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What self-employment has taught me so far

Image shows a women (Kirsty) with brown curly hair, wearing a black coat. I'm reflecting on what self-employment has taught me.

I celebrated nine years in business at the beginning of 2025, and I’ve got a big birthday later in the year, so I’m in a reflective mood. It’s helped me realise how much I’ve learned, so I’ve decided to share. Here’s what self-employment has taught me so far.

Get it in writing

I used to be a lawyer, so you’d think that contracts would have been at the front of my mind when I started my business. Nope. I usually had an agreement set out in emails about how much the work would cost, what my quote covered and what I’d need from the client. However, agreements can be surprisingly slippery if you don’t include all the details.

This came back to bite me early on when a client piled on extra work (including tasks he’d told me other people would do) and expected it all to be covered. I ended up refunding some of my fee because I didn’t have everything in writing.

Block out your time

Self-employment has taught me that taking too much on is very easy. For years, I had far too many conversations just before the summer holidays, which concluded with me offering to work with someone in September. Then September arrived, and I realised I’d completely overcommitted myself.

Now, I block out every task in my calendar. I use Google because I can add to it wherever I am. It lets me be realistic about how much I can achieve in a week, so I don’t try to shoehorn an extra task in when there isn’t room.

Get into conversations

Have you ever heard the story of the person who turned up at a networking event, handed everyone their card, and left? It’s achieved urban myth status, but I’ve spoken to people who’ve experienced it first-hand. The idea of networking can be intimidating, but it’s really just a series of conversations.

I’ve learned to talk about my business, ask others about theirs, and just get to know them. It’s far less pressured than going in thinking you must make a sale. Even if you don’t work together, the people in your network can also be your ambassadors, recommending you when you’re not in the room.

Set boundaries

Boundaries are tricky beasts because you often don’t realise you have one until someone tries to cross it. They’re also highly personal. What works for you depends on your approach to life, family circumstances and how you want to work. I have some work boundaries, like not doing client work on Fridays or going to evening networking events. It’s worth thinking about what your boundaries are and how you’ll react when someone tries to cross one. (That could be as simple as saying, “I’m not available after 3 pm” when you schedule a meeting.)

Your boundaries will be unique to you, but you might need some help exploring what they are. Which brings me to…

Find a good coach

If there’s one huge lesson self-employment has taught me, it’s that a good coach is worth the investment. I’ve worked with a few coaches over the years. The good ones helped me talk through my challenges and asked the right questions so I could find the answer myself rather than spoon-feeding me. The right coach will help you work out what’s right for you rather than telling you to do what works for them.

If you’ve never worked with a coach, I can’t recommend it enough.

Ready for a chat?

If you’re newly self-employed, I hope this helps. If you’re not and have some lessons to share, please leave a comment!

Finally, if you like my style and want to find out whether I could be the right copywriter for you, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Please email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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Do you trust your business instincts?

It can take a lot of planning and experience to help you trust your business instincts.

Lots of us (me included) started our businesses to do the thing we love to do best. In my case, that’s writing, but for you, it might be something completely different. You might even want to keep doing the same kind of work on your own terms. The trouble is that running a business is a skill we must develop over time. It’s taken me a long time to start to trust my instincts. Even now, when someone I follow on social media suggests trying something different, I wonder whether I should be doing as they suggest. Here’s what I’ve learned so far. I hope it helps you learn to trust your business instincts.

Shiny object syndrome is real

There’s always something new in business. It might be the latest technology, a new marketing trend or updated legal guidance. Sometimes, you have to pay attention, for example, to whether there’s a new law affecting how you trade or handle customer information. Otherwise, if you’re tempted to jump on the latest trend, ask yourself why you’re doing it. Are you testing using video to see if it improves your social media stats or overstretching yourself through fear of missing out? Understanding your reasons and what will work for your customers will help you make an informed decision rather than chasing the latest shiny thing.

Understand what’s right for you

We all need help sometimes, but admitting it can be tough. Talking to experts in marketing, law, or finance can help steer you in the right direction. However, remember that every business owner is different. Your life, values, and motivations are your own, so comparing yourself to someone who works weekends (when you don’t) or doesn’t have children (when you do) isn’t helpful.

Working with a coach you trust, who’ll listen to you and give you a framework to find the answers that work for you is a great starting point.

Choose what you can use

If you’re anything like me, you probably follow lots of different business owners, marketing experts, and coaches online. They all offer different things, but you don’t have to follow everything they recommend. You can take a pick-and-mix approach. Start with a base layer of dolly mixtures, add some gummy bears and top the whole lot off with chocolate buttons. (I really want some chocolate now.)

If anyone tells you that you have to follow all their advice, even if it doesn’t feel right for you, that’s probably a sign to back away.

Remember, the gurus are business owners too

It’s easy to forget that the experts you see online are also business owners with products and services to sell, just like you and me. If they can help you achieve one of your goals, that’s great, but it’s also okay to say no to anything that isn’t a good fit for you.  I’ve bought training from an amazing coach who has built her business around creating and selling marketing courses and products. She has specific courses to help business owners create products like hers and always discusses the benefits. I completely agree with her logic, but I won’t be buying those courses because they aren’t right for me.

Just because someone you admire is selling something doesn’t mean you have to buy it.

When you trust your business instincts, you can create marketing that works for you. If you’ve created a marketing plan and want help to bring it to life, I can help. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list here, and you could win a free copy makeover.