners #biidaasigeparktoronto #toronto #longestdayoftheyear

The redcoats getting ready for those Irish-American Fenians raiding Upper Canada. The raids happened in 1866. No coincidence that Canada was formed in 1867. The threat was from our southern neighbour. Same as it ever was…

Looking for London hotel recommendations for a couple of art lovers near the museums / galleries. Reasonable boutique luxury would be great. Anyone?

Freelancers, what’s stopping you from forming a bigger company? A) I’m happy working solo B) I don’t have enough business to justify it C) I’m working on it, not ready yet For me it was a natural step going from solo freelance to my first agency. It’s not for everyone. You?

Freelancers, how are you using AI? A) Helping to generate ideas B) To improve my deliverable and save time C) I’d rather not talk about it Bonus question: Have you discussed the use of AI with clients? A) Yes, and they’re fine with it B) Yes, and they have a “no AI” rule C) No

Freelancers, when you first work with a client do you go over your terms and conditions with them? When and how you expect to get paid, timelines and schedules, ownership of materials or licensing, etc.? Don’t just tack it onto your estimate assuming they’ll read it.

Do your clients look forward to working with you? At my last agency one of our clients said that meeting with us was the most fun they have all week and they looked forward to it. What do your clients say about you? Are they having fun?

Have you heard the expression The Surface Area of Luck”? It equals the action you take towards your passion, times the number of people you communicate your passion and activities to. Luck = Doing x Telling Want to increase your luck? Do more, tell more. 🤷‍♂️

Freelancers, your network is everything. I know this isn’t news, but it’s worth repeating. When was the last time you called, texted, or emailed people on your list? Think of something relevant to say and touch base. Connections pay off.

Your project management should be proactive. Clients should know ahead of time if they’re going to blow a deadline. Remind them of the schedule everyone agreed to. The answer is either they get back on track or move the deadline. The answer is NOT you work around the clock.

Freelancers : Should you get paid for meetings? Yes. But some clients don’t want to pay for meetings. So, don’t have “meetings”. They’re “working sessions”, “planning sessions”, “presentations”. Don’t break out separate line items. Wrap them into your deliverables. Get paid.

Freelancers: you should have a structured on-boarding process. Clients should understand how you work and what you expect of them. At the same time, you should learn about how their business works. Know what to expect of each other. Do it early. Fewer arguments later.

Freelancers, if potential clients sometimes tell you you’re too expensive, that’s ok. You’re not right for everyone. If they ALWAYS say you’re too expensive, you’re talking to the wrong category of clients. You need to work your way up to bigger clients with dedicated budgets.

Freelancers: find your groove. What kind of projects are your favourite? What type of clients do you like the most? Think of size and niche. Now make a concerted effort to find more of those. Be specific about what clients you want and go after them. It makes life much easier.

Freelancers, do you have a client you should fire? One that is more trouble than they’re worth? One that you dread hearing from? They nickel and dime you, then take forever to pay? Fire them. Want to do it indirectly? Tell them you’re too busy for at least a month. That works.