How to succeed as a creative freelancer, by Amy DeLouise.

1. Amy DeLouise @brandbuzz at #GVExpo
4 KEYS TO HACKING FREELANCE

2. Today’s Agenda
4 Components of Success
 BIRTH
 GROWTH
 MONEY
 JOY
2

3. Introductions
First…
 Commercials, Features,
Documentaries
And then…
 Production Co. Executive 15 yrs
And now…
 Writer/Producer
 Author, Speaker and Brand
Strategist
 Paying myself since 1987
3

4. Getting in Touch
 www.twitter.com/brandbuzz
 www.linked.com/in/amydelouise
 www.plus.google.com/+AmyDeLouise
 www.vimeo.com/amydelouise
 www.amydelouise.com
 Slides on the Speaking tab of my website
4

5. BIRTH: Getting Started

6. What’s Your WHY?
 Simon Sinek “Start
with Why” TED talk
https://www.ted.com/t
alks/simon_sinek_how
_great_leaders_inspir
e_action
 The Golden Circle
Why
How
What
6

7. Jot down your WHY
TAKE A MOMENT

8. 8
Defining Your Brand

9. Defining Your Essential Services
 What you’re good at
 What other people need
 What you aspire to do
9

10. Determine Your Market
10
 Broad vs. Deep
 Niche marketing and specialties
 Access to new markets

11. Choose an Identity
 Check online
 Think long term
 Not too cute or “inside
baseball”
11

12. Logos and Taglines
12
 DO
 Capture your vision and values
 Convey what you do
 Choose something that works in vertical and horizontal
lockups
 DON’T
 Need to be overly clever
 Use the same colors and styles as others

13. Choose a Legal Form
 Sole Proprietor
 LLC
 Partnerships
 Subchapter S
 C Corporation
 Consult an attorney
 Protect Assets
 Partner and Funder Relationships
 Affects Banking
 Insurance
 Professional
 Raise Capital
 Account for Expenses
 Employees or Subcontractors
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Types Why

14. Resources
14
 https://bizcircle.att.com/
 https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-
business/openforum/explore/
 http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/
 https://www.sba.gov/

15. GROWTH

16. Keys to Growth
 Managing Multi-Project Workflow
 Managing Client Expectations
 Managing Vendors
 Managing Your Brand
 Managing Your Money
16

17. Managing Workflow
17
 Build a system that works for you
 Maintaining schedules, assets, feedback, and deadlines
 “Train” your customers/clients to use it
 Be flexible if they have an existing system to use

18. Project Management Tools
 Trello
 https://trello.com/home
 $0-$252/yr
 JIRA
 https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira
 $120-$300/yr
 Basecamp
 https://basecamp.com/
 $0-$1188/yr (half off for nonprofits)
 Wipster
 https://wipster.io/
 $250-$12,500/yr
 Vimeo (Pro or Business)
 www.vimeo.com
 $204-600/yr

19. Getting Back to WHY
19

20. Why You Think People Hire You
 Knowledge
 Skills
 Expertise
 Equipment
 Tools
20

21. Why People Actually Hire You
 Attitude
 Problem-Solving
 Communications
 Analysis
 Teamwork
 Good Judgment
21

22. Why People Actually Hire You
22
 Attitude
 Problem-Solving
 Communications
 Analysis
 Teamwork
 Good Judgment
This is Your “Brand Value”

23. Jot down 3 attributes that set you apart—where
you bring brand value.
TAKE A MOMENT

24. Marketing Yourself
 Marketing v. Sales
 Promoting Your Brand
 Networking Do’s and
Don’ts

25. Defining Your Brand
25
3 Keys to a
Successful
Brand
 Storytelling
 Authenticity
 Relationships

26. Your Brand Story
 Your Work
 Demo Reel
 Awards
 Your Style
 What makes you different
 What makes you a great vendor/partner
 But Don’t Forget…
 Work in Progress
 Work by Colleagues
 Thought Leaders You Follow
 Trends and Innovations You Care About

27. Be Authentic
 Your Passions
 Music You Like
 Where You Travel
 Books You Read
 Photos You Take
 People Who Matter to You
 Issues You Care About
27

28. Develop Your Community
 Peers
 Vendors
 Customers
 Prospects
28

29. Peers & Vendors
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 Competitors but also colleagues
 Referrals when they are overbooked
 Building a team for larger projects
 Hiring your competition as you grow
 Women in Film, TIVA, BCPC, Post Collective

30. Be Generous
 Share across physical
and social networks
 Don’t just talk about
yourself
 Find collaborative
partners who excel
where you don’t
30

31. Be a Friendly Curator
31
Build
relationships
by becoming
a trusted
resource

32. Curate and Share
 How To’s
 Blogs
 Websites
 Videos
 Podcasts
 Infographics
 Trends
 News
 Links
 Lists
 How To’s
32

33. Elevator Pitch
 Succinctly describe what you do, for whom and why
anyone should care
 One size does not fit all
 Use a set of building blocks you can fit together as
appropriate for time and audience

34. Jot down your Elevator Pitch. Be sure it contains
3 key elements of your work—including your
WHY, your HOW.
TAKE A MOMENT

35. Leverage Channels & Networks
 Where is your
community?
 Choose 2-4 key
platforms
 Meet community where
they are
 Modify content for each
platform
35

36. Do’s and Don’ts of Networking
 Introduce yourself
 Hint: Add an interest that
is not work related
 Listen
 Share useful tips and
information
 Only talk about
yourself
 Hand your card out all
the time
 Overshare
36
DO DON’T

37. What Not to Wear
 Be yourself
 Respect environments
 Be aspirational
37

38. QUESTIONS?

39. MONEY
The following examples are from personal experience. I am not a
CPA or attorney. Seek advice from a tax or investing professional.

40. Banking
 Not all banks are made
equal
 How quickly are deposit
funds available?
 Terms for LOC?
 Online banking options?
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41. Bookkeeping & Billing Tools
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 https://quickbooks.intuit.com/
 https://www.freshbooks.com/
 https://www.paypal.com
 https://www.bill.com/
 https://squareup.com/

42. Setting Your Rate
 Market-Based Pricing
 Supply and demand
 Varies by region
 May vary by season
 Professional
associations
42

43. Setting Your Rate
 Value-Based Pricing
 Your unique skills, tools
or qualities
 Client relationships
 May vary by season
43

44. Setting Your Rate
 I Need This Job Pricing
 Add a new skill or
genre
 Moving to a new area
 Changing categories
 Be careful

45. The Salary Approach
 Target salary $65,000/year after tax
 25% tax bracket $81,250 gross
 FT = 2,000 hrs/year (2 wks off, weekends off)
 $325/day if every day is billable (which it isn’t)
 $406/day if you can bill 80% of your days
 $464/day if you can bill 70% of your days

46. Flat Rates
 Known and defined variables
 Defined time frame
 Convenience for customer
 Simplicity of billing
 What are triggers for overages?
 Get a deposit up front

47. Getting Paid
 What Does “Net 30” Really Mean?
 Understanding organizational financial structures
 Getting a Deposit
 Milestones or Millstones?
 Defining payments in your contract
 Consult an attorney

48. Negotiating
 “Getting to Yes” –
essential book
 Know Your BATNA
 Walking Away From
The Wrong Job/Client
 Embracing
“Intermediate” Projects

49. PAY YOUR TAXES!
 Set aside for quarterly
 Property taxes and
other local taxes
 Use a tax advisor to
calculate an estimate
prior to year end

50. Saving Money
 “Pay Yourself First”
 Automated monthly transfers
 The value of dollar cost averaging
 SEP-IRA
 Reduces taxes at current (higher) rate
 Low fee funds such as Vanguard and Fidelity
 529 Plans for kids’ college
 Many state plans are tax deductible
 I am not a CPA, attorney or investment
advisor—seek advice from a professional.

51. Dollar Cost Averaging
 You lose less when market loses, and can gain more over time
 Lump sum Jan 1 deposit of $10,000 into a stock priced at $100 a share
 Stock declines to $70/share
 30% loss of $3,000
 Quarterly deposits of $2,500 into same stock
 When stock declines, it’s “on sale” so you get more stock (decreased average share price)
 At the end of the year, instead of owning 100 shares valued at $7,000 you own 119.7
shares valued at $8,379
 16% loss of $1,621
 If shares increase in value to $110/share, you now own $13,167 (vs. $11,000)
 22% gain of $2,167 v. only 10% gain of $1,000 with lump sum investment

52. JOY

53. Work Life Balance
 Where You Work
 Setting Goals
 Managing Change
 Cut Yourself a Break,
You’re Self-Employed!

54. Where to Work
 Virtual
 Inexpensive
 Distractions
 No in-house support staff
 Build strategic partnerships

55. Where to Work
 Physical
 Increased overhead
 Can improve focus
 Collaborative space
 More room for gear

56. Where to Work
 Combination
 Use one Location for Meetings
and Gear
 Collaborative partnerships
and vendor relationships
 Use Home Office for Prepro,
Writing, and/or Editing and
Gfx Design
 Reduced overhead and
distractions

57. Goal-Setting
57
Write Down
3 Things
That Will
Have
Happened
by This
Time Next
Year

58. Evolving Your Business
 Better Projects
 Higher Fees
 New Direction
 New Location
 New Interests
58

59. Reaching New Markets
 Leverage Linked In
 Alumni networks
 Community networks
 Interest groups
 Ask for Introductions
 Informational meetings
 Write an article

60. Re-Branding for New Goals
 Referrals from clients and vendors
 Introduce yourself as what you want to be
 Update photos, social networks
 Use keywords
 Be willing to take entry level
 But not too much…it affects your brand
 Each position is a step towards your new goal

61. Wrapping Up

62. Wrapping Up
 Know Your Why
 Identify and Promote Your Brand Value
 Establish Fees, Contracts & Financial Goals
 Build a Work Life Equation That Works for You

63. www.amydelouise.com
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