Marketing a freelance business can be tough — so tough, in fact, that most freelancers simply don’t. This situation may sound familiar to you… You REALLY need to drum up some new projects and cashflow. With all of the strategies and tactics available, it’s hard to know where to put…

She had a great big mane of curly brown hair, a tan, and an athletic build. Maybe she was a soccer player? From what I could piece together while pretending to be reading my book, Mystery Girl was a nanny, helping out a family on Spring Break. MG was in…

Including a free spreadsheet template — Marketing can seem like a big, squishy, mystifying concept. Some of Balernum’s clients start out skeptical of it. The first thing we do is correct some misconceptions. Marketing doesn’t have to be flashy or complicated. Marketing is spreading the word and giving people a chance to care. The best way…

Gosh, if I could bottle the time I have wasted on second-guessing myself and sell it, I’d be a very rich man. Kardashian rich. Richard Simmons rich. Maybe you too have had a GREAT call with a client. You whistle a happy little tune while you work up a quote…

My middle kid Theo’s catchphrase of late is “I can do it myself.” I LOVE this boy… his strong will, his humor, his sensitivity. He is a joy. He spreads light wherever he goes. He talks to strangers — we probably need to work on that? …

I’ve spent the last 11 years figuring out why some freelancers and consultants thrive and others don’t. By “thrive” I mean they build profitable businesses and enjoy significantly more financial, time, and creative freedom. Some freelance designers have more margin and take more vacations. Some brand consultants eat more bacon. …

“Mr. Church, why do you have candles in your room? Are you a metrosexual?” This came from Ben, one of the just adorable freshmen I taught during my stint as a high school English teacher in 2005–2006. “Ben,” I said, “You have very rigid ideas about masculinity for someone who…

The other day, I watched Salem, my six-year-old princess, try to make the TV do what she wanted. She punched a button on the Roku remote over and over again. That repetitive noise, drilling into my skull like auditory water torture, is what made me look up. (My three kids…