Stop Thinking of Your Rate as a Number

Do you struggle to figure out how much you should charge for projects? Whether you should agree to a request for a discount? If you should raise your rates?

I have a trick to help make negotiating over money easier: stop thinking of your rate as a number.… Read More

Contract Hacks: Reduce Your Risk

Every time you sign a contract, dear Freelancer, you make some pretty big promises.

And if you break those promises, on purpose or accidentally, you might be on the hook for some pretty big damages.

Here’s how to hack your contracts to reduce the risk of being stuck holding the bag.… Read More

When in Doubt, Take a Break

You’re in the middle of a weird coding issue that is jamming up the launch of a client’s new site when your phone rings.

It’s one of your other clients, Jane, who always seems to have “unique” problems.

Against your better judgement you answer.

She’s calling to complain about your most recent invoice. She doesn’t think it should have taken you half as long as … Read More

Contract Hacks: Getting Paid When Things Go Kerflooey

One of the great virtues of having a contract is that it tells you what to do when things don’t work out the way you hoped they would.

Tucked away at the end of the contract are all sorts of helpful instructions on how much interest late payments will incur, where you can sue each other, and who is responsible for what.

One of those … Read More

Don’t Be Afraid to Charge What You’re Worth

I talk to a lot of freelancers about how to handle their prices, particularly how to raise their prices.

They tell me that  they want to be able to charge what they’re worth without having to worry that they’ll lose business as a result, can I help them do that?… Read More

Ich bin Freelancer*

I started writing this blog over five years ago. At the time, I hired freelancers, I was friends with freelancers and I loved freelancers.

But I was not a freelancer.

It seemed too hard. (How do you make money?) Too scary. (How do you make money??) Too lonely. (How do you make money?!)

This Friday, I’m leaving the Day Job and taking my practice full-time. … Read More

Negotiating While Female: Beyond the Headline Hype

It’s not enough to say that women need to “lean in” and ask for what they want.

It’s not enough to say that people react negatively when women “lean in” and ask for what they want.

Neither approach actually helps someone accomplish anything. It just encourages, or discourages, behavior.

Women can negotiate just as well as men, but no one negotiates well if they don’t … Read More

Contract Hacks: Giving it All Away

Contract Hacks: making freelance contracts better, one hack at a time.… Read More