High-Income Business Writing Podcast

Guest Wendy Helfenbaum shares how she takes 4 months off yearly with a 6-figure income. Discusses balancing work and rest as a freelancer, transitioning from journalism to content marketing, marketing strategies for income goals, building referral networks, managing work commitments on breaks, and embracing leisure for a balanced life.

The podcast discusses the dilemma of being a generalist or specialist in business writing, highlighting the importance of defining a target market for better marketing strategies. It explains how to have variety in work while still focusing on a specific niche for success.

For most freelancers, the concept of taking an extended break—be it for maternity leave, personal health, or a sabbatical—has been shrouded in trepidation.   We love the idea of a long break, especially if we’re experiencing burnout. But we immediately dismiss it as unrealistic because we don’t think we can afford to lose the income. Or we fear losing momentum, falling behind, and not being able to seamlessly re-enter the business on the other end of our break.   This week, we're challenging that narrative head-on, with a deep dive into how you can navigate maternity leave (or any extended break) without missing a beat. Not only is this possible, it's an opportunity to strengthen your business and come back stronger.   My guest is a very successful freelance writer and content marketing strategist, Satta Sarmah Hightower. Satta is a previous coaching client of mine. And while we were working together, we put together a plan for a successful maternity leave.   Of course, not every plan works seamlessly. So I wanted to bring Satta into the show to tell us what she did, how it all went, what she learned from the experience — and what advice she has for other freelancers who are thinking about taking an extended break like this but aren’t sure how to make it work.   Satta didn't just manage her maternity leave; she mastered it. From planning and preparation to execution and the transition back into the business world, her journey is a blueprint for any solo professional contemplating a similar break. I’ve been particularly impressed with how she’s managed the work/life balance upon her return—especially with two little ones.   We also spent quite a bit of time discussing her secrets to success. Satta has built a very impressive, high-six-figure business where she’s almost always fully booked. So I asked her to share the biggest factors that have made that possible.   Even if you’re not contemplating a maternity leave or an extended break, I urge you to give this one a listen. You’ll get a glimpse into how a seasoned solo professional runs a very successful business that enabled her to truly exercise the freedom freelancing is supposed to give us.

What do you do when a client or prospect has a piece of long-form content they’ve written internally and they want your help finishing it?   What do you quote? What’s the right way to frame your fee for the client? And how do you approach this kind of project?   Check out my thoughts and advice in this week’s short podcast episode below.

Futurist Kevin Surace discusses the impact of AI on writers and marketers in a shifting economy. Exploring AI's role in driving market dynamics and the need for writers to adapt. Insights on AI tools enhancing productivity, podcast transcription, and addressing plagiarism concerns in the AI era.

Discover how freelance writers can successfully merge journalism and content marketing, as Lindy Alexander shares her journey and tips. Learn about navigating the transition, exploring adjacent markets, balancing on LinkedIn, and the complexities of freelance work. Gain insights into Lindy's courses and resources for writers.

This episode is very different from what I typically do on this show.   It’s a candid conversation between Sarah Greesonbach and me on a number of random topics.   Sarah is not only a very talented B2B writer, she’s also the founder of the , an excellent coach to other B2B writers, a coaching client of mine, and a friend.   We get into a number of topics, including where and how we face resistance ... where we fall short ... life experiences that shaped who we are today ... how we make big decisions ... fear ... being kind to yourself ... our pet peeves about the freelance industry ...   And even the songs we have on our playlists that we’re embarrassed to admit to. What we love. And what we feel is overrated.   After our interview, I then share a raw and open account of my business struggles last year—what happened, why, and what I’ve done to navigate these challenges.   If you’re only looking for straight up advice for your business, this is not really that kind of episode. So feel free to skip it.   But if you’re curious about how Sarah and I have struggled. What we’ve learned. And what makes us who we are, give this one a listen.   It’s a long episode. The longest, in fact, of any episode I’ve created in my 11 years doing this show.   But I didn’t want to hold back. I wanted this to be exactly the kind of conversation Sarah and I might have at a Starbucks. And I wanted you to have an opportunity to listen to us talk with no filter.    Hope you enjoy it!

2023 has not been a great year for many writers and solo marketing professionals.   And when business is not great, one of the first things we ask ourselves is, Should I change or modify my offerings? Will that make a difference?   It’s a great question to ask yourself. But it’s important that you go about your decision in a more methodical way. So rather than just go with your gut, you’ll make better decisions if you take a more analytical approach to this challenge.   In this episode, we’re addressing this question head on. My guest is Nikki Rausch. Nikki is a selling coach and the CEO of . She has over 25 years of selling experience. And her specialty is helping entrepreneurs, small business owners and solo professionals sell successfully and authentically.   This is Nikki’s third appearance in the podcast. She and I are very well aligned in our marketing and sales philosophies, and I love having these important conversations with her. I always walk away with a bit more wisdom and lots of new ideas to think about and implement.   We not only address the issue of service offerings in this conversation, we also get into the importance of lifetime client value, tracking and doubling down on your best marketing strategies, and the biggest mistakes solo professionals make in their sales process when they’re facing a difficult economy.   I hope you enjoy our conversation!

Freelancing is both a blessing and a curse.   It’s a blessing because you’re in charge. You call the shots — not some overpaid and incompetent boss who has no business managing people.   But freelancing is also a curse ... because you’re on your own. Which means that you have to wear all the hats. And when you’re pulled in so many directions, your income can suffer.   Fortunately, there are things you can do to help offset this. And one of the most important is to lower your cost of project acquisition.   When you lower the cost and effort required to land that next project, you can spend more time on billable activities and less time wearing all those other hats I mentioned earlier.   Or less time doing client work and more with your family or working on interesting personal projects—without negatively impacting your income.   How can you do that? That’s the topic of this week’s short podcast episode, where I walk you through 4 specific and practical ideas for earning more in less time.   Enjoy!

Guest Austin L. Church, an expert on money mindset, discusses achieving financial success as a freelancer. They explore beliefs about money, the importance of pricing, and the future of freelancing. They also discuss setting smart strategic prices, finding wealthy role models, addressing conditioning around money, and mastering pricing strategies. Additionally, they explore the future of freelance writing, the role of unique skills, and the competitive advantage of humans in ideation. The chapter ends with a discussion on therapy and an overview of Austin L. Church's book on freelance income.