Freelancer Training on How to Find Direct Clients

Jason Willis-Lee
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🚀 Welcome to the How to Find Direct Clients Podcast – your go-to resource for ambitious translators looking to level up their careers!🎯 Why Tune in?Grow Your Client Base: Learn proven strategies to attract more direct clients and secure steady work.Boost Your Professional Growth: Expert interviews and solo episodes tailored to early-career language providers making 3k or less a month.Maximize Your Potential: Discover how to optimize workflows, embrace technology, and develop skills that set you apart in a competitive industry.Build Your VIP Network: Connect with like-minded peers and expand your professional circle to unlock new opportunities.Overcome Challenges: Gain valuable insights to navigate obstacles, achieve your goals, and become a sought-after freelance translator.✨ This podcast is for YOU if you're ready to invest in your career growth, learn from experts and take your translation career up a notch! Hit the + button in Apple podcasts/iTunes or SUBCRIBE in Spotify to be notified as soon as new episodes drop. Subscribe to our show here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2025705/subscribe

  1. 1D AGO

    Ep 106. Are You Making This Silent Pricing Error? It Could Be Costing You 100% of Your Worth

    Send us a text Are you leaving MONEY on the table without even knowing it? 💸 In this game-changing episode, I sat down with Energy Mindset Coach Kanika Vasudeva to unpack something most solopreneurs get TOTALLY wrong:  how your inner energy determines your business success. Kanika drops MIND-BLOWING insights on: ✨ Why "hustling harder" is actually killing your potential 💡 Pricing yourself based on TRANSFORMATION, not time 🚀 How to attract abundance by shifting your energetic frequency 👥 Setting powerful client boundaries that respect YOUR worth If you're tired of working 24/7 and still feeling stuck, this episode is your wake-up call. Kanika breaks down how to: - Do LESS but achieve MORE - Trust your unique genius - Create inspired business growth Whether you're a coach, consultant, or entrepreneur, this conversation will rewire how you think about success.  Listen to the full episode now – your future self will thank you! 🙌 Support the show ✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback. Just tap the ⭐ at the top of our show page and let us know how we’re doing. Your support helps us bring you more valueable content! If you'd like to support our show you can now do so below. Subscribe

    32 min

  2. DEC 16

    Ep 105. How to Win High-Paying Direct Clients Without Getting Stuck in the Agency Grind Stop competing on price. Start competing on value.

    Send us a text Ready to Move Beyond Agency Work? Download your free worksheet bundle to start positioning yourself for P2P direct client relationships. Francesca Manicardi went from accepting any rate to confidently turning down agency work that doesn't meet her standards.  In this episode, she breaks down the exact quoting strategies, pricing psychology, and mindset shifts that allow freelancers to work less, earn more, and build sustainable businesses with direct clients. What You'll Learn Quoting strategies that convert: Why rates should never appear on page one of your quoteHow to use quotes as risk management tools (not just price lists)The power of repetition for key terms like deadlinesThe agency-to-direct-client transition: Why Francesca's quotes get rejected by agencies (and why she doesn't care)How private clients understand value differently than agenciesWhen working less actually means earning morePricing psychology most freelancers avoid: The danger of accepting low rates early in your careerHow underpricing harms the entire professional communityWhy transparent rate discussions strengthen everyone's positionKey Quote "Once you become a KPI, the price doesn't matter." About Francesca Manicardi Francesca is a multilingual interpreter and translator specializing in wedding interpreting. She's also a mentor for early-career language professionals, helping them navigate the business realities of freelancing that nobody talks about during training. Support the show ✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback. Just tap the ⭐ at the top of our show page and let us know how we’re doing. Your support helps us bring you more valueable content! If you'd like to support our show you can now do so below. Subscribe

    30 min

  3. DEC 9

    Ep 104. From Medical Translator to Patient-Research Pro: Your Path to High-Value Niche Services

    Send us a text Discover the untapped opportunities in patient-sided research and linguistic validation for medical translators. Keith Berelowitz, expert in clinical trial patient engagement, reveals how COVID-19 transformed the pharmaceutical landscape and why pharma companies are now investing heavily in patient-focused research.  Learn exactly where freelancers fit into this high-value niche, how to position yourself effectively, and why the human element in medical translation will always be essential—even in the AI era. What You'll Learn: Keith breaks down the massive shift from clinician-focused to patient-focused clinical trials, explaining why 60-80% of trials still face delays due to poor patient engagement.  You'll discover concrete opportunities in research content creation, digital patient outreach, and behavioral science applications that AI simply cannot replicate.  Keith shares the critical difference between treating patients as data points versus understanding their real-world needs, and how this creates openings for specialized freelancers who can bridge cultural and linguistic nuances. Key Topics Covered: Why COVID-19 catalyzed a fundamental shift toward patient-sided research The explosive growth in rare disease trials running in 15-20+ languages How to use AI as a productivity tool rather than viewing it as competition Applying behavioral science (self-determination theory, cognitive load theory, trust models) to patient engagement Quick wins for positioning yourself in the linguistic validation space The biggest misconceptions pharma companies have about patient recruitment About Keith: Keith leads pRx Engage, a clinical trial patient recruitment and engagement platform specializing in rare disease research.  With a career spanning bench science to commercial clinical research, Keith has pioneered behavioral science applications in patient engagement, helping pharmaceutical companies move beyond transactional recruitment toward long-term relationship building with patients. Resources Mentioned: PRx Engage: prxengage.com Final Takeaway: Clinical research isn't just about patients joining trials; it's about people looking to improve their lives and health. Keep that front and centre, and you'll win trust while building a rewarding career in this specialized niche. Ready to pivot your freelance services toward high-value pharmaceutical clients?  Subscribe to the podcast for more strategies on finding direct clients in clinical research and pharmaceutical markets Support the show ✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback. Just tap the ⭐ at the top of our show page and let us know how we’re doing. Your support helps us bring you more valueable content! If you'd like to support our show you can now do so below. Subscribe

    25 min

  4. NOV 26

    Ep 103. The 3 KPIs That Matter: Unlock Cash and Scale Your Online Service Business Profitably

    Send us a text Jon Morris is the Founder of Fiscal Advocate John scaled Rise Interactive from $10K to $40M in revenue before exiting. Now he helps service businesses grow profitably using financial data through Fiscal Advocate. 4 Lead Generation Methods That Helped Jon Built a $40M Agency Channel Partnerships – Partnered with complementary businesses (web developers) for low-cost referralsCompetitor Referrals – Called larger competitors, take on their below-minimum leadsVerticalization – Built expertise in specific niches (hospital systems)Awards Strategy – Systematically won awards across 4 categories for constant PR momentumScaling Beyond Founder-Dependence Remove yourself from these 4 seats: Head of Growth (Sales/Marketing)Head of Client ServiceBack Office (HR, IT, Finance)Innovation/R&DImplement quarterly planning focused on: revenue, profit margin, cash, infrastructure. AI-Proof Your Service Business Dedicate 5% of revenue to R&DAsk Yourself: "Do I Want to be disrupted or be a disruptor?"Launch actual AI products (not just talk about it)John's currently building Luca, an AI CFO co-pilotCore Philosophy Never lose a customer due to performanceYou'll eventually lose every client – always be winning the next oneMax out possible % of revenue into sales/marketing investmentBuild a performance-based cultureTools John Uses EngineBI (budgeting/forecasting)Pipe Drive (CRM)Triarch (e-mail marketing at scale)Connect with Jon: LinkedIn (posts 3x/week min) | Website |  Support the show ✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback. Just tap the ⭐ at the top of our show page and let us know how we’re doing. Your support helps us bring you more valueable content! If you'd like to support our show you can now do so below. Subscribe

    34 min

  5. NOV 12

    Ep. 102. Future Proofing Your Website and Client Acquisition Strategy: Finding Clients in the AI Era

    Send us a text Download our free book chapter on niching down Schedule a FREE discovery call  In this week's episode, I spoke to Wes Towers, a website design and SEO expert with 20 years experience, to discuss how freelancers and service providers can adapt their digital presence for the AI era.  From "search everywhere optimization" to email marketing strategies, Wes shared with me practical insights on making your website work harder as a lead generation tool. About Wes Towers Wes accidentally fell into the web design industry in 2000 when his first employer—a Sydney marketing company that had never built a website—handed him their first web design project. Two decades later, he now runs Uplift, helping businesses optimize their digital presence for maximum visibility and lead generation. Key Topics Discussed 🔍 From SEO to "Search Everywhere Optimization" Why our websites still matter even as AI search answers questions directlyYour website content trains AI systems—make sure it's yoursThe fundamentals of SEO still apply: fast loading, simple structure and great content🎯 The Power of Niching Down "The riches are in the niches"—become the authority in your specialized spaceHow to become a "category of one" by highlighting what makes you authentically differentFinding your unique angle by identifying industry frustrations💡 Website Lead Generation Tips Reduce friction on quote request forms—keep fields minimal (3-4 max)Place website elements where users expect themBalance lead magnets with user experience📧 Email Marketing Strategy Always build an email list if you can engage with it regularlyCounterintuitive insight: Emailing too infrequently causes MORE unsubscribesCreate reasons for regular contact (retainers, quarterly check-ups)💰 Platform Recommendations For large lists (10K+): Consider MailerLite over expensive options like Pipedrive (€300/month)Wes uses Go High Level for email marketing and business managementMake emails look authentic rather than salesy for better engagement📝 Daily Visibility Practice Publish fresh, unique content weekly (or at least, monthly)Signals to search engines that your business is active and relevantBiggest Mistakes Businesses Make with Websites Overcomplicated quote request forms that create frictionNot publishing regular content to signal relevanceFailing to syndicate their message across multiple platformsNot leveraging their unique perspective to stand out from competitorsBest Business Advice Wes Ever Received Niche down. It felt counterintuitive and bold, Support the show ✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback. Just tap the ⭐ at the top of our show page and let us know how we’re doing. Your support helps us bring you more valueable content! If you'd like to support our show you can now do so below. Subscribe

    24 min

  6. OCT 29

    Ep 101. The 50/50 Rule: Fin Wycherley’s Strategy for Turning Social Media Content into Bank Clients

    Send us a text Download our free book chapter on niching down Schedule a discovery call I just learned why 90% of small businesses are wasting their social media efforts. (And it's costing them high-value clients every single day.) This week I spoke with digital marketing expert Fyn Wycherley of Superized Media, who's built such influential reach that even Barack Obama and Daniel Priestley follow her. She revealed the exact strategies that convert social media followers into paying clients—especially for those operating under six figures. THE BIGGEST MISTAKE: You're Publishing, Not Marketing ✅Most of us treat social media like a free PR machine—dumping content as a checklist exercise. ✅Marketing is about getting content in front of your target audience, nurturing trust, and leading with incredibly interesting, educational or entertaining content. ✅Every post should be an icebreaker. Without visibility and trust, the algorithm kills your content cold. THE CONTENT FORMULA THAT WORKS If you're posting 7 days a week, use the T-M-B Formula: → 4 Top-of-Funnel posts: Deliver massive value because people don't know you yet. → 2 Middle-of-Funnel posts: Share case studies for people ready to buy. → 1 Bottom-of-Funnel post: Include an offer or CTA. If your service costs over €750, you need a nurturing mechanism (emails, lead magnets). WHY YOU NEED VIDEO (even if like introvert me you don't like it) Video is the only way to genuinely win trust online. Fyn's clients go from a couple hundred views to 200,000 people per post when they embrace video. PLATFORM-SPECIFIC STRATEGIES → Instagram Reels: Informal, spontaneous energy with visual movement. → LinkedIn: Infographics and carousels get the best reach. Drop "gold nuggets," not boring content. → Multi-Platform: create once, spread everywhere (LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook). THE STORYTELLING SECRET You have 2 seconds to stop the scroll. Never start with "Hi, my name's..." Use suspension and intrigue. Hook them immediately. AI: YOUR IDEA GENERATOR Use ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity for ideas only. Then add your personality. People smell generic AI content a mile away. FYN'S GAME-CHANGING ADVICE ✅Split your energy 50/50: ✅50% creating content ✅50% engaging and building community The Bottom Line: Stop broadcasting. Start building trust and converting followers into clients. What's your biggest challenge with converting social media followers into paying clients? Connect with Fyn Wycherley on LinkedIn or visit Superized Media. #DigitalMarketing #SocialMediaStrategy #ContentMarketing #SmallBusiness #BusinessGrowth Support the show ✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback. Just tap the ⭐ at the top of our show page and let us know how we’re doing. Your support helps us bring you more valueable content! If you'd like to support our show you can now do so below. Subscribe

    31 min

  7. OCT 22

    Ep 100. Future-Proofing Your Freelance Career: Mastering Business Systems and Relationships in the AI Digital Era with Brandon Pflieger

    Send us a text Download your FREE personal branding video Schedule a FREE discovery call Podcast Ep. 100 is here. Mastering Business Systems and Relationships in the AI Digital Era with Brandon Pflieger To celebrate the 100th episode of Freelancer Training on How to Find More Direct Clients, I sat down with Brandon Pflieger, small business consultant and founder of Capital Growth Partners, to discuss sustainable growth strategies for solopreneurs and freelancers navigating the AI-powered digital landscape.  Brandon shares his proven "business blueprint" approach for helping startups and small businesses scale from 0 to 1M in revenue, with a focus on what AI can't replace—authentic human P2P relationships and trust. Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up your freelance business, this conversation is jam-packed with actionable insights on working smarter, pricing your worth, and building systems that support long-term success. Notable Nuggets Sustainable Business Growth for Solopreneurs – Moving beyond the hustle to create systems that work Working Smarter, Not Harder – Strategies to maximize efficiency without burning out Knowing Your Worth – How to price your services and communicate your value Setting Clear Outcomes – The importance of defining success with clients upfront The Human Element AI Can't Replace – Why trusting client relationships remain critical in the AI era The Business Blueprint Diagnostic – A framework for analyzing your business across four dimensions: People Processes & Systems Product Marketing Sales Process SOPs – Creating standard operating procedures that convert The Power of Client Referrals – Turning satisfied clients into your best marketing channel Building Your Virtual Presence – Strategic tips for LinkedIn and Meta platforms 5 Key Takeaways Trust Over Tech – While AI can automate many tasks, it cannot replace the trust and authentic relationships that drive long-term freelance success Systems Create Freedom – Implementing SOPs and processes allows you to scale without sacrificing quality or your sanity Referrals Are Gold – A strong referral network from satisfied clients is one of the most sustainable growth strategies Strategic Digital Presence – Focus your online efforts on platforms where your ideal clients are active (LinkedIn and Meta being key) Resources Mentioned Capital Growth Partners – Brandon Pflieger's consulting firm LinkedIn – Key platform for professional networking and client acquisition Meta Platforms – Strategic social media presence for freelancers Connect with Brandon Company: Capital Growth Partners LinkedIn:  Tune in here:  https://lnkd.in/dmCt78pz Support the show ✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback. Just tap the ⭐ at the top of our show page and let us know how we’re doing. Your support helps us bring you more valueable content! If you'd like to support our show you can now do so below. Subscribe

    33 min

  8. OCT 14

    Ep 99 Organizational Change Expert Sarena Diamond Helps Online Language Pros Adapt to the Rapid Shifts Brought on by AI and Automation

    Send us a text Download your FREE personal branding video Schedule a FREE discovery call Sarena Diamond is this week's guest on a podcast aimed at entrepreneurs in the language services industry. When Sarena and I first talked, I realized that every business where there are people involved is facing enormous challenge and change these days. And change doesn't fail because of language gaps, but the importance of the change often gets lost in translation (see what I did there! LOL) So, I hope you will tune in as we unpack what really makes change stick and why treating transformation like a project instead of a human experience is where most leaders go wrong. Saren'a quick lessons on:  💎 Managing change vs. managing projects  💎 The 3 non-negotiables for lasting transformation  💎 Why “good ideas” still meet resistance  💎 What to actually measure if you want to know your change is working If you’ve ever launched an initiative that fizzled, or you want to make sure what you are working on currently doesn't go awry, this one’s for you! As always, I'd love to hear your feedback! #ChangeManagement #BusinessTransformation #LanguageServices #EntrepreneurPodcast #Leadership #OrganizationalChange #ChangeLeadership #BusinessGrowth #TranslationIndustry #LanguageIndustry #LSP #TranslationBusiness #LanguageEntrepreneur #LocIndustry #TranslationEntrepreneur #LanguageServiceProviders #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #SmallBusiness #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessStrategy #PodcastEpisode #ChangeAgent #BusinessLeadership Support the show ✅ If this episode hits home, please subscribe and leave a review to support the show. On Apple Podcasts or Spotify, you can easily rate the show and share your feedback. Just tap the ⭐ at the top of our show page and let us know how we’re doing. Your support helps us bring you more valueable content! If you'd like to support our show you can now do so below. Subscribe

    31 min
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🚀 Welcome to the How to Find Direct Clients Podcast – your go-to resource for ambitious translators looking to level up their careers!🎯 Why Tune in?Grow Your Client Base: Learn proven strategies to attract more direct clients and secure steady work.Boost Your Professional Growth: Expert interviews and solo episodes tailored to early-career language providers making 3k or less a month.Maximize Your Potential: Discover how to optimize workflows, embrace technology, and develop skills that set you apart in a competitive industry.Build Your VIP Network: Connect with like-minded peers and expand your professional circle to unlock new opportunities.Overcome Challenges: Gain valuable insights to navigate obstacles, achieve your goals, and become a sought-after freelance translator.✨ This podcast is for YOU if you're ready to invest in your career growth, learn from experts and take your translation career up a notch! Hit the + button in Apple podcasts/iTunes or SUBCRIBE in Spotify to be notified as soon as new episodes drop. Subscribe to our show here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2025705/subscribe

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