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A funny thing happens when you work for yourself: some clients try to take advantage of you. Maybe not on purpose. Maybe they just don’t know any better. Yet, it still happens. That’s why it’s up to YOU to set them straight. And it all starts by embracing your badassery. Shift the narrative of who exactly is in charge of your business. Sure, as a freelancer, you get to work:
That part’s great, no? That also means you get to make the rules. For example, you can determine:
Yet, for some reason, some clients—and prospective clients—will try to dictate the rules. Here’s the secret: Don’t let them. Earn the Respect You Deserve It all starts with you. You’ve got to be your own little badass. You’ve got to stop accepting this disrespectful behavior. So often we let fear and anxiety take over. We accept poor treatment because we don’t know any better … or we’re desperate for money. And we get in our own way when we don’t have good policies (read: boundaries) in place. Understand that being self-employed does NOT give others the right to walk all over you. As a freelance business owner, you are well within your right to determine your own policies, what’s negotiable, and what’s a dealbreaker. Start by Training Yourself You can’t train your clients until you’re trained yourself. So, start with number one.
Figure all this out ahead of time, be ready for different scenarios, and be prepared to stand your ground. Then Train Your Clients Be proactive by getting everything in writing and having any hard discussions upfront. Consider sharing a ‘Working with Me’ document or a ‘What to Expect’ section on your website.
And get comfortable saying no. Plain and simple. It’s hard at first, sure, yet it’s super empowering once you’re able to master it. Act Like a Business, Get Treated Like a Business Getting treated with respect starts with you. You’ve got to command respect. And you can do that with the above suggestions. Just like in life, in business, people will treat you with what you allow. They’ll walk all over you if you let them. Don’t let them. Get your ducks in a row, get educated, train yourself, and train your clients. If something feels wrong, it probably is. Ask questions. Trust your gut. And have a gameplan in place. If all else fails, walk away. There’s plenty of work out there—with people who WILL treat you fairly. You just have to find it. Think about:
The more we band together collectively as freelancers and start accepting nothing less than fair treatment and respect, the better off we’ll all be. Find the confidence. And embrace your badassery. -- via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2023/04/13/embrace-your-badassery/
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AuthorI have 5+ years experience working as a medical transcriptionist. When I am not working, I enjoy sports like playing basketball or judo. I love making friends and connections. Archives
April 2023
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