Why therapy is magic with mental health advocate Jo Love

by Fiona likes to blog | Oct 6, 2021 | ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, PODCAST

Let me introduce you to Jo Love. She is a Trainee Psychotherapist, award-winning Mental Health Advocate, Artist and Author of Therapy is… Magic.

In this episode of the Out of Office podcast we cover:

Jo’s squiggly career journey from lawyer to business owner to trainee psychotherapist
Why self-employment isn’t always the key to a healthy relationship with work
What therapy really is (and isn’t)
Things to consider when you think about getting therapy

In this episode, we also discuss our favourite non-therapy self-care activity; journaling. If you’d like to access free journaling prompts you can download them over on my resources page.

About Therapy is Magic

In this part memoir, part mental health resource and how-to guide, Jo Love throws opens the door of her therapist’s office and shines a light on what exactly goes on in the therapy room.

With the help of experts, including her very own therapist, Jo opens a rare window into the real world of therapy, unpicking the magical powers that enabled her to re-find her own voice, restored her resilience through the cloudiest days and ultimately saved her from her own mind.

Each chapter includes:

A therapy list where Jo shares her knowledgeable insights into therapy
Inspirational voices in the mental health space on the life-changing effects of therapy
A ‘From the Other Chair’ section featuring expert opinions from mental health professionals
‘Need Help Now’ suggestions

Therapy is … Magic moves away from the stigma sometimes associated with seeking help, and shines a light on the emotional and physical benefits of talking therapies. Jo Love shows us that with professional guidance we can heal ourselves and the relationships we have, tackle addictions and trauma, and save our minds.

How to set your freelance rates

by Fiona likes to blog | Sep 23, 2021 | Freelance

Are you wondering how to set your freelance rates? Struggling to navigate the world of hourly rates, day rates, retainer packages and the rest? I hear ya. Figuring out how much to charge for your services is a complicated topic and everyone has an opinion.

Hourly rates

When I first started charging an hourly rate, I didn’t think very much of myself. I’d been making sandwiches for a living for a few years and scraping by on £7 per hour and free food and coffees to make the day feel a little less dreary. So when I had to come up with a figure to charge for my services, I didn’t feel worthy of asking for very much at all. I charged £10 per hour.

Several years later I upped that to £20 per hour, and I’ve increased it yet again since then. I did some research into what other people were charging and also thought about how much I would realistically like to earn every month.

Watch this Instagram video to learn more tips on how to set your freelance rates.

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A post shared by Fiona Thomas Writer & Author (@fionalikestoblog)

Say for example you want to earn £3,000 per month. Great, now how many hours would you like to work in that month? If the answer is 120 hours (thirty hours per week), then you would need to charge £25 per hour. (Bear in mind that this is all before tax, so you would lose a certain percentage of this to the government.)

Consider your capacity

Instead of working backward thinking about hours worked, maybe consider how many days you would like to work, or how many clients you can comfortably work with, or how many products you would need to sell to make up that income.

Remember that just because the typical working week consists of five days this doesn’t necessarily mean you can dedicate five days to doing paid work. You’ll need time to do the work that doesn’t pay (in a direct sense anyway) such as sending invoices, implementing marketing campaigns, meeting with potential clients, etc.

As a rule of thumb, I would assume that at least one day a week will be required for various freelancer-related tasks and then take it from there.

Do your research

TIP: Talk to other freelancers and ask if they would give you a ballpark figure about what they charge. Do this with lots of people, not just one or two, because the chances are that they could be under or over-charging for their services! When I increased my rates recently, I asked for input in a freelancer Facebook group and people were more than happy to tell me their hourly rate.

Learn more from my book Out of Office: Ditch the 9-5 and Be Your Own Boss.

Is it ever OK to work for free?

by Fiona likes to blog | Aug 19, 2021 | Freelance

On any given day, I can have a different opinion on whether it is ever OK to work for free – as it’s a complex, nuanced subject. I know that sentence doesn’t help you in the slightest – but hear me out. I promise I’ll offer some actually useful tips if you keep reading. Whether you’re starting a side hustle or a full-time freelancer, the expectation of working for free is something that you need to be prepared for.

This blog post is based on the Out of Office podcast episode: Is it ever OK to work for free?

How many freelancers work for free?

Half of all freelancers have been asked to work for free. Forty-three percent of all freelancers have completed a job without pay. And, there’s an ongoing joke in the freelance world that you can’t pay your bills with ‘exposure’. Gloomy stuff, right?

But: is it ever OK to work for free? And what value can working for free give you that will actually improve your business, aside from its financials? Call this blog post your guide to answering the ever-unanswerable question.

via GIPHY

In my book Out of Office, the no-nonsense guide for those contemplating freelance life and those already on the freelancing journey, I interviewed Digital Marketing Coach, Alice Benham. I knew she had some interesting thoughts on working for free and she gave me these nuggets of wisdom:

“Putting a monetary value on your work can have a direct impact on the quality of the work’s outcome. Any clients that have paid full price for my services have a better attitude. All my ‘bad clients’ have been ones that have got my services at a discounted rate, or for free.

“I think it says a lot about someone’s attitude when they’re willing to pay for a service. I have such a better relationship with every single one of my paid clients, because I know they are paying a price that’s genuinely fair for what my time is worth – and they know the value they’re getting.”

Choosing to work for free is a privilege

I have also experienced the horrors that can come with deciding to work for free; sometimes a client expects you to even get out of pocket to achieve the end result. So, rule number one when it comes to deciding whether you should indeed work for nada is to make sure you’re getting something out of it – even if it’s not money.

When choosing to work for free, it’s both a personal choice and a privilege. There’s no one answer because it depends on your mission and your current financial situation. In the early days, I did sometimes work for free, because I had a stable income in another job so I knew I could work for nothing and still pay the bills at the end of the month.

You just run the risk of a client perpetuating the idea that freelancers are less ‘valuable’ than employees – which is completely untrue. Even now, long into my freelance career, I still get asked to work for free. There’s a brash, no f***s given approach some employers have – that ‘expectation’ to sometimes work for free never goes away in the freelance industry, unfortunately.

But, sometimes, you can play the game to your own advantage.

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So, is there ever any value in working for free?

Consider saying yes: if there’s a clear benefit you’ll receive that isn’t financial. For example, you might be asked to speak on a panel for free, as I have often done, and the audience you’ll reach may be much bigger than your own, and you’ll have the chance to speak about something that’s close to your heart. When I was promoting my book, Out of Office, my marketing strategy included reaching communities of side hustlers, business owners and freelancers at events for free because I knew that by sharing my knowledge with them, I had a chance to capture their attention, and, in turn, get them to buy my book. I was working for free, but I was making valuable connections and getting something out of it in the long-term.
Consider saying yes: if you’re raising your profile by working for free. Value doesn’t exist just in monetary form – oh no. If you’re appearing as a guest on a monetised podcast, you’re working for free. But the ‘exposure’ (the dreaded word) could actually be valuable for you in this instance.
Consider saying yes: if you’re building valuable networking connections. For example, if you’re a photographer, you could offer a free shoot to an activist whose mission you admire, or you could reach out to a digital marketer and for a shoot, you, in turn, get to build your portfolio and secure some banging marketing tips. If you offer people work for free, you never know: they might just turn into paying clients.
Consider saying yes: if you want to build experience in something you’re not an expert in, yet. Reach out to people – offer your services for free – build up that portfolio that then attracts paying clients. You’ll see the results pay off.
Consider saying yes: if it helps you build your confidence. I did this with public speaking. I wanted to be a better public speaker, and I wanted to learn in a pressure-off way. By taking free gigs, I didn’t feel that pressure to perform perfectly, because I was doing a client a favour. In turn, my confidence was built up from those free gigs, and then I started getting booked for paid work.

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When to say no to working for free

Consider saying no: if it’s a BIG project, with multiple people working on it, that are all getting paid. Question why the company can afford to pay them, and not you, and get answers from the employer. If it’s down to differing levels of experience, and you’re not quite experienced enough, work out how much the opportunity is worth it for you before saying yes.
Consider saying no: if you already have a busy work schedule. If free work is pushing you into burnout territory, that’s not the time to be picking more up.
Consider saying no: if the opportunity gives you NO benefit. If you feel the company is taking advantage – perhaps they’re making you write for free, but they then won’t link to your website in exchange – question why you’re doing this. If you’re not wanting to be affiliated with their brand, necessarily, don’t bother picking up the opportunity.
Consider saying no: if the client looks like they definitely have the budget to be paying you, but just aren’t coughing up. If there’s no money being offered, you have nothing to lose, so always ask if there’s a budget available. Often, it’s awful, but companies will let free work go ahead if you don’t ask for your worth. If you ask, they might magically have a budget available. Surprise, surprise.
Consider saying no: if they’re not clear on exactly what the work is that you’ll deliver. Always ensure your contract sets out your terms, and be clear that if you’re writing one blog post for free, that’s all you’re doing for free. If they then ask you for more rounds of amends than you agreed to, or they’re trying to get you to work on the SEO for their website, be clear that that will incur a fee.

So, there you have it.

Yes, it’s a personal decision. Yes, a lot of it is based on privilege.

But it’s always important to stick to your gut and know your worth. Hopefully, this blog post has helped with that a little – and remember, if you get an offer to work for free, you don’t have to say yes straight away. Sit with it, work out what’s in it for you, and don’t be scared to challenge your potential client on their proposition. You’ve got this.

If you want to know more about setting your rates, handling awkward freelance conversations, and living your best out of office life get a copy of my book Out of Office now.

4 freelance myths debunked

by Fiona likes to blog | Mar 30, 2021 | Freelance

Thinking about going freelance but sick of people spreading myths to try and put you off? You’ve come to the right place.

Not only did I write the book on how to get started, but I believe that being self-employed can transform your life for the better. But not everyone you speak to about setting up a business will share your (and my) enthusiasm.

So I beg you, please be careful who you confide in before making the leap and consider these freelance myths below. People will generally speak from their own experience and as a result, will have a positive or negative bias towards self-employment as a whole.

If you seek advice from your uncle who set up his own business and went bankrupt, he’ll probably tell you to steer clear. Your friend who’s had a stable council job for fifteen years with regular promotions and a generous benefits package probably thinks you’re mad for even considering giving up your salary.

Similarly, though, if you live in a social media bubble and surround yourself with entrepreneurs who say they make a six-figure income and work a mere two hours per day (ha!) you might get the wrong idea.

Everyone has an opinion on freelancing and it’s up to you to figure out if it’s right for you. You should definitely discuss the decision with friends and family, but be prepared for them to say one or all of the following:

Freelance myth #1: It’s too risky

In the beginning, yes, it’s pretty risky to go freelance, and so you probably shouldn’t make the leap until you’ve got some savings in the bank and a few regular clients on your books. If you went freelance without any skills, experience or means of income, then, yep, that’s pretty fucking risky.

But an established freelancer? Well, they’ve got several clients, and are potentially working on multiple projects at once. Because they work on an hourly or day rate, they are more affordable for businesses that only need workers for a short period of time. They aren’t pigeon-holed by job title and can normally accept a range of jobs that match up with their wide range of skills.

For example, I could help you plan your social media content, edit your podcast and write blog posts. I can also pitch stories to magazines, run writing courses and give motivational mental health talks. So if suddenly no one is making podcasts or using social media anymore, I can turn to copywriting to make up for the lack of income. I have my fingers in many, many pies and there will always be scope to pivot as and when required.

If you work in a company role and all of a sudden everything goes tits up (in the way that the wedding industry or hospitality has been impacted due to the pandemic), then you might be in trouble. Having different strands of income that you can pull on as circumstances change makes freelancing a dream for stability. You just have to work hard in the beginning to build up your skills and your client base to see the long-term benefits.

Freelance myth #2: You need to hire a team

The beauty of being freelance is that you can dictate how your business is run. If you don’t want the stress of managing employees and having enough money to pay their wages, then you don’t need to. You can outsource work to other freelancers on a project-by-project basis and then go back to being a company of one as soon as the work is done or things quieten down.

Success doesn’t depend on expansion. You can create a manageable, steady flow of work (and income) based on your own abilities if you find the right clients and price yourself appropriately. A team of one is arguably more sustainable as there are fewer overheads involved. If you thrive as an independent worker, then lean into that. I personally love nothing more than sitting at home in my pants while having a personal development meeting with, well, myself. I always get good feedback in those meetings.

Freelance myth #3: You need a business plan

Err, no. If you’re going to the bank for a loan then sure, they’ll probably want to see a business plan, but lots of online lenders don’t ask for one. I wouldn’t even recommend thinking about taking out a loan to start a business unless it’s absolutely necessary (say you literally need a particular piece of kit or software to do the job), and even then I think it’s more sensible to be patient and save up a pot of cash while working a regular job.

A business plan is a nice idea, but I think too many people think that it guarantees the success of your business. It doesn’t. If I had written a business plan when I first went freelance I would never have planned to do much of the work that pays my bills nowadays. I had a plan of sorts, but not an official strategy document based on market research and financial forecasts.

Being reactive is just as important as being proactive because it means when opportunities pop up you’re flexible and open to changing your trajectory. I started off trying to make money through sponsored content on my blog, but after a few months, I was encouraged to pitch feature ideas to an online newspaper. Getting into journalism wasn’t part of my ‘plan’, but when it cropped up as a potential earner, I gave it a bash. I wasn’t restricted by a framework that I’d created to make me feel like I had my shit together. In fact, my shit was all over the shop, and as a result, I ended up fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine by writing for major publications and getting two book deals.

Freelance myth #4: You’ll never make it

This freelance myth really hurts. If you have an inkling of a feeling about setting up your own business, it can take years to simply convince yourself that you’ve got what it takes. Or, more accurately, that you’ve even got the right to dream big. Because many of us take such a beating from life in the form of abusive partners, pessimistic frenemies and over-protective parents, we think we are rubbish humans who must settle for Just A Job. There is nothing wrong with having Just A Job if that’s what really makes you happy.

I had Just A Job back in 2013 when I was recovering from a mental breakdown. There are times to be passionate about your career goals and there are times to simply bring home the bacon. I had been off sick with depression for almost a year, regularly unable to face daily tasks such as showering or popping to the corner shop. So the thought of going back to the job I’d had previously – running a business, managing a team, dealing with budgets and staff training – was too much to handle.

I had to go back to basics if I wanted to return to the world of work, so that’s what I did. I worked a part-time job as a waitress in a family-run café and it had no prospects. No likelihood of a pay rise or promotion. Was I hopping out of bed every morning, excited to serve lattes and toasted teacakes to local OAPs? No, but it was what I needed at the time: a simple vocation to build my confidence up.

Listen to my podcast episode about side hustling below

Lots of other people have Just A Job because it funds other passions in life, like paddleboarding, knitting pyjamas for goats or bowling three times a week. That’s fine. It’s more than fine – it’s excellent. But if you’re working Just A Job and it’s sucking your soul and you’re wondering if there’s a chance that you could be happy at work, don’t let the negative voices (internal or external) tell you that work is supposed to make you miserable. We all have bad days. But I refuse to believe that anyone should accept unhappiness at work as the norm. It sounds really dramatic to say this, but you only have one life.

Do you want to spend it doing something that you’ve settled for? Or do you want to look back and know that at the very least you gave this freelancing thing a bash?

Did I miss out any freelance myths? Share yours in the comments below.

Find out more about my book ‘Out of Office: Ditch the 9-5 and Be Your Own Boss’

Do freelancers need insurance?

by Fiona likes to blog | 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.