Overworked as an in-house designer, Itzel Islas turned to Instagram as a creative outlet and visual diary. Not realising it would soon turn her days into a colourful freelance business. Rooted in her Mexican culture, she’s built a joyful career that reflects her style, values and personality. With multiple income streams - from branding clients, to her shop, sticker club, partnerships and murals; Itzel shows what freelance life can look like when you follow what's fun.

Market research consultant Katie Tucker shares how being intentional - with her time, energy, and choices - helped her build a freelance life that truly fits. We loved her book 'Do Penguins Eat Peaches' in the Being Freelance Community. You'll love hearing her freelancing story and key advice when figuring out what your clients might really buy.

When burnout hit, Lineo Kakole turned to her 16-year-old self for work-life balance answers. Now she works fewer hours, tracks how she feels as well as what she does, and has built a freelance business that fits her life - not the other way around. We're off to Pretoria, South Africa - you coming?

When Jess Bruno left a corporate job to manage her chronic illness, she didn’t even know freelancing was an option. A £25 call — suggested by her mum — changed everything. Since then, she’s built a six-figure freelancer business around her health, her values, and her voice.

He was tired of the suit. The shaving. The being the grown up in the room telling people to eat their business broccoli. So André ditched his corporate law job in Malta, moved to London with no plan, and built a freelance writing business on his own terms. Hear how he found his niche, his people, and his peace — one cold pitch at a time.

As Ben O'Brien marks 20 years freelancing as ‘Ben The Illustrator’, it’s time to find out how it's going. Since he was first on the podcast in 2018 a lot has happened for his freelancer business. Covid took away all his work overnight but he pivoted, diversified and sounds stronger than ever.

New Zealand-based brand strategist and coach Hollie Arnett shares how she built two creative businesses, found her freelancing niche (then pivoted, multiple times), and kept showing up even through setbacks. Hollie's success as a freelancer owes a lot to resilience, growing and helping her network, and following what she enjoys. And you'll enjoy this episode.

Jerel, a freelance creative director from Trinidad and Tobago, shares how he turned his passion for design into Sola, a purpose-driven agency he runs with his wife. In a saturated market, they've built a business rooted in collaboration with other freelancers, not competition - and doing good for the world with purpose driven projects.

Freelance communications specialist Dee Primett shares how she went from writing blog posts around her kids to running a thriving healthcare and tech content business. After a breast cancer diagnosis in 2022, Dee reshaped her lifestyle and work, becoming an outspoken advocate for health awareness and better freelance boundaries, bringing fresh perspective to both her life and her clients' content.

Icelandic artist Stefán Yngvi Pétursson, also known as Styngvi, shares his journey from working in an ad agency to becoming a freelance conservation illustrator. Inspired by shocking pollution during a trip to Indonesia, Stefán decided to use his creative skills for environmental activism, or 'artivism'. It's working out well for his business and the planet.

Freelancing is often quite a journey, and for content writer Rebecca it's not just metaphorical. Travelling the world whilst building a business. It's not just her locations she's got mapped out. Rebecca's strategic about her freelancing with quarterly 'CEO retreats' that put clients on hold whilst she works on her business. These days she's settling down for longer but as a freelancer she's still going places.

What if you could steer your career as a freelancer in any direction? Being location independent, working from London, Lima and Barcelona. Swerving between animating and illustrating for some of the world’s biggest media outlets and leading podcasts. Having fun and doing great work whilst freelancing? Dave’s doing just that. Come along for the ride.

After a near-death experience with her family, Yolanda realised filling in KPI reports for her boss wasn't the life she wanted. Enter the world of freelancing. Now she's her own boss of Pink Leaf Social; a purpose driven social media marketer. Building her connections, putting up boundaries and embracing the 'antisocial' by co-founding a community for other freelancers who don't like traditional networking.

Helen may have studied fashion illustration. But the idea of a career freelancing in it never occurred to her. So she waved goodbye to creativity and went to work for a decade in retail. It was the 2020 lockdown period that redrew her plans. Now Helen's a successful live illustrator with brand collaborations, weddings, pet portraits, workshops and a retreat. Having fun being creative and sociable, whilst getting serious about her marketing and what's profitable.

Meet Xavier Buendia and his journey from Mexico to England, and more importantly from the world of hospitality as a sommelier to a career as a successful freelance photographer. Covering 10 years of freelancing. A lot has changed. From building a business via Twitter to COVID & Brexit decimating the restaurant industry he’s was shooting for. A lot of food for thought.

Here we go with the freelancing story of Kate Taylor, a seasoned podcast producer and founder of the Feast Collective. Feast is a really interesting idea for the way freelancers can bond together as a community, but also work together as a production team. A way to combat the feast and famine of self employed life. Plus we hear about dealing with rejection and the benefit of winning awards. Speaking of celebrating - this is the 10th anniversary of the Being Freelance podcast. Thanks for listening - come and join the Being Freelance Community to help us celebrate!

Since Dave started making funny, creative videos for LinkedIn, not only has his freelance design business taken off. But it's the work that he wants to be doing that is coming his way. AND he's satisfying that creative itch, the urge to make something for the joy of doing it. Hear how Dave stands out by daring to be different than what's around him. It's a fun chat - enjoy!

Angela shares how her design business has evolved over 12 years - from being a home-based freelancer focused on client work and family life, to embracing visibility through communities, events and content creation. Her story goes to show how freelancing success can come through different approaches. But without a doubt through being visible, Ange is having a second wind and is now helping others to succeed around her.

How to build a successful career freelancing as an advertising creative? Author of 'Junior', freelance copywriter and creative director Thomas Kemeny has done it through reputation, experience, strategic partnerships, and gaining business knowledge & confidence. Plus don't underestimate the power of writing a book.

Freelance illustrator Hazel Mead has built a purpose-driven creative business. She speaks about managing social media success, developing multiple revenue streams and how pushing beyond her comfort zone leads to valuable freelancing opportunities.