If I added up all the hours I used to spend daydreaming about living out my best self-employed life I could have most probably definitely started my journey a little (read: a lot) earlier. Here are the roadblocks that were stopping me from creating my dream career and how I undid them. By Emma Nolan.

I speak to so many freelancers about their dreams of ditching clients and creating more space for creativity and the things they love. As a freelancer, client work is how we make our money, but when it takes up every moment of our day, life starts to look a little mundane. We feel uninspired and exhausted very quickly. Here are a few ways to get off the client hamster wheel and start loving your biz again.

The virtual coworking club has been going for 12 months now (we launched in May 2020 as a result of COVID). I've hosted 100+ sessions and shared my weeks with some incredible women. The Club has been a game-changer for my personal happiness and business growth. From the conversations I've facilitated and the moments I've experienced, here are 4 things I know to be true about life and biz after one year of hosting this amazing club.

You’ve probably heard how important it is to choose a niche. But choosing your niche can be overwhelming and confusing. It can bring up fears of feeling “boxed-in” or fears of “cutting-out” clients *which BTW is totally not true*. If you’re wondering what the heck a niche is, before I go on, a niche is simply a focus zone that you can serve (or learn to serve) really darn well. And when you find it, leads, cash and ease shall follow.

Let’s talk burnout. There’s no denying the lines between work and life for freelancers get blurred. Most of us who are working for ourselves (and therefore by ourselves, often at home) for the first time struggle to preserve healthy boundaries between professional and personal lives. Especially when we work from home. Soon afternoons blend into evenings, weekdays blend into weekends and little sense of time and workdays will remain. If you think you’ll be immune, think again.

As someone who runs two businesses, adding a baby to the mix was a wild experience to say the least. The learning curve was steep *on so many levels*. I quickly learned surrender would be the only way for me to service this highly transformative time. Here’s my advice.

If you’re reading this, I’m going to take a stab in the dark and say you’re probably self-employed *on that note alone, let’s all take a moment to raise a (tall and preferably strong) glass in your honour*. As we know too well, freelancing is no easy feat. In fact, it’s equal parts rewarding and exhausting. Here’s why.

Have you ever been so engrossed in a task that you lose track of time? Perhaps when drawing, journaling, reading, surfing, meditating, or running? Chances are if you’ve noticed time dissolving and you felt at one with what you’re doing, you’ve tasted the flow state. Flow, also known as being “in the zone”, is defined as 'an optimal state of consciousness and is a powerful ally when it comes to productivity.

Think about the brands you love. There’s something about them that keeps loyal AF and lining up to buy. They have that special kind of charm that woos you, makes you feel good, and keeps you coming back for more. But how can you cultivate that same level of brand love in your small biz? Take inspiration from the big brands and start now.

You’re a creative human, you know you’ve got bangin’ ideas, but you’re struggling to switch on ‘creative mode’ to make them happen. You’ve lost your creative mojo. Changing up your environment could be an easy way to find here, here’s 4 science backed way’s to do it.

Happy New Year! No matter what your energy is like (high, low, exhausted, excited), we all know how inspiring a great event can be. Pop something in your calendar this month and ease into the year with the confidence to make 2021 a goodie.

When we neglect to pause and reflect, goal setting can be pretty damn tricky. We need a starting point—without this, it’s impossible to know where we want to go. Grab a pen, a fresh piece of paper and some space and start by going inward with these 11 questions before you dive into 2021 goalsetting mode.