Hey Reader,

Did you get a chance to catch the eclipse?

I drove three hours north to meet up with family in rural Maine, and I experienced about 100% totality for about 90 seconds.

The anemic light, the cold rush of air, the strange black-hole sun (are you old enough to get that reference?)...

It was truly awe-inspiring. Also: unsettling, ominous, and eerie.

But I'm so glad I did it, and I would 100% do it again.

And the only reason I was able go see this rare, beautiful event was because I'm a freelancer.

Working for myself meant I could wait until I was certain conditions would be perfect to plan my adventure.

I didn't have to check with anyone or take up one of my precious "vacation days" --- I just rented a car early in the morning and took off.

That kind of freedom and flexibility is the true value of freelancing, and it's so hard to communicate to people who haven't experienced it.

I was reminded of this recently when I came across these comments on TikTok, which stirred up a lot of feelings in me.

I'm the pink commenter, so I did my best to make my opinion known within TikTok's limited word count. But I still have more to say.

To the grumpy blue commenter, I say this:

People choose freelancing because the job market is broken. Freelancers did not break the job market; most of us end up here because we can see how broken it is, and we want something better.

The yellow commenter makes a better point, in my opinion.

They are right that there are some serious drawbacks to being a freelancer. I've written about them before.

But in my experience, the "support" I received from management at traditional jobs is often harmful, not helpful.

HR and Legal don't care about individual employees, and will turn on you in a heartbeat.

The yellow commenter also doesn't seem to understand the true benefits of being a freelancer.

Just to name a few, we freelancers...

⌛ Don't have to waste time in pointless meetings

👀 Aren't monitored and micromanaged by others

🤗 Get to choose the people and clients we work with

🍸 Don't have to attend "mandatory fun" team bonding activities

🧳 Can work from anywhere in the world

👋 Can quit a job without losing 100% of our income

In my opinion, these benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

But I can't deny what the yellow commenter says about sales and marketing.

Marketing is the #1 thing that ends young freelance careers. It is a thankless, neverending job that can suck up time and seriously hurt your ego.

You will only make it past your first year freelancing if you find ways to make marketing less uncomfortable and more enjoyable.

But when you're starting out, trying to do that feels like stumbling around in the dark without a flashlight.

I struggled with it too, and it took me a long time to land on the marketing strategies that routinely brought me the high-paying, friendly, and interesting leads I so desperately wanted.

After teaching these strategies to my mentorship students, I decided to boil them down and put them in my Lead Generation Guide.

I wanted to make my marketing methods accessible to anyone who wants to spend less time worrying about where their next lead will come from, and instead enjoy a steady stream of leads that will pay you what you're worth.

Check it out if you haven't --- the first chapter is free.

I hope the guide helps you maintain a freelance career that lasts until the next total eclipse (unless you retire first!). In the meantime, I'd love to hear about your marketing strategy.

🤔 What does your daily or weekly marketing strategy look like?

🤔 What's the most painful part of marketing your freelance business?

Reply to this email and let me know --- I'll share the best tips and insights in an upcoming newsletter.

If you're curious about more personalized help with your marketing strategy, let's chat. Booking a free consultation with me might be just want you need to nab your next big lead. 😉

- Liam