My Transformation
I cannot tell you how often I thought about throwing in the towel on my freelance business before I finally figured out a better way to do things. It took me years to figure it all out, and that was after I morphed the freelance thing into a full-blown marketing agency and then downsized the agency. I got into freelancing because I thought it would buy me the freedom – both time and financial – I was craving. And while I wasn’t having to punch a clock anymore, I was far from free. Being just a few months postpartum with my maternity leave ending, I dreaded having to spend my days not at home with our youngest. I had the luxury of doing that with our first two kids, but not with her and even though I loved where I worked it was eating me up inside.
I loved to write and dreamed of someday being a full-time author, spending my days holed up in my den with a cup of tea, the fire roaring and words pouring out of me into all the stories that had been dancing around in my head for years. So, for the next six months, I spent my nights and weekends locked up in the master bedroom of our tiny apartment and my freelance copywriting business was born. This allowed me the freedom to leave the job and strike out on my own to live the “laptop lifestyle.”
Fast forward 8 months later. I had created a six-figure copywriting business with just two clients, which seems amazing. And it was. For a while. Until I realized I had created another kind of trap for myself. Every time I wanted to increase my income, I had to close more clients (raising my rates back then was too hard for me to confront because I was afraid I’d lose the few clients I had). So, I networked my booty off both virtually and in person, and landed a few more. In my eagerness to please my clients and retain them, I found myself working 70-80 hour weeks – many of my hours late into the night after the kids were in bed or on weekends. Oh yeah, and on family vacations. While my family would be wandering on the beach, mom would be back in our vacation rental clack-clacking away because inevitably some client emergency would come up, and I had no choice but to drop everything and fix it. So, yeah… it didn’t look anything like the picture above ☝️
This frustration with not having any work-life balance and constantly having to chase new clients led to hiring my first employee in an attempt to free myself up. Here’s the problem: I was now responsible for payroll, taxes, worker’s comp insurance, and all the other things employees need in order to do their job. Don’t get me wrong. My first employee was AMAZING. So was my second, third, fourth, and even my 17th. But with each new employee, costs rose. Which means (yep you guessed it), constantly having to chase after new clients. And new clients means more workload, which means more employees. And the cycle just kept going. Before I knew it, I had a full-fledged marketing agency that was nearing the 7-figure mark with profit margins so small I was always on the brink of shutting the doors, unbeknownst to my employees.
Sure, we raised our prices a bit to try to offset the costs, but we could only do that so much before losing some clients or before others would balk at our prices and go elsewhere. You could argue I was chasing after the wrong kinds of clients, didn’t know how to manage a business since I never had any formal training, charged too little, hired a sales person on salary instead of commission, and made all the rookie mistakes. Fair. In spite of that, we were still kind of “the shit” in our town, and no one for about 50 miles around could really compete with us. We had a pretty good company culture. Several employees ended up becoming best friends, being in each other’s weddings and all that good stuff.
But, at the end of the day I realized I had created a monster and I was very unhappy. So I downsized overnight, let a lot of clients and employees go (which was pretty shitty), and took a large-ish agency down to a small one. It’s been that way ever since, and I’ve been super happy with it.
During my years as a freelancer, I was lucky enough to have some amazing clients in the online marketing space, like Ramit Sethi and JJ Virgin. One of my first clients had partnerships with some of the giants like Russell Brunson, Frank Kern, Mike Filsaime, Jeff Walker and others. I was lucky enough to be copywriting for all of these guys on different launches and hob-nobbing with them at internet marketing events. I learned SO much, and I am so grateful for this experience. My biggest lesson? When you create and sell your own digital course, you create TRUE UNIMAGINABLE FREEDOM, both personally and financially.
Okay, so what does all this have to do with freelancer burnout? Well, I’m hoping my cautionary tale will help a few freelancers (especially mom freelancers) avoid some of the mistakes I made. You see, even though I worked with all these guys and saw the crazy numbers they were pulling in, I didn’t actually create my own courses until years later.
(sigh…)
Regret is a pointless activity so I don’t dwell in that, but you know that old saying?
True. And boy am I glad I planted the proverbial tree even though it took me a decade to finally do it.
So if you’ve ever been haunted late at night with thoughts such as:
“Why can’t I just… get a break for once?”
“Why can’t I just… manage my time better?”
“Why can’t I just… find clients more easily?”
“Why can’t I just… balance work and family without feeling overwhelmed?”
“Why can’t I just… have more support?”
“Why can’t I just… feel less stressed and more in control?”
If you are tired of constantly juggling your freelance work, family responsibilities, and the never-ending hustle to find new clients. If you feel like you’re stuck in a cycle of overwhelm, stress, and burnout, longing for more freedom and control over your life. I want you to know that you’re not alone. Many freelance moms just like you struggle to find balance and fulfillment in their freelance careers while managing the demands of motherhood.
But what if I told you there’s a solution that could revolutionize the way you work and live?
Enter: Creating your own digital course.
Let’s face it. As a mom freelancer, your time is precious and limited. The thought of constantly chasing new clients, trading hours for dollars, and feeling like you’re always one step behind can be exhausting. But what if I told you that there’s a way to break free from this cycle and take control of your destiny?
By creating a digital course, you have the opportunity to leverage your expertise, passion, and unique perspective to generate passive income, attract your ideal clients, and reclaim your time. Imagine being able to work smarter, not harder, while still making a meaningful impact and providing for your family. That’s the power of creating a digital course.
But how exactly does creating a digital course solve your problems? Let me break it down for you in 4 easy ways:
- Generate Passive Income:
Instead of constantly trading your time for money, a digital course allows you to create a valuable asset that can generate passive income for months or even years to come. By packaging your knowledge and expertise into a comprehensive online course, you can earn money while you sleep, spend time with your family, or pursue your passions. - Attract Your Ideal Clients:
Tired of constantly chasing after clients who may not appreciate your worth or value your time? Creating a digital course positions you as an authority in your niche, attracting high-quality clients who are eager to learn from you and willing to invest in your expertise. This means less time spent on client acquisition and more time focused on delivering value and making a difference. You can leverage your students into high-paying clients who really value your time and your work if you choose to continue freelancing. Today, I have a few clients I create marketing content for and we have a super healthy win-win relationship. It’s f*cking awesome. - Reclaim Your Time:
Imagine having the freedom to actually set your own schedule, work on projects that truly excite you, and spend quality time with your loved ones without feeling guilty or overwhelmed. By creating a digital course, you can take back control of your time and design a life that aligns with your priorities and values. (Since I launched my digital courses I’ve written and published three books! Remember, that dream I told you about? Yep! It’s a reality now!) - Make a Meaningful Impact:
As a mom freelancer, you have a unique perspective and life experience that can inspire and empower others. By sharing your knowledge and expertise through a digital course, you have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of your students, helping them achieve their goals and transform their own lives for the better. You could create courses around your freelance expertise, your past career expertise or even just something you are super passionate about!
Creating a digital course isn’t just about making money—it’s about reclaiming your time, empowering yourself, and making a meaningful impact on the world. It’s about stepping into your true potential and creating the life you’ve always dreamed of for yourself and your family. So why wait any longer? The time to take action is now. Watch this short 7-min video where I break it all down for you. Unlock your freedom, unleash your potential, and create the life of your dreams with a digital course. You deserve it, friend.
Xo,
Rachel
