We wrap up the year with a discussion of navigating holidays and vacations, David's thoughts about getting projects to completion in the new year, Jason's update to his Not-To-Do List, setting the bar high for taking on new clients, end-of-year appreciation gifts for clients, and holiday seasonality. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Amazon.com: The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months eBook: Brian P. Moran, Michael Lennington: Kindle Store Shawn Blanc Photos: A Take Control Crash Course | Take Control Books

John Voorhees of MacStories is a brand-new free agent, a lawyer who left his job in Chicago to set out on his own as a writer and app developer. He tells us how he decided to leave the legal profession and go full time as an independent worker. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Guest Starring: John Voorhees Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership John Voorhees (@johnvoorhees) | Twitter My App Story – MacStories John Voorhees' website

David and Jason discuss the importance of prep time, resetting your balance, gauging the value of your work, time tracking, managing ongoing commitments, getting sick and keeping clients happy, and the value of uncluttered office space. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Photos: A Take Control Crash Course | Take Control Books Photos — MacSparky

App developer, podcaster, analyst, and secret entrepreneur Marco Arment joins us to discuss his journey from college to Tumblr, building Instapaper, getting quit-fired, setting out on his own, and working in bursts of productivity. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Guest Starring: Marco Arment Links and Show Notes: This episode was audio-synced by a tool Marco wrote, encoded with a tool Marco wrote, includes ads managed with a tool Marco wrote, and might be being played by an app Marco wrote. Thanks, Marco! Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Under the Radar - Relay FM Accidental Tech Podcast Overcast

On Halloween, David and Jason revamp the podcast with a new format. David struggles with how he's spending his time. Jason tries to figure out when to say no and gets a better perspective about how well his business is doing, prompted by a job inquiry from a former co-worker. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Podcast Listener Survey: We rely on advertising as a way to support this show. If you could do us a favor and answer a few short questions, it would be really helpful to us. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership My App Story – MacStories Under the Radar #102: Procrastiworking - Relay FM

Unicorn Sidekick Kathy Campbell joins us to discuss how she ended up becoming a Free Agent while behind a desk at her "real job," when having her new career discovered her. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Guest Starring: Kathy Campbell Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership The Unicorn Sidekick

Relay FM Host and App Launch Map founder Aleen Simms joins us to talk about her accidental fall into freelance work and setting high standards for her clients. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Podcast Listener Survey: We rely on advertising as a way to support this show. If you could do us a favor and answer a few short questions, it would be really helpful to us. Guest Starring: Aleen Simms Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership

So you're working in a house full of kids. Or a partner who is there all the time. It can make working from home difficult to say the least. We discuss the good and bad of working around kids (and others) who are in your house with you. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Timing: The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to get 10% off your purchase of Timing. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership

So you're thinking about going out on your own. It's time to build The Spreadsheet, a tool to let you gauge your potential income and expenses and give you a realistic view of what it will take to succeed. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Eero: Never think about WiFi again. Use code FREEAGENTS for free overnight shipping. Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership

Jason asks David to explain where he came from, the background of his career, and what the circumstances were that led him to become an independent worker, and then asks him to reflect on his two-plus years no longer being employed by a law firm. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership