Today’s topic is of the utmost importance in these unprecedented times. I’m joined by Carol Tice, who shares insights about what it takes to become a recession-proof freelancer. Carol knows a lot about how to build a thriving freelance business in the midst of a major recession. She shares key strategies that you can employ right now to make sure you're building the best business, even in the midst of a global pandemic!
Podcast Outline:
[0:46] Introduction to Carol Tice and the topic of building a recession-proof business
[2:17] How Carol started freelance writing and became passionate about teaching writers to make a living online
[8:29] The lack of community and online training years ago - how Carol recognized and addressed that gap
[9:15] How many writers have a poverty mentality - what’s necessary to overcome that vision. Carol explains how stasis is the bad scenario, but change brings opportunity.
[10:57] Introduction to the topic: How are we thriving as freelancers in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic that has economic implications?
[11:45] What Carol sees happening for the gig economy during this global pandemic - she describes the types of businesses that are busy right now, reopening and pivoting.
[13:39] The big things Carol learned in the past recession that are applicable now - who’s currently positioned to be a winner
[14:27] Insights from Carol’s ebook: The Recession-Proof Freelancer - Carol discusses the big things to remember during hard times and which industries are the winners.
[18:10] How to develop a marketing discipline and the importance of not taking clients for granted - Carol explains how to use LinkedIn and virtual conferences to find leads and quality clients
[20:58] How to avoid the “underworld of freelance writing” in a recession, leaving commodity clients and entering the world of value clients
[24:42] Should freelancers discount prices - how to do it strategically as a form of marketing or as an introductory rate
[26:40] The importance of big content creation projects - why book ghosting has boomed on sites like Reedsy as people think about the big picture and leaving a legacy
[29:50] How online education and digital products are fueling the need for writers and freelancers to power clients’ businesses
[30:25] The big takeaway - how business is not going back to the way it was
[31:01] The importance of aligning yourself with people who are like-minded and have a long vision that the new normal could be better than you thought - Craig and Carol explain the importance of having a community of business-focused freelancers who are serious about what they’re doing and have positive energy.
[34:34] How to get to know Carol and what she’s doing right now
Resources and tools discussed in this episode:
Carol Tice’s blog: https://www.makealivingwriting.com/blog/
Freelancer’s Writer’s Den https://freelancewritersden.com/
Carol’s free ebook: The Recession-Proof Freelancer https://www.makealivingwriting.com/ebooks/recession-proof-freelancer/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/
LinkedIn Pulse https://www.linkedin.com/company/pulse-news/about/
Upwork https://www.upwork.com/
Reedsy https://reedsy.com/
Forbes Business Council https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/
Medium https://medium.com/
Google https://www.google.com/
FlexJobs https://www.flexjobs.com/
