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Do freelancers need insurance?

Do freelancers need insurance?

by | Mar 13, 2021 | Freelance

Freelance insurance is something that I always knew existed but didn’t really want to think about.

“Freelancing is fun!” I thought, “it’s freeing!” – I don’t want to get bogged down in paperwork! But the harsh truth is that I was underprepared for the risks and responsibilities that come with running a business.

I know I personally didn’t consider getting insurance until I started writing my book Out of Office. It’s not legally required, so I just put it off, thinking that it wasn’t essential and probably too expensive.

I know that insurance gets a bad name because it’s literally capitalising on fear, but I can honestly say that now I’ve signed up I’m genuinely quite happy to pay £15(ish) for the peace of mind I have right now. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know about the types of insurance available for freelancers:

Professional Indemnity Insurance

This covers you against the business risk of causing financial loss to your client through your own negligence.

I spoke to Robert Hartley, who is one of the co-founders of Dinghy, an insurance company specialising in policies for freelancers, and he gave me an example of why you might need professional indemnity cover:

Imagine you were a graphic designer and you’ve created a logo for a client and a year later a larger company says that your design breaches their trademark. They’ve also got the funds to take legal action. You could be held accountable for this and need to pay for lawyers and damages.

‘You get your logo design put on your website, printed in a magazine, make loads of banners, and then suddenly someone says you’ve breached their trademark and you owe them £10,000. It’s the designer of the logo who would need to pay this compensation,’ says Robert. ‘Something like this is an honest mistake. You didn’t deliberately rip off this logo design and so professional indemnity cover will pay the compensation.’

Bear in mind, though, that this is only relevant when there has been some sort of financial loss. It can’t be a client saying that they just don’t like the logo!

Public Liability Insurance

This offers protection against injury to other people or their belongings. It doesn’t need to be a client; it can be anyone in the public who isn’t you as long as it happens when you are working.

Perfect for freelancers like me who work in public spaces like cafés, co-working spaces and libraries and live in fear of dropping a scalding hot chai latte over a stranger’s laptop.

Equipment Insurance

Things like your laptop might be covered under your home insurance, but that’s not always the case, so check with your existing policy to find out where you stand.

It’s also worth noting that your home insurance might not cover items when you are using them outside of the house and some policies totally exclude business items anyway. I personally have worldwide cover on business equipment so that if my laptop ever breaks or is stolen, I can get a replacement ASAP.

Cyber insurance

This is something that I don’t have, but might be worth considering if you handle a lot of customer data.

‘Say you visit a website and you accidentally download a ransomware virus and get an email saying you need to pay £500 or all the information on your computer will be deleted,’ says Robert. ‘The insurance company would help with that. If you hold a lot of customer data like addresses or bank details then you would want that protection.’

Income Protection

For most freelancers, loss of income is a major concern. This type of insurance helps by providing you with an income in the event that you are unable to work due to long-term sickness or as a result of an accident. Policies will provide you with a percentage of your gross income for a set time or until retirement, depending on the terms.

How much does it cost?

There’s no set rate for insurance policies as it depends on the cover you need as well as what kind of work you do. I currently pay about £15 a month for professional indemnity, public liability and equipment insurance, so that gives you an idea of what to expect.

Bonus tip: Look out for freelance specific insurers like Dinghy. They offer added benefits like Freelancer Assist, which gives you access to 24/7 helplines for legal matters, tax investigations and counselling. Dingy also has a team of experts on-hand who will chase up late payments (over £200) on your behalf.

For more tips on going freelance listen to the Out ot Office podcast or pick up my book.

Out of Office shortlisted in the Business Book Awards 2021

Out of Office shortlisted in the Business Book Awards 2021

by | Mar 5, 2021 | Freelance, WRITING

I’m pretty chuffed to announce I’ve been shortlisted for an award (!!) for my book, Out of Office: Ditch the 9-5 and Be Your Own Boss – can I get a whoop whoop?

Taking place at a fancy virtual awards ceremony on Tuesday 25th May, The Business Book Awards 2021 celebrates thought-leadership in business. The very fact I’m shortlisted as a thought-leader is enough to quite literally rock my world, and to have Out of Office recognised as an industry-approved guide for freelancers to help you navigate the highs and lows of quitting the office for good means so much.

I’m nominated alongside some stellar books in the ‘Start up/Scale up’ category, and you can find Out of Office sitting comfortably alongside the likes of Boss It: Control Your Time, Your Income and Your Life by Carl Reader and Investor Ready: The guide for start-ups on getting investors to say YES by Julie Barber. Quite the bookshelf, if I do say so myself.

The Business Book Awards 2021 celebrates the industry-leading tomes that inspire the business world each year. Recognising books that have shaped understanding on all aspects of the business world – to name but a few: sales & marketing; HR & management; diversity, inclusion & equality; change & sustainability – it’s an honour to be amongst such wonderful company.

Joining me (in my pjs, on Zoom, most likely) and the nominated authors on the fancy awards evening in May will be an incredible judging panel that includes leaders in business and the most in-the-know in publishing. Head Judge, Alison Jones, is the founder of Practical Inspiration Publishing and author of This Book Means Business. She has 25 years of experience in the publishing and business industries, and has joined forces with a roster of other incredible leaders in the business world to judge yours truly. It’s set to be an exciting night.

See you at the virtual awards ceremony on Tuesday 25th May 2021!

Fancy writing your own business book? Listen to this episode of the Out of Office podcast.

Learning to take the path of least resistance

Learning to take the path of least resistance

by | Feb 24, 2021 | BODY POSITIVITY, Freelance, WRITING

I’ve always been a fan of military-style workouts. Burpees, squat jumps, tuck jumps and something called a gorilla crawl (don’t ask) have been my movement of choice. But my osteopath recently suggested I focus on yoga and pilates instead, something that could help manage the chronic back pain I’ve lived with for over 15 years.

Now, I’m not against pilates and yoga. I’ve done them both on and off throughout the years, but in my head the distinction is clear. Pilates and yoga are nice. They’re enjoyable. But my brain likes to tell me that they’re not ‘real exercise’.

Sometimes I complete a full 60-minute workout and sometimes (like yesterday) I quit after a few minutes because the instructor tells me I need to contact my inner smile

When I think about fitness as a concept, I think about the fittest version of myself. It was about five years ago and I was hammering 8-10 fitness classes a week, often doing 2-3 back to back in order to really feel the burn. I wanted nothing more than to be what society deems as ‘healthy’. After years of consuming magazines, imagery and TV shows that depicted exercise as something to bear through gritted teeth, I nodded aggressively in agreement when the class instructor yelled NO PAIN NO GAIN!

What I can see now is that I’ve learned to associate pain with optimum physical health. Let me say that again:

I associate pain with optimum physical health.

How mad is that? So in trying to mend my injured back I chose the most painful way to move my body and doubled down on it. When I was told to do something I actually enjoy (yoga and pilates) I scoffed at it. Because I thought, how can something you enjoy be good for your health?

I’m just a person trying to move through the world in a way that feels as painless as possible. So why shouldn’t I access the tools that feel good? It feels nice to do yoga. It feels right. It feels easy. Fighting pain with pain just doesn’t make sense to me anymore.

If that was true I’d be eating McFlurries for breakfast (that statement is another rabbit hole, because why do I associate delicious tasting food with guilt and overindulgence? The diet industry)

Anyway, I listened to my osteopath and I’ve quit doing all the army-style workouts and over the last few days I’ve been doing yoga. Nice, boring, gentle yoga. Sometimes I complete a full 60-minute workout and sometimes (like yesterday) I quit after a few minutes because the instructor tells me I need to contact my inner smile. I enjoy yoga but I’m not quite there yet.

The point is, if I wanted to compete in a competitive sporting event or dramatically change my body then yes, I’d have to implement an intensive exercise regime to see results and yes it would be challenging and uncomfortable and painful at times. I highly doubt McFlurries would be part of the plan.

But I’m not a professional athlete.

I’m just a person trying to move through the world in a way that feels as painless as possible. So why shouldn’t I access the tools that feel good? It feels nice to do yoga. It feels right. It feels easy. Fighting pain with pain just doesn’t make sense to me anymore.

So my question to you is, what do you enjoy doing? And what resistance do you feel when you consider making time for it?

I get so many DMs from people who say they love to write, that they dream of starting a blog or writing a book one day. But when it comes to sitting down to do the writing, their brain tells them they don’t deserve it. That they couldn’t possible indulge in something that feels pleasurable….

So instead they torture themselves by wasting time scrolling on social media (the digital version of an angry fitness instructor screaming in your face, telling you that you’re unworthy) and they never allow themselves to step away and enjoy the thing they love the most; writing.

Are you ready to take the path of least resistance?

Learn more about my writing courses here.

7 secrets about creativity for writers

7 secrets about creativity for writers

by | Jan 10, 2021 | Freelance

I have this friend who makes the best recommendations. The best true crime podcasts, the creepiest movies, the most affordable skincare dupes and perhaps most importantly the finest spoof Instagram accounts… the scope of her knowledge knows no bounds but yet always spot on.

She got me onto Lady Grey tea over a year ago and now I drink it daily. I didn’t know this tea EXISTED and now I wake up in the middle of the night and panic at the thought of running out (you can only find it in the big supermarkets or on Amazon, you won’t find it in your local shop like you would regular tea bags) ANYWAY….. I bring up this magnificent tea choice for reasons that will become clear, I promise.

I’m writing this blog post to share everything, or at least some of the things, that I know about creativity

Because the last twelve months have been a creative headfuck for most writers I know. People who normally have all day to themselves have suddenly lost all that time to homeschooling. Those who thrive in the hustle and bustle of their local cafe feel stifled by their own four walls. We’ve had our worlds turned upside down and routines are out of whack. And while I would never make anyone feel bad about lacking creativity, I think we can all learn to cultivate it in our daily lives. So here’s my two cents…

1. Your environment matters 

I listened to a podcast recently where bestselling author Matt Haig revealed that he chooses to work on his sofa instead of a perfectly good desk. My intense repulsion towards this image made me realise how important my setup is as a writer. I just assumed that like me, everyone else was – call me crazy – working at a desk.

But it turns out I’m wrong. Some people write in bed, others on trains and planes. I must admit, I do miss the weird coworking vibe that came from settling into Cafe Nero pre-pandemic, so my setting definitely affects my mental state.

But having an ideal setup, whatever that means to you, doesn’t mean it’s your only setup. Being forced to sit at my desk with no alternative (other than the bed) has taken me out of my head. It’s made me realise that maybe I was travelling to different locations as a procrastination technique and not necessarily for creativity’s sake. But I do stand by the notion that desks are inherently better than beds purely because of the back pain that comes from hunching over a laptop for too many years. You’ve been warned. 

2. Focusing on the outcome affects your mindset

And not necessarily in a good way. Writers (and particularly content creators) are often told to think about the audience. To write in a way that targets the ideal reader.

This makes sense of course. If you’re explaining quantum physics to a teenager you’ll need to use language that they’ll understand otherwise the writing will read like wet spaghetti, nothing will stick. Yes, it’s wise to think about who will read your work and how they’ll interpret your words, but what if you wrote without thinking about anyone at all? How much more freedom would you have in your work if you wrote like no one would ever read it? Would you write more fearlessly? Approach subjects out of your comfort zone? Try fiction instead of personal essays? Dabble in a new genre?

Writing for other people serves a function. It provides value. But not all writing needs to be for other people. Value can be the art itself  and when you create from a place of selfishness you often create your best art. Because it’s work that you’re intensely passionate about. 

3. You’ve been sold a lie about creativity 

When you signed up to be a writer, did you imagine sitting in a log cabin, with a stunning view, furiously typing out a bestselling novel? The reality is that a lot of writers have humble beginnings and continue to work in quiet ways.

As part of my Inspire, Write, Repeat course I’ve been getting up early one day a week to write as part of a group. This kind of accountability is not glamorous, but it’s an absolute necessity for people like me who will always find something else to do other than writing. We need to find ways to show up and write regularly, and it can be a struggle. I don’t feel good about everything I write. I don’t feel excited at the prospect of a blank page. I dread writing a lot of the time, but I also know that I love it once I get going. So I commit to doing it repeatedly until I create something I’m happy with. 

Want to learn the basics of creative writing from a published author? I got you.

4. Consistency does (kind of) matter 

I hate this idea that we need to sit down and write every day. I have anxiety and depression, so the idea of doing anything consistently on a long term basis feels inconceivable to me. My moods are erratic and my energy levels are so unpredictable that I need downtime and days off to prioritise my wellbeing.

So here’s the secret: consistency doesn’t necessarily mean writing at the same time every single day. Consistency means something different to everyone. It might mean writing a few times a week when you feel the urge.

Sometimes I write early in the morning, but most of the time I do it in the evenings or on a Sunday afternoon. I just chip away at my projects when I feel drawn to the page (unless I’m on a crazy deadline and then all my plans go out the window of course) and I’ve managed to build a successful business and write two books this way, so if I’m wrong I don’t wanna be right.

5. We are brilliant at talking ourselves out of creative work

I hate doing housework, so I know I’m procrastinating when I find myself dusting the skirting boards instead of opening up my laptop. The thing about being creative is that it feels vulnerable because it forces us to look inwards and really examine what’s there. We put an element of ourselves on the page and then show it to other people, risking criticism, failure, humiliation. So is it any wonder we put off doing it? Forgive yourself for finding writing scary, but don’t let it put you off. When you let your guard down you might just find what you’re looking for.

6. Stop the information overload

Ok hear me out, but one of the lessons I’ve learned in the last twelve months is that consuming is not the same as creating. I’m committed to honing my craft as a writer, so I’ve read a lot of books on the subject. Here are my recommendations (affiliate link). But there comes a time when you need to press pause on learning about writing from other people and learn from actually doing the writing itself.

I was gifted a membership to Masterclass last year and it’s been amazing to watch tutorials from the world’s best authors, screenwriters and business people. But I can’t help but wonder how spending upwards of ten hours a week listening to the greats compares to spending the same amount of time writing words on the page.

Which option would make me a better writer? Which option would get me closer to my goals? Which option would teach me more about my capabilities as a writer? I think we both know the answer. 

7. Tea and toast will make you a better writer

There’s no scientific proof to back this up but just believe me, it works. Because tea and toast means a break. Tea and toast means fueling yourself. Tea and toast means taking a step away before resting and going in with a fresh pair of eyes. Taking a moment to yourself amidst a creative project is like coming up for air, giving yourself a chance to get the energy you need to push on, to create more, to create better.

Seriously, tea and toast….and yes obviously I’m saying Lady Grey tea makes you marginally more creative than regular tea but thems just the facts.

Need some accountabilty? Join my online writing workshop on January 16th!

How to prepare for a photoshoot when you don’t feel body confident

How to prepare for a photoshoot when you don’t feel body confident

by | Nov 19, 2020 | BODY POSITIVITY, Freelance

Let me start by saying I will categorically, absolutely, never in a month of Sundays, ever stop eating Terry’s Chocolate Oranges. But I think I might need to limit my intake.

Because I’ve gained some weight and I think I can track it back to a tipping point which occurred in December 2019. It was a few days after Christmas and I was just a few days shy of a January 2nd deadline for my second book, Out of Office.

It’s not a spoiler to say that I met the deadline because you probably already know that the book hit the shelves in October 2020 and became an Amazon bestseller. But how we got to this point? Well, friends, it was a bumpy road paved with processed sugar.

How we got here

I was typing furiously for days, with little time to go to the toilet never mind eat a proper meal. I had overestimated how much work was left to do on the manuscript (oops) and while my friends and family enjoyed pub drinks and visits to the Christmas market, I was holed up in my husband’s childhood bedroom scrambling to finish the first draft.

I’m not entirely sure how I came to own three Terry’s Chocolate Oranges. I know one was mine, for certain. The other two may have belonged to my husband, they could have been a gift from God. How they came to be doesn’t matter because, well, they didn’t survive very long. I scoffed all three of them in less than 24 hours.

I was in survival mode, eating my emotions to fuel my next great masterpiece. Out of Office is a book about freelance life, isn’t it? Well, cards on the table. The freelance life comes with highs and lows and this was most definitely a low point, akin to the Alan Partridge sketch where he drives to Dundee in his bare feet and eats four bars of Toblerone.

I DIGRESS.

Here we are, almost a year later and we’re approaching Terry’s favourite season. The time when Chocolate Orange items appear in homes all across the land. Hidden in cupboards, stuffed into stockings and handed out as the ultimate, fail-safe, ‘I didn’t know what to get you’ edible gift.

Why I want to look ‘myself’ in photographs

As I said, I will never give up on the mighty Chocolate Orange. But I do acknowledge that they’re not necessarily the best form of stress relief and this year has been a tad stressful don’t you think? Being stuck at home 24/7 means that for me, eating has become one of the easiest ways to make the days more exciting.

But in all honesty, I’ve been putting on weight ever since I went freelance. My previous career in catering meant that I was on my feet all day, now I get to do my dream job but it means I’m sitting down, a lot, while I do it.

So when Victoria Beddoes offered to gift me a brand photography shoot, my toes curled. I hadn’t had my picture taken professionally for years. I pretend to be happy in my skin and I very much aim for body acceptance, the truth is I don’t feel comfortable at my current size of a UK 18-20.

But in the spirit of body acceptance, I knew I wanted to go ahead with the shoot. Because I felt that updating my brand images to reflect what I look like now is an important gesture. It shows to other women out there that they can be successful without starving themselves. That they too can eat an embarrassing volume of chocolate and still get shit done while looking badass.

So how did I do it?

How did I show up to a brand photography session and fake confidence when I was feeling less than beautiful?

Firstly, I picked the right photographer. OK SHE PICKED ME. But when I scrolled through Victoria’s Instagram feed I saw that she had already photographed my friend Ruth and knew that she was going to be the perfect fit for me. All of her photographs are candid, laid-back and more importantly, make all of her subjects look like nice humans.

I didn’t meet Victoria until the day of our shoot, but we had a phone call the week before to map out what locations we wanted to hit and the general vibe we wanted to create. So you should definitely take time to find a photographer who has already shot pictures that you like, and make sure to set up a call before you commit to a booking.

Secondly, I took great care over my outfit. I read every article I could find about what clothes work well in a photoshoot and I’m glad I did because my instinct was initially to wear the brightest, snazziest dress in my wardrobe. But what I found is that basics are a pretty good option for a shoot.

A nice white t-shirt, stonewash jeans and a fitted blazer aren’t gonna turn heads at Paris fashion week but hell, they’re classic! And showing up to a shoot in a timeless outfit will make you feel comfortable, which I really think is the most important thing when it comes to confidence. I went for simple skinny jeans, a black t-shirt and a green trench coat.

Colours matter

Think about the colours that work for your skin tone. My branding is pink and yellow but if I’m honest, neither of them really do much for my colouring. But dark green? And navy blue? They’re softer than black but still muted that I didn’t feel like I was wearing too much colour. Pick simple jewellery. I went for a plain chain and twisted studs. Something to make you look ‘put together’ but that doesn’t detract from your face, the surroundings or will look dated over time.

If you can, wear some texture. This will show up nicely on camera and add a bit of depth. My t-shirt was slightly ribbed and that added a bit of weight to the top which made it look slightly more formal, but in a good way. I brought a loose-knit sweatshirt and changed into that for variety. When you compare the jumper look to the ones in my trench coat, they look like a completely different day/shoot when really it took less than a minute to make the switch.

Dare to look at the unedited pics

After the first few shots, Victoria let me see the images. This was SUCH a good move on her part because I could see from the pictures that she really knew what she was doing (I never doubted it for a second) and I didn’t look like the total monster I had imagined in my head.

Ask to see the test shots, it will more than likely put your mind at ease which will instantly boost your confidence and make you feel a bit more relaxed on camera. This in itself will mean you’ll strike better poses and create even better images in the long run. Oh, and ask your photographer to direct your poses! Victoria was great at saying things like “now hand on hip, and hand to the hair, and big smile!”

Wear your ‘normal’ make up but intensify it. For example, I wore my night time foundation which is heavier coverage than my normal BB cream. I used a lot more blusher than usual (but in a natural, peachy shade) and softly blended some brown pencil eyeliner for extra definition around the eyes.

I also added bronzer (which is totally out of character for me) but as a pale-skinned gal, I didn’t want to risk looking too washed out in the pictures. I’m certainly no make up artist but I look like ME in the final images and that, my friend, is exactly what I was going for.

Be yourself

For me, it’s been on a lifelong journey to navigate the murky world of being a woman. Society expects us to be so many things. Be delicate. Be feminine. Be small. Be quiet. It’s all so bloody exhausting that I think sometimes we have to admit that it’s best to just exhale, let the muffin top flop out and be ourselves.

Looking back at these images now I don’t see the shame I once felt about my body, shame about my double chins or shame about my penchant for fruit-shaped chocolate.

I just see me, being myself and having a damn good time.

Christmas gift ideas for freelancers and home-workers 2020

Christmas gift ideas for freelancers and home-workers 2020

by | Nov 8, 2020 | Freelance

This year has seen a drastic shift in not only how we work, but how we spend our money. As UK residents face the likelihood of a pared-down Christmas in 2020, why not spend intentionally and support a small business when buying gifts?

In particular, buying gifts for freelancers or people who work from home offers the perfect opportunity to send money to the people who really need it. After all, whenever you buy from a small business someone does a happy dance! I can say from personal experience that receiving a gift made by another small business makes the experience just as thrilling. Happy dances all around. It feels great to know that my gift was made by someone who works for themselves.

My freelance wish list might be quite different to yours, but I’ve tried to include a variety of options that a business owner or side hustler might enjoy. From practical gifts like books and planners, to luxury items like jewellery and home fragrance, there’s something here for everyone.

Books

Out of Office: Ditch the 9-5 and Be Your Own Boss – £9.99

Let’s get the obvious gift ideas out of the way first, and start with a product of my own. Self promotion doesn’t stop over the festive season you know! May I humbly suggest my book, Out of Office: Ditch the 9-5 and Be Your Own Boss. A worthy stocking stuffer for anyone flirting with the idea of going it alone, it has a focus on understanding the ‘whys’ just as much as the ‘hows’. Out of Office will help you dive into freelance life and push you to the next level, making sure you’re taking time to reflect on your business and your state of mind.

Boss It by Carl Reader – £14.99

Another option is, Boss It by Carl Reader. It takes freelancers through everything they need to establish and run their own business – from the mindset it takes to turn a dream into a plan, to the need-to-know practical stuff for running and growing a business. Featuring case studies, templates and exercises to help freelancers put what they read into action, and turn that dream into a reality, this motivational book will enable them to Boss It.

Notebooks

Motivational notebooks – £14.99

These A5 faux leather notebooks are covered with motivational quotes to inspire freelancers in every way. The interior is lined on wood free paper with complimentary contrasting colours to give a chic appearance. Available in 3 colours.

More about the brand:
Generation Legacy are a luxury inclusive greeting card and stationery company founded by 4 siblings. They create products that are inclusive and also depict people of colour in a positive light for the mainstream market.

Daisy Notebooks – €12.00

These sustainable notebooks, are shipped in biodegradable packaging – perfect for the stationery addict in your life. Every launch benefits a different charity, so you’ll be helping the planet in more ways than one when you buy a notebook.

The Positive Bullet Diary – £20.00

Ideal for anyone looking to bring some self-care and creativity as well as organisation into their freelance/remote-working lives. This 12-month undated diary and journal was designed by The Positive Planners to be an inspirational space to encourage you to be positive, productive and most of all creative. The Bullet is packed with monthly and weekly spreads along with positive affirmations and illustrations for mindfulness colouring. Whether you want it for a project, a season or a year, this journal quite simply makes planning your life a joy! 

Desk decor

Handmade Abstract Dalmatian Print Floret Tray – £18.00

Each Floret Tray is hand cast with embedded Dalmatian Print detail and smoothed surface. Each piece has scratch-resistant feet and is sealed with a specialist Jesmonite sealent, making them stain and water resistant.

Handmade Dalmatian Print Curves Tray – £12.00

This Curves Tray is hand cast with surface pattern detail, inspired by Jackson Pollock, and smoothed surface. Each piece has scratch-resistant feet and is sealed with a specialist Jesmonite sealent, making them stain and water resistant.

White Faux Leather and Gold Letter Sling- £18.00

Upgrade your favourite freelancer’s workspace with this stylish letter sling. This will help them feel more organised going into the new year by storing notebooks and letters out of the way. 

Note from Mel: The last day for ordering online for guaranteed Christmas delivery is Friday 18th December and 22nd December for click and collect from the studio in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham. Orders can be sent as gifts if recipients’ address is put in at the checkout. 

Copper mobile phone stand – £30.00

Great if you have a zoom meeting or catching up on a long call as no need to hold your phone! Dimensions required may differ slightly dependant upon size of phones, however the one in the image is compatible with an iPhone 7 or iPhone 11. The holder also can be used to display a favourite photo or postcard. Message Copper and Blonde directly to check if your phone is compatible with this holder, or if the size needs to be tweaked slightly.

 

Planning

Wall Planner – £14.00

Invite your freelance pals to plan in style with this yearly planner. Lucy from Leaf Lane Studios says, “I have been so excited about this wall planner; I initially designed it because I wanted one myself, to help me plan stationery launches for you guys, but after a few polls on ‘the gram’ I decided to release a small run. There are just 14 available. I am really happy with how they turned out; I hope you love them as much as I do!”

More about the brand:
All of Leaf Lane Studios products are designed by Lucy, printed in the UK and are inspired by nature and the beauty of the Cornish countryside! All notepads are of super high quality paper stock (120gsm), so they stand up to the inkiest of pens (!), and are all wrapped in compostable, bio-degradable packaging.

A3 Desk Pad – £14.00

These gorgeous celestial desk pads are a lovely paper planning solution for anyone working from home. Keep all loose sheets, quick jottings and thoughts/ideas in one place. For those fed up with having squeeze handwriting into tiny spaces – stress no more! There is plenty of space on these as they’re A3 in size. These also include 50 sheets which means a whole years worth of planning.

2021 Marketing & Content Calendar – £15.00

This calendar is the ultimate one stop planning tool to help business owners organise and plan online product launches and campaigns all in one place. Tried and tested by freelancers and brands, this planning calendar helps to keep launch content and marketing in sync with budgets and sales targets, as well as having everything you need to execute homepage, blog and media content AND plan your online marketing across multiple channels – the perfect investment to get 2021 off to the best start!

Includes:

  • 2021 Calendar January – December (365 Days)
  • Includes 2020 dates for year on year comparison
  • Key UK Retail Dates and Events
  • Homepage Planner
  • Sales Target & Budget Tracker
  • Separate Content and Marketing Sections
  • Online Marketing Cheat Sheet

Food & drinks

TEA+ Stay at Home Bundle – £20.99

This bundle includes a selection of healthy teas and a branded mug in either blue or pink. TEA+ is a health & wellbeing brand, with a range of vitamin, mineral & CBD infused teas. By blending vitamins with delicious flavours, these teas provide a convenient way to take vitamin supplements.

Letterbox sweets – from £8.49

Lisa’s Sweet Treats is offering a wide range of fabulous Christmas gifts. They have classic pic’n’mix or if you would rather something more festive, a Christmas pic’n’mix and novelty Christmas chocolate with some classic Christmas flavours. They have a range of products with varying prices to suit everyone’s Christmas budgets. Delivery is tracked and available all over the UK & the world.

Cake gift boxes – from £10.00

Bakes by Remi is a business that started at home, with nothing more than an old hand whisk and trusty oven in 2018. After testing out a lot of cookies and brownies recipes and feeding them to her huge family, Remi created her original, unmistakably delicious, Bakes By Remi recipe.

More about the brand:
“It’s fair to say I love making treats, so it’s always great to hear people tell me how much they love eating them so a huge thank you to everyone who supports my business and keeps my home smelling of sweet treats 24/7!”

Afternoon Tea and Cake Boxes – from £12.00

Homemade by Hema is a Solihull-based small business offering all kinds of delicious, home-baked goods! Cakes, brownies, cupcakes, Afternoon Tea boxes and more – they can do bespoke orders and safely deliver across Birmingham and Solihull.  Each order can be delivered with a handwritten note for personalised messages too.

Choose from Afternoon Tea, Cake Selection Boxes (4 each of jam & coconut sponge, chocolate brownies, lemon drizzle), Brownie Boxes (6 of the best brownies you’ll ever eat!) £12 (can also be posted too) as well as customised orders and do bespoke bakes.

Unusual gifts

The Big Moments cards – £18.50

These cards from Small Biz Big Moments are designed to help small biz owners celebrate the moments in their biz journey. From launching their website, to saying no, blogging, making 50 sales and more. Each card has a vibrant front design plus prompts on the back to record all the details of the moment. There are two packs available – one for service based businesses and one for products. 

Subscriptions gifts

Teapro gift subscription box – £24.00

Every month, Teapro subscribers receive a themed box around a particular type of tea (green, black, white, chai etc.) as well as some fun, bite-sized tea education.
The tea pouches are plastic free and the brand encourage tea lovers to experience tea in its authentic pure form and have strict no tea bag policy!

WILDWOMAN boxes – from £28.50

Your monthly reminder to take time for you. This self care subscription box is delivered direct to your door and contains a self-development book, plus accompanying gifts to inspire and empower.

Receive your beautiful WILDWOMAN self care subscription box direct to your door every month. Each WILDWOMAN box is highly curated to include gifts that go with the theme of our chosen book and gifts to remind you to rest, relax and reconnect with you. These gifts include stationary, beauty, bath, aromatherapy, wellness, health and snacks.

Choose your subscription length from monthly or bi-monthly (every other month) or save when you sign up for 3, 6 or 12 months upfront. In every box you will also receive our 16-page WILDWOMAN magazine and our WILDWOMAN journal prompt, an exercise aimed to reconnect you mind, body and spirit.

 

Jewellery

Sansa gold hoop earrings by Minimal Be – £126.99

If you know a freelancer who still likes to look in point when they rock up to their desk each morning, consider some classic hoop earrings. For me, hoop earrings are a timeless accessory and always make me feel ‘put together’ when I’m running late for a zoom call.

About the brand:
“I created Minimal Be, a brand with a purpose to give you high-quality gold jewellery that will hopefully last you a lifetime. A brand that will give you an opportunity to go back in time with jewellery pieces that withstand the test of time and can be passed down in a family for generations to come”

Homeware

Eucalyptus Garland – £21.95

Embellish an interior with this stunning Eucalyptus Garland, ideal for adorning a mantlepiece or hung from an exposed beam to beautify a room. Add some of the Frosted Eucalyptus Stems to create a classy and festive feature that is bound to become a conversation starter. This is a great little all-year-round decor piece and also helpful for props for freelance photography.

Fig & Vanilla Soy Wax Candle – £8.99

A luxury scented soy wax candle that produces a soft, slow burn with a sweet-scented aroma. Decorated with a smooth wooden lid, this glass candle pot filled with hand-poured Fig & Vanilla Scented Wax will add the perfect ambience to any room in the home.

Home fragrance

Kumusha candles – £36.00

Kumusha Homeware is a small UK-based company solely focused on designing beautiful, ethical, and sustainable homeware inspired by Africa. Their first range, a collection of luxury scented candles, was launched in June 2020. These vegan candles are available in three scents inspired by iconic African botanicals and will fill your space with the most wonderful fragrances. The candles come beautifully packaged and make the perfect treat for yourself or someone special.

Luxury Diffuser and Candle Set – £67.00

This gorgeous gift set includes a Limited Collection luxury diffuser, Limited Collection crackling wick candle all presented in a gorgeous magnetic closure gift box. Choose your fragrance to suit your tastes, with four options: Toasted Coconut & Vanilla, Frosted Honeysuckle & Elderflower, Spiced Pear & Cranberry or Winter Spice & Jasmine

Handmade gifts

Personalised watercolours style trinket dish – £20.00

This personalised, hand painted ceramic trinket dish with a watercolour style design would make a perfect keepsake gift for your mum, sister, auntie, grandmother, friend or even yourself – the perfect place to store your trinkets and treasures

Laura’s Embroidery – £15.00

Give the gift of joy this Christmas through personalised handmade embroidery products. For Christmas Laura has created these exclusive Joy ornaments, which not only bring joy to you and your friends, but also to the vulnerable people in our local area. When you purchase a set of two Christmas ornaments for £15, 20% of the profit will be going to our local food bank in the form of mince pies, pampering soaps and decadent chocolates. Everyone needs to indulge, right? 

Bath & body

Bath bomb set – £22.99

This lovingly wrapped set includes Cranberry Kisses Bath Bomb, Christmas Morning Bath Bomb, Rhubie Rose Bubble Scoop, Christmas Morning Bubble Scoop and Cranberry Kisses Bubble Scoop. I’ve used Grateful Grapefruit products myself and think they’re amazing. The scents are way more noticeable that some high street brands and always leave my skin feeling super soft. Just what I need when I’ve spent all day hunched over my laptop.

Was this helpful? What small brands are you loving this year?