Going Solo

Strategies for Thriving on Your Own

Over the past few weeks, I've had countless people reach out for advice on how to successfully transition into working for themselves. Questions span the spectrum: How do you fill your pipeline? How do you charge for your expertise? How do you establish a name?

So, I’ve distilled my experience into this guide. Take from it what resonates, and let it be a springboard for your journey.

1. Build a Network That Works for You

1.1 Always Be Networking

Networking isn’t something you do when you need it; it’s a continuous process. Aim to connect with 2-3 new people each week. This ensures your name stays in circulation and keeps your pipeline warm, even during quieter times.

• Leverage Warm Introductions: After every meeting, ask, “Who else in your network should I speak to?” People love to make introductions when you’re specific about your goals.

• Be Visible in Relevant Spaces: Attend industry meetups, conferences, and webinars—or better yet, speak at them. Online spaces like LinkedIn, BlueSky, or niche communities are excellent for staying active without being intrusive.

• Nurture Old Connections: Stay in touch with past colleagues and clients by periodically reaching out. Share an article or ask how they’re doing—relationships need maintenance.

1.2 Give More Than You Take

People respond to generosity. Offer your expertise freely where it adds value—whether it’s advice, a connection, or sharing a resource. Building goodwill creates trust and makes you memorable. And Karma is a real thing.

2. Establish Your Expertise

Building your digital footprint is all about authenticity over algorithm and avoiding the trap of content creation for its own sake. Use platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, or Substack to share ideas that matter to you and reflect your unique perspective. The goal isn’t to create for the sake of it but to craft meaningful contributions that resonate deeply with your audience.

• Write When You Have Something to Say: Avoid rigid publishing schedules. Only write when a topic sparks passion or excitement in you—when you feel compelled to share. Writing driven by genuine enthusiasm is what makes people stop, read, and remember.

• Focus on Depth, Not Volume: Quality always beats quantity. A single powerful, thought-provoking post can carry more weight than months of superficial updates. Share in ways that challenge, provoke, or inspire, leaving people wanting to hear more from you.

• Find Your Niche, Then Expand It: Start by exploring 2-3 areas you’re truly passionate about. Let these become your core topics, but don’t feel boxed in—expand into adjacent interests as your confidence and curiosity grow.

• Ignore the ‘Growth Hacking’ Noise: You’re writing for humans, so don’t waste time optimising for eyeballs or including a plethora of hashtags—focus instead on your own specific voice and perspective.

By leaning into passion and purpose, you’ll build an audience that connects with your authenticity and values your insights, no algorithms required.

3. Write Your Way Into Opportunities

Forget the grind of RFPs, creds decks, and endless cold emails. Writing can be your shortcut to the spaces you want to work in and the people you want to reach. A single sharp, insightful piece can do what weeks of pitching can’t: show exactly how you think, what you stand for, and why you’re the person for the job.

3.1 Write to Get in the Room

• Start With a Target: Want to work in sports marketing? Gaming? Consumer goods? Then start writing about it. Explore the industry, learn everything you can, and develop a strong, innovative perspective. Writing becomes your bridge—connecting you to the right people without needing to knock on doors.

• Go Deep and Different: Write the piece only you can write. Go beyond surface trends and “hot takes.” Instead, dig into the issues, challenge assumptions, and propose new ideas. When your work resonates, it’ll attract the right eyes.

3.2 Cultivate a Clear Positioning

Look at people like Ana Andjelic, James Denman, Grace Gordon, or Andrea Hernandez. Each has written their way into a distinct niche, crafting a voice, perspective, and following that positions them as go-to thinkers in their spaces. Their writing doesn’t just inform—it opens doors, builds influence, and pulls opportunities to them.

3.3 How Writing Replaces the Hustle

• No Need for Cold Emails: When you write with clarity and depth, your work reaches the right people. Instead of you chasing them, they’ll come to you.

• No Pitching Required: A well-written piece is often more compelling than a deck or proposal. It demonstrates your expertise and value without needing a single slide.

• A Magnet for Collaboration: Writing establishes trust and credibility before you even meet someone. It signals to your ideal clients or collaborators: “This is someone I want to work with.”

3.4 Example in Action

When I wanted to work in the NBA, I didn’t cold-call a single person. Instead, I wrote about fandom in a way that caught their attention, and the opportunity came to me. The same happened with music projects, my wider sports remits, my gaming collaborations, my research opportunities: my writing resonated, sparked conversations, and led to work I didn’t have to pitch for.

4. Diversify Your Offerings

Relying on a single type of client or project is a recipe for instability. Diversification isn’t just smart—it’s essential for protecting your income, keeping your work fresh, and giving you room to experiment with new ideas.

4.1 Create Multiple Ways to Earn

Don’t lock yourself into one way of working or charging. Explore different models to make your revenue streams more resilient and aligned with your energy:

• Workshops & Training: Host short, punchy sessions for teams. These are high-impact and allow you to dip into their world without getting bogged down in long projects.

• Sprints or Short-Term Projects: Tackle intense, focused work for a premium fee (1.5-2x) —get in, solve the problem, and get out.

• Ongoing Retainers: Lock in stability with clients who want ongoing access to your expertise. Retainers don’t just give you consistent income—they let you build deeper relationships.

• Revenue Shares or Licensing: If you’ve got intellectual property or unique frameworks, find ways to monetise them through licensing deals or partnerships where you share in the upside. I sell some of my more in-depth decks on Gumroad, which is a fantastic way to commercialise my thinking into a passive income stream.

• Hourly Consulting: Save this for quick wins or ad-hoc advice. It’s not scalable, but it can be lucrative when priced correctly.

• Talks & the Speaking Circuit: Delivering talks is one of the most scalable ways to charge for your expertise. Whether it’s a keynote for a conference or a guest slot for a company’s internal team, speaking gigs are high-profile opportunities to earn while elevating your brand.

4.2 Keep It Interesting

Diversification isn’t just about making more money—it’s about staying engaged. Variety keeps you sharp, helps you explore new areas, and avoids the mental grind of repeating the same work over and over.

• Play to Your Strengths: Not every offering has to be massive in scope. If you’re great at delivering killer insights in an hour, charge accordingly for that.

• Expand as You Go: Start with what works for you now, then add more options as you gain confidence or see demand in new areas.

4.3 The Payoff

Diversifying isn’t about doing everything all at once—it’s about creating multiple ways to say yes while protecting yourself from burnout or financial risk. Plus, it keeps you learning, experimenting, and evolving, which is the whole point of doing your own thing in the first place.

5. Build a Cheer Squad

Going solo doesn’t mean going it alone. Surround yourself with the right people—the ones who’ll celebrate your wins, call you out when needed, and keep you moving forward when things get tough. Your “cheer squad” isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential.

5.1 Find Your People

• Mentors: They’ve been where you are and can give you the perspective, advice, or reality check you need.

• Peers: Other freelancers, founders, or creatives who get it—they understand the highs, the lows, and the in-betweens. They’re the ones you can vent to without explaining yourself.

• Friends & Family: Not every conversation has to be about work. These are the people who’ll remind you that you’re more than your business and lift you up when the self-doubt creeps in.

5.2 Join a Community That Gets It

Freelancing or working for yourself can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. Join a mastermind group, a Slack channel, or a creative collective full of people who speak your language. These spaces give you:

• A sounding board for big ideas (or those “is this a terrible idea?” moments).

• Collaborative opportunities that spark fresh ways of thinking or working.

• Encouragement and accountability when you’re doubting yourself or feeling stuck.

Think of your cheer squad as the people who’ll fuel you when your own tank runs dry. Whether it’s celebrating wins over coffee or brainstorming ideas in a late-night Slack chat, these are the connections that make freelancing feel less like a solo sport and more like a team effort.

6. Set Boundaries That Work for You

When you work for yourself, it’s easy to fall into the trap of over-availability—replying to emails at midnight, saying yes to every project, and squeezing every ounce of energy into the day. But here’s the truth: burnout doesn’t pay bills, and being “always on” doesn’t guarantee success. The real power move? Setting boundaries that protect your time, energy, and sanity.

6.1 Guard Your Time and Energy

• Work When You’re at Your Best: Who said the 9-to-5 is mandatory? If you’re sharpest from 6 AM to 2 PM, own it. If you’re a night owl who gets their best ideas at 11 PM, lean into that. Design your day around when you’re at your peak—and make no apologies for it.

• Be Unavailable on Purpose: You don’t need to answer emails the second they land or be reachable 24/7. Set expectations early: clients get better work from you when you’re focused, not constantly interrupted.

6.2 Learn to Say No

• Not Every Project Deserves You: Just because someone waves a check in front of you doesn’t mean it’s a good fit. If the work feels misaligned, the client is a nightmare, or the rate undervalues your expertise, say no.

• Cash Buys Confidence: A healthy buffer in your bank account (see below) is your safety net, giving you the freedom to turn down low-value work and hold out for projects that excite and challenge you.

6.3 Take Real Time Off

• Schedule Downtime Like a Project: If you don’t protect time for yourself, no one else will. Block off weekends, take that holiday, or plan a random Tuesday with zero work.

• Rest Is Productive: Your brain needs breathing room to spark new ideas, and your creativity thrives on recharge time. Protect your off-time as fiercely as your work hours—it’s the fuel that keeps you going.

6.4 The Big Picture

Boundaries aren’t barriers—they’re what allow you to bring your best to the table, without burning out in the process. Whether it’s creating your ideal schedule, saying no to energy-draining projects, or unapologetically taking a day off, boundaries are what turn chaos into control.

7. Charge With Confidence

7.1 Charge for Expertise, Not Hours

Time is irrelevant when the expertise you bring creates high-impact results. If you can solve a problem in 3 hours that might take someone else a week:

• Charge based on the outcome and the impact of your work.

• Use impact-based framing: What does solving this problem mean for your client’s business? What revenue, efficiency, or innovation does your work unlock?

• Set the expectation early that you’re not billing by the clock but by the value delivered.

7.2 Layering Your Day Rate

The traditional "one client, one day rate" model limits your earning potential. Here’s how to break free:

• Segment Your Time: Split your day into 2-3 focused blocks, dedicating 2-3 hours per client.

  • Example:

    • Morning: Client A (£1,000 for strategy session).

    • Afternoon: Client B (£750 for a deliverable review).

    • Late Afternoon: Client C (£750 for an advisory call).

  • Instead of £1,000 for a single day rate, you’ve turned your day into £2,500.

• Frame for Value: Clients are paying for outcomes, not hours. Your ability to deliver efficiently is a strength, so charge accordingly.

• Stay Organised: Use scheduling tools to maintain clarity between sessions and manage your energy effectively.

7.3 Charge More Over Time

Pricing should evolve as your expertise, reputation, and demand grow. To test and raise your rates effectively:

• Start Incrementally: Raise your rates with each new client or project. Even a 10-15% increase over time can make a huge difference.

• Leverage Scarcity: As demand for your services grows, use your limited availability to justify higher fees.

• Track What Works: Note which pricing structures resonate most with your clients, then refine and scale those models.

• Be Confident: Higher rates signal quality and exclusivity—don’t underprice yourself out of fear of rejection.

8. Build Your Buffer

8.1 Cash Is Confidence

Think of your buffer as your safety net and your power move rolled into one. Aim to save 3–6 months of living expenses so you can turn down bad-fit projects, hold your ground on rates, and negotiate like you mean it. When you’re not desperate, you’re in control.

8.2 Plan for the Lulls

Freelancing is a rollercoaster—some months you’re drowning in work, and others are crickets. A buffer turns those quiet times into an opportunity to breathe, recalibrate, or even take a break without the financial panic. It’s what keeps you steady when the industry isn’t.

9. Cultivate Resilience

Working for yourself is exhilarating—but let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s also a wild emotional ride. One day, you’re landing dream projects and feeling unstoppable. The next, you’re questioning everything because an invoice is late, or a client ghosts you. Resilience isn’t about pretending those lows don’t happen—it’s about building the mental muscle to weather them.

9.1 Ride the Highs and Lows

• Celebrate the Wins: When you land a great client, nail a project, or hit a milestone, pause and celebrate. Acknowledge your progress—it’s what keeps you going.

• Prepare for the Dips: Freelancing is a rollercoaster, and there will be quieter months or tough breaks. They’re not failures; they’re just part of the rhythm. Recognise the lows, but don’t get stuck there.

9.2 Learn From Every Step

• Own the Missteps: You will make mistakes. Maybe you underpriced a project, took on a nightmare client, or missed a deadline. It’s normal. What matters is owning it, figuring out what went wrong, and doing better next time.

• Reframe the Failures: Each stumble is a stepping stone. That “mistake” might just be the lesson that leads to your next win.

9.3 Build Your Mental Toolkit

• Lean on Your Support System: When the lows hit, don’t go it alone. Turn to your cheer squad, mentors, or peers who’ve been there and can offer perspective.

• Create Your Coping Rituals: Whether it’s stepping away for a walk, or blasting your favourite playlist, find what helps you reset and refocus when things feel overwhelming.

Resilience isn’t about being unshakeable—it’s about knowing you can get through the tough moments and come out stronger. Freelancing will test you, but it will also teach you that you’re capable of handling more than you ever thought possible.

10. Celebrate the Freedom

This is why you chose to go solo: the autonomy, the creativity, and the ability to shape your own damn path. You’re not here to follow someone else’s rules or grind away in a structure that doesn’t serve you. So, lean into the freedom—design a work life that fuels you, excites you, and lets you call the shots.

• Flex Your Schedule: Hate mornings? Start at noon. Need a midweek reset? Take Wednesdays off. The point is: you’re in charge. Use that power to create a rhythm that works for you, not against you.

• Pursue What Lights You Up: You didn’t break out on your own to take on boring work or chase every pound. Follow the projects and ideas that genuinely excite you—they’ll give you the energy to keep going.

• Embrace the Possibilities: Some days, you might want to take a long lunch or a mid-afternoon nap. Other days, you’ll choose to throw yourself into work that truly matters. The key is knowing you’ve built this life to work for you, not the other way around.

Freedom isn’t just the absence of a boss—it’s the ability to build a life on your terms. So, make it count.

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This path isn’t for everyone, but if you’re ready to take it on, these strategies will set you up to thrive. Working for yourself doesn’t mean doing it all alone—arm yourself with the right tools, surround yourself with the right people, and back yourself every step of the way.