The 6-Figure Freelancer Podcast | Freelancing | Entrepreneurship | Clients | Finances | Motivation | Personal Development | Mindset

Tracy Timm is the founder of Nth Degree Career Academy, and a career coach who works with individuals and organizations who want to realize their full potential, do work they love, and make an impact at the same time. She has a fascinating story that I'm excited to share with you in today's episode. In a way, Tracy was her own first client. She found herself in a place of misery with her job, wondering every day if this was all there was to life. She tolerated the job because she was making money and achieving some level of success (at least on the outside). Eventually she decided it was time to quit. And the process she worked through is the same one she now uses with clients. The steps she took to figure out what she really wanted and turn that into a profitable business became a blueprint she could use to help others do the same. Tracy and I related on so many levels in this episode. It was great to hear how she helps people redefine their lives so they can chase success. This is the perfect episode for anyone working a nine-to-five, looking to turn their side hustle into a future business. "Nothing is wasted unless you waste it. So if you're in a job right now and you feel the inkling to do something different, I would invite you to consider that." In this episode Tracy talks about: Her journey from a nine-to-five employee to a business owner. Her three-phase career clarity strategy. The importance of being able to define a niche in your career. Main Takeaways Understand that it's ok to quit. If you're looking for a sign about when to quit, that's a good enough sign in and of itself that you should quit. Don't let someone else's definition of success define you. While building your business, don't use a side hustle as your main form of income. Instead, start using your free time to grow your business and treat that as your side hustle. Learn how to grow where you're planted. Figure out how you can get all that you possibly can out of the current situation you're in before moving on to something bigger. Learn how to understand the value of your previous experiences. Discover your true value, define your unique niche of genius, and then drive your career forward. Links Brendan Buchard - Why to QUIT Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Tracy's diagram for this episode Tracy's Website Tracy's Email Follow Tracy on Instagram Follow Tracy on Twitter Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

After reflecting on 2019, one of the things I wanted to get better at in 2020 was nourishing my energy. Often, I overload myself by saying 'yes' to so many different things and I want to change that this year. Too often, I pour myself out and help or volunteer, but I found that the more I poured out of my cup, the less I had for myself. I've started taking several steps this year to nourish my energy, and want to share them with you today. "At the end of the day, if I'm going to be a good business owner and a good leader, I need to invest in myself. I need to pour into myself. We need to take care of ourselves and our energy in order to be the best we can be for others." In this episode Avani talks about: Why it's important to nourish your energy as a freelancer. How to allow flexibility into your schedule without compromising productivity. Changing up your work week and letting it evolve to play to your strengths. 1. Block off mornings Make your morning sacred. Use your mornings (until 9 or 10 am) to journal, meditate, or just think. I also highly recommend limiting phone usage and allow yourself to be grounded. 2. Take time to relax Just like scheduling meetings for my business, I've started scheduling "me" time. This includes workouts, massages, nail appointments, and walks. 3. Do more to refill your energy "cup" There are little things in life that can help get us energized. For me it's working out, chatting with friends, and spending more time with my husband. Look for the re-energizers in your life. 4. Listen to your intuition This might be hard to do at first, but practice firmly and gently saying "no" when there's too much on your plate. You're not saying no to that person as a person, just to the thing they asked you. 5. Volunteer less Unless it is something that lights you up and gives you energy, don't feel the need to volunteer, especially at first. If you have other projects that are a priority, it's probably not the best thing for you to do in that moment. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Designing your ideal week as a freelancer is one of my favorite topics and in this episode we talk about how to do it effectively. It's important that we get our weeks right as freelancers so that we can optimize our time for the best productivity, the best output, and to match the times of day our brains work the best. Setting your own schedule is one of the best parts about being a freelancer, but it's important to make sure you actually set a schedule for yourself. "The key thing to remember is that proper planning prevents poor performance. If you want your week to work for you, you have to plan it in advance. It has to be put together very deliberately." In this episode Avani talks about: How to plan out your work week as a freelancer. How to allow flexibility in your schedule without compromising productivity. Changing up your work week and letting it evolve to play to your strengths. 1. Set the days you will not work On a calendar, or a schedule in front of you, cross out the days that you will not work in the week. Plotting it out is helpful so that you can visually see it. 2. Set your working hours Similar to the last step, cross out the hours you aren't working, or highlight the hours that you are working. Make it clear to yourself what those hours are. 3. Treat your business like a business It's important that you stick to the schedule that you are setting for yourself and that you're strict about it. You wouldn't take a break to do laundry in an office, why would you do it if you're working from home? 4. Set aside different types of days Mark or label on your schedule the type of work that needs to happen on each day. One day could be meetings, another could be a work day. Tailor the days to best suit your needs. 5. Designate days that allow for flexibility Allow yourself some days that are flexible. These days can be for appointments, errands, lunches, etc. Don't do these things any time of the week, make plans for them instead. 6. Figure out what times you are most productive Play with what works to your energy. If you're a morning person, plan your more difficult work in the morning. Don't plan your creative time right after meetings if talking burns you out. Experiment! Links Breakthrough with Avani Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

We all have times in our lives where our minds dwell on something negative for too long and we can't get past it. I had one of those weeks recently, and I want to share what helped me get through it. Ultimately, when I look back on this experience, I realize that this was an experience that happened for me, instead of to me, and that I was able to learn a lot about myself when I reflect on it. "We suffer more in imagination than in reality. We as humans tend to put ourselves through the ringer when we don't need to. We make things up, we make things mean more than they need to." In this episode Avani talks about: How to get out of your own head. Leaning into your support group for help. Learning how to remember gratitude during stressful times. 1. Don't get caught up in your own thought process As humans, we tend to make things a bigger deal than they actually are. It's our brains trying to make meaning out of that situation. It's important to separate yourself from that situation and to stop identifying with it too much. 2. Use the tools in your tool belt Use your resources to help clear your head. Whether it be meditating, journaling, or reading; anything to help clear your mind. It's also a good idea to lean into your support system of friends and family. 3. Redirect your thoughts through gratitude When darker thoughts start to creep into your head, start thinking thoughts of gratitude instead. Start thinking of things that you're thankful for. Make a list of them in a journal or in your head and make note of them when you start to feel terrible. Links Breakthrough with Avani The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

2019 has come and gone, and while I was reflecting, I realized that some of the highlights for me had to do with reframing. As an NLP follower, we're taught that events in life have no inherent meaning, it's up to our brains to assign meaning to them. This means that we can change the meaning of almost every thing that happens to us. In 2019, I had several events that could have been negative experiences, but I decided to reframe them to be more positive and to see what I gained from experiencing them. This was a powerful exercise and helped me get through 2019. In this episode, I walk through some tips on reframing events in your life so that you can take those potentially negative situations and see the light at the end of the tunnel. "I realized that reframing was so powerful, and being able to use it very deliberately in my life has given me the ability to move past things and take the most positive things away from my experiences, whether they were positive or not." Avani's three questions to ask when reframing a situation: What is a different way I can look at this? How it is working out in my favor? What is the positive in this? 1. Tearing my MCL Many of you already know this, but I tore my MCL January 1, 2019 while I was skiing. Tearing your MCL has a lot of unexpected consequences and keeps you out of a lot things that you might regularly do. I decided to reframe and look at all the benefits it brought me. I now love doing Pilates and spin, something I hadn't been doing before. Now my workout is more diverse and holistic. 2. Client attraction income goals I set a six-figure income goal for my client attraction method. I didn't get anywhere close to it, but that doesn't mean the situation was a loss. I asked myself "what did I gain from this?" I increased my email list quite significantly and two people who took my course hit the $10k/month goal. This is the best news I could have asked for. 3. Failing to win a client contract If you write a lot of contracts, you will inevitably fail to get some. I made the decision to reframe this situation. If I don't land a client, great, that client wasn't a good fit for me anyway, and now that time and energy can be devoted to other clients. 4. Planning my wedding There are a lot of decisions to make when planning a wedding and they can feel even more stressful if you're also trying to build a business. I overcame the stress of planning my wedding by reframing the decisions and just deciding to be thankful that I would have a party to spend with my family and friends. 5. Forgetting my Tesla key card I had to give my phone to my brother to get our Tesla back home. That means I had to spend four days without my phone. Instead of thinking "this sucks", I reframed it as a surprise digital detox. It allowed me to fill my mind with white space and just get reacquainted with myself. Links Breakthrough with Avani Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Sometimes life steps in and gives you the break you need. That's what happened to me the weekend before Christmas. Long story short, I was without my phone for four days, and even though the situation could have been avoided, I reframed it as a positive digital detox experience. Here are a few things I learned, and how you can apply them to your own digital detox. The best version of you might just be when you're unplugged! "It's healthy for us to lose our phones in our house once in awhile and be away from them. Have nights with our loved ones where it's a no phone or no internet night, or just unplug the internet. You might play a board game and have fun instead of sitting and watching Netflix or scrolling on Instagram and getting lost in the Instagram echo chamber." In this episode Avani talks about: How she stumbled into a digital detox. How she uses her devices differently and how they affected her detox. What she discovered about herself when she didn't have her phone to distract her. 1. Filling white space with technology If you're like me, you crave creativity and white space. What I realized when I was without my phone is that the white space has been there all along, I've just been filling it with Instagram and other apps on my phone. If you take a break every now and then, you'll get the white space you've been craving. 2. It takes time to be ok with white space You'll need some time to get used to not having your technology around. We're so dependent on our devices that the lack of connectivity will feel different. That's ok and it will be helpful in getting those creative juices back. 3. You have an imagination — use it! You can discover a lot about yourself and how your brain perceives your everyday life when you don't have something to distract it. Your imagination might go a little far and assign seemingly mundane situations with deeper meaning. Keep an eye on it because it can really give you great insight into your own personality. 4. Enjoy your daily routine I already have some digital-free tasks built in to my daily routine, like meditation, but I found myself enjoying more of my little daily tasks because I was already on this detox. You may notice yourself enjoying seemingly normal tasks even more as well. 5. Feel more present Being off my phone made me feel in the moment more than I normally would. This is something that I want to get better at moving into the new year and this is a simple way to boost your mindfulness in a situation. 6. You might not actually miss your phone I thought that I needed my phone like I need my hands or arms. It's just not true. We don't need these devices, and it's a good idea to practice life without them sometimes. Have "no phone nights" with your loved ones or unplug the internet. 7. Detox more often We need to do this more often. All of us. I know that this would be instrumental in me being the best version of myself and I think that it can help you as well. I'm planning on doing this on a regular basis moving forward. 8. My brain wants to obsess My brain is constantly "on". We need to figure out ways to shut it off every once in a while to be better versions of ourselves. I realized I had become addicted to anxiety and stress and I was burying it in Instagram. When I didn't have it, my brain made up things to be stressed about. If you notice this in yourself, make a plan to detox and remedy! Links Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Singer Breakthrough with Avani Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

One of the first episodes of this podcast focused on how to get a raise. After nearly 200 episodes, I realized that I needed to revise some of my earlier suggestions. To that end, I want to revisit the steps for how to easily and effortlessly get a raise. If you're serious about getting a raise, write these steps down and start applying them today, because you will notice—especially with the first step—that this isn't an overnight process. "If we're working for other people and we're working our butts off towards a mission, a goal, or something amazing, why not get the most out of what we're doing in our nine to five?" In this episode Avani talks about: How she used to feel about raises and how she would go about getting them. Why it's important to hold yourself (and others) accountable for getting your raise. Strategies and resources for determining how much of a raise to ask for, and how to go about asking for it. 1. Prepare your manager for the ask I like to start six months in advance, and set goals with managers. I'll sit down with my manager and I'll say, "I'm so excited to tackle my 2020 goals this year and I'm so pumped because we're working on these specific initiatives in order to support these other initiatives. These are the things I'm going to do in my role so that it can make the company achieve these goals and make your life better. These are my three to five goals that I've set out to do and to work on." Share them with your manager, get feedback so they feel like they've made these goals with you, and they know that they are impactful for the business and for your team. 2. Keep a running list of your accomplishments I like to use a spreadsheet and I will have one column for the name of their project and then another column for how long that project took. Then you can write down in the next column the initiative or goal that this is supporting for the company and the impact that it's going to make. If you happen to know the revenue that your initiative has provided, then make sure to write that down so they can quantify it. 3. Update your manager monthly on your progress Each month, remind your manager of your goals and update them on the progress you're making. When the time comes to give you a raise, they should be so excited to be throwing a bunch of money at you because they know you've earned it. 4. Do everything you can to make your manager's life easier Ask your manager how you can make their life easier. It will be so cool to see how your manager feels supported with that question. My managers didn't always have something for me to do, but sometimes they did and I would help them out with that. My goal was to make their life easier so they would rally for me when it was time for me to get a raise and they would want to support me. 5. Accomplish the goals you set Keep your spreadsheet updated, put your head down, work hard, and do your thing. Don't get caught up in office politics or gossip. It's not worth your time, and it's just a distraction. Heads down. Get your work done. I promise you, this strategy wins every time. 6. Find out where you fall in the market Robert Half has a great guide for determining where you fall in the market of creatives. I highly recommend downloading their guide and finding out where you sit. It's a great jumping off point for figuring out what kind of compensation you are going to ask for. 7. Determine what you're going to ask for I'll start with a point that's the lowest and highest on a salary range. Then I'll be more confident to ask for something inside of this range. But this is just one strategy. If you find one that works better for you, then use it. Just know what you're going to ask for. 8. Ask for it Have this conversation scheduled so it's not a surprise. Approach the meeting with your spreadsheet, goals, printout of a salary guide and where you fall. With those three things along with your contributions to the team and the goals you hit (based on your earlier conversation), give you the ability to say "I deserve 'x'". 9. Follow up At the end of your conversation about compensation, you need to ask when you can expect to hear back. When that time comes around, make sure you follow up. Keep the pressure on so that your manager knows you're serious about getting this raise. It might take longer than expected due to layers of management, but don't give up asking about it until you've heard. Links The 6-Figure Freelancer 003: How to Confidently and Effectively Ask for a Raise Breakthrough with Avani Toggl Creative Salary Guide 2020 by Robert Half Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

This time of year is one of my favorites. It provides an opportunity to plan for the year ahead and to do it deliberately. Good years don't just happen by accident. We make them happen. In today's episode I share exactly what I plan to do to make my year a good one. Even though I use the same methods each year, the plan itself evolves. I do it with my family, with my husband, and and it's something you can use as a blueprint. You don't have to copy it exactly, but use it as a starting point as you plan your year ahead. Let's get planning! "If I had one secret to give you and leave you with, it's that if you want to know how things can always go well for you, all you need to do is practice gratitude every single day." In this episode Avani talks about: Why she organizes her thoughts and aspirations before the new year. Why gratitude is so important in her life, and why it should be important in yours as well. How making lists of what she learned in the previous year hep her prep for the next one. Make mental space Purposefully make time and set it aside to create mental white space. Have time to think and breathe mentally and just be idle and not always be thinking about your next deliverable. It's important as we go into the new year to sit and be with your thoughts, to reflect and take stock of what happened. Review & take stock Take four to six hours (it doesn't have to be all at once) and take stock of what happened over the last year. Some great ways to review and remember what you did is to look at your calendar. I always look at my calendar and go through the year, month-by-month. You can also look at photos to remind you what you did in the previous year. You'll be surprised by how much you forgot! List what you're grateful for Gratitude is such a powerful tool to have in your toolbox, and using it invites more of the same into your life. Make a long list of things that you're thankful for over the last year. Not only will this feel good, but it will cement the idea that you should be grateful every day! List what you learned There are so many events that happened over the last year that you need to synthesize them and figure out what life lessons you learned from them. This will help you keep an eye out for similar lessons in the new year. List all the significant events Remembering these events will help you feel present in your new year and it's also just fun to remember everything that happened. List affirmations and desired states What kind of person do you want to be? What are the things you want to do? How do you want to feel every day when you wake up? Paint an amazing picture of your future desires for 2020 and beyond. This is your GPS for the new year. List out your goals You can have any goals that you want, but it's important to have a reason or motivation behind them. These will motivate you throughout the year to get where you want to be and help you attain that future desired state. Links Breakthrough with Avani Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Education is one of the strongest ways we can empower people in their own lives. Most of the time when people launch a new business as service providers, it's in a one-to-one structure. But we can have so much more impact, and empower more people, when we move to a one-to-many structure and amplify how we teach. This is exactly why I wanted to talk with Emily Walker. She's the founder of Modern Leaders Collective. Emily uses online courses to help entrepreneurs create courses for their own businesses. By creating these courses, she is able to reach a much broader audience than she would with one-on-one coaching, and she helps her clients do the same. In her career as an educator, Emily has seen that the strongest courses are usually created by people who have worked with enough clients that they can start to see the patterns in their habits, obstacles, and pain points. One of the biggest things she's learned over time in her business is that it's OK to launch something that's not perfect. You can always iterate on your product or course. Spend your time intentionally building the journey so that you know you're going to get your clients results. Giving people high quality, actionable information is more important than production value. Emily is extremely passionate about what she does as an educator and her efforts to empower people. I learned so much in my conversation with her and I know that you will, too! "What we're doing as educators is we're sharing our knowledge and our passion with the world so that we can make a difference." In this episode Emily talks about: How online courses are helpful to entrepreneurs. Common mistakes entrepreneurs make when creating their first online learning experience. How online courses don't need to look perfect in order to convey good and helpful information. Main Takeaways Education is one of the strongest ways to empower people. Educating usually starts on a one-on-one level, but there comes a point where we can't take on any more clients. By recognizing similar patterns between clients, you can start to develop an online course built for a larger group that caters to their needs. A common mistake entrepreneurs make while creating their first course is designing content before planning action. It is important to have a clear direction in mind so that clients will know what actions they need to take to get from point A to point B. Build the course around you and your clients, instead of just looking at what other online courses feature. Tailor it to the needs and uses of your clients and yourself. Online courses don't need to look pretty. Your job as a course leader is to get your clients the information they need. As you continue teaching the course, you can start making your material look nicer or tweak things that didn't work. What you have to say is more important than how professional your course looks. Links Modern Leaders Collective - Inspire Action Free Guide Mistakes You're Making When Creating Your Online Course (and how to fix them) How To Choose A Platform For Your Online Course Follow Emily on Instagram Subscribe to Emily's YouTube Channel Thinkific Teachable Kajabi Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Avani on Twitter Avani on Instagram Avani on LinkedIn

When life gets busy, especially during the holiday season, it's easy to lose that white space that sparks creative energy. In 2020, one of the things I want to work on is protecting my creative energy so I can inspire creative ideas easily and effortlessly. I'm working on five things that I want to do more of as we move into the new year to come up with amazing, impactful ideas. I'm excited to share them so that you can also make those impactful ideas for yourself, your clients, your friends, and your family. "One of my favorite things to do is create and in order for me to be constantly creating I need to work out my creative muscle. It's something that I need to do on a regular basis. Just like I work out my physical muscles at the gym, I need to work out my creative muscle as well." In this episode Avani talks about: Protecting her creative energy when life gets busy. How she gets past creativity roadblocks. The importance of analog media to the creative process. 1. Step away If you feel like you're stuck or you feel like your ideas are falling flat, take a break from the project. The subconscious mind is one of the most powerful parts of the brain, and it will work on those ideas even while we're not thinking of them. Once we have that space, it can and will resurface those ideas! 2. Reach out to others It is so valuable to meet with others and get ideas from other people through conversation. In conversation, we're exchanging ideas. They might even be unrelated ideas, but they can end up sparking new ideas. 3. Practice ideation daily In order to be constantly creating, it is important to exercise your creative muscles on a regular basis. One of the best ways to do this is to generate 10 ideas per day, every single day. Not only is this helpful for your creative muscles, but the ideas can be used to implement in your life! 4. Look for inspiration If you ever come across something that strikes you as a good idea, document it. Take a picture, take a screenshot, or write it down. Make that a habit. Soon you'll have a collection of great ideas that you can look at and draw inspiration from whenever you need it. 5. Switch between analog and digital Don't box yourself in to your computer or phone. Allow your brain the chance to break out of that container and physically draw or write. The physical activities allow your brain to make new connections as you're generating new ideas. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

In 2018, I remember planning my wedding very vividly, and looking at my wedding and my honeymoon and feeling stressed out about how I was going to make two weeks off happen. Just two weeks. I didn't know how that was going to happen without my business crumbling. Because, at that point, I had never taken a full week off. In 2019, I took seven weeks off and at least four of them were completely unplugged. At the end of the day, we left our jobs to be able to live our dream lives, to be able to do whatever you wanted, to take time off whenever we wanted. We didn't sign up to work our butts off all the time for no break or reward. So today, I'm going to share with you how I managed to take so much time off in 2019, and still make money in my business. "I think our business needs to be scalable. A business needs to be something that can run on its own if something happens or if we need to take a vacation because we're human. We need rest. And I'm really passionate about this and passionate about enabling you to have time off and still make money." In this episode Avani talks about: How she managed to go from uncertain about taking any time off to taking seven weeks off in one year. Why resting and taking time off is so important. The steps she's taking to get her fire back and put herself back in the driver's seat. 1. Plan ahead I made sure to tell my team and my clients about my trips. I was very clear that I was going to help them hit their deadlines, even when I was gone. That meant we would need to work extra ahead of time if needed. I scheduled business development calls or meetings upfront, and told clients I would follow up with them when I was back. Being transparent is incredibly important if you're going to take time off! 2. Trust and empower your team You can't clone yourself, so if you're working with others, you need to trust that they will fill in the gaps while you are gone. If you plan ahead, you'll be able to be clear about what's expected of them while you're offline. Empower them to work without you and complete the work that needs to be done! 3. Realize your clients are understanding Your clients are human, too. They will understand that taking some R&R is necessary for you to perform at your best. If that's a problem, then you should be considering if they are a client you want to keep working with. 4. Use your project management system Using your tools is critical. When I left for vacation I was leaving behind clear, concise instructions and tasks so that everyone knew exactly what they had to do. They were well documented in my project management software and everyone knew where to look to see the tasks they needed to complete. Your vacation depends on your team working while you're gone! 5. Check. Out. If you're going to go on vacation, then you truly need to check out. Turn on an auto responder, don't answer emails, don't answer anything work related because you don't want to set the expectation that you are available. You have to draw that boundary so that you are giving yourself that time to recharge! Links Podcast Royale Breakthrough with Avani ClickUp Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Our brain is an amazing organ and everything in your life, whether it's business or relationships, should start in your brain. Today, I talk about NLP and LP (neuro linguistic programming) and how we use the basic language of the mind to consistently achieve the results we want in life. I like to call it the "lost user manual to the human brain", because many of us don't realize how powerful our brains are and how amazingly they can work. I picked up these three brain hacks at my NLP training and I wanted to share them with you. Be prepared to hack your brain! "Our mind is a meaning-making machine. We're always trying to put things into a neat puzzle. We're trying to fold it away and make it fit in our mental model of the world. And sometimes we take things and we blow them out of proportion." In this episode Avani talks about: Why she went to get her Magnetic Coach Certification What NLP is and how you can use it to your advantage Her personal tips and tricks for getting the most out of brain hacks Avani's Brain Hacks 1. Future-paced manifestation If you've got something on your mind, get it out on paper. It doesn't matter what it is. Take a pen and journal about what's bothering you and what you want it to look like in the future, and specifically, what kind of feelings or sensations you'll experience once it's resolved. Write this as though it has already happened and you'll feel a lot better about the situation. 2. Choosing higher vibration thoughts We all have those days that just plain suck. The ones where you want to hide under a blanket and not come out. That's a low vibration thought, and you need to re-tune to have high vibration thoughts. Don't be overwhelmed. You can do it incrementally, little by little, and have successively higher vibration thoughts that will get you feeling better. 3. Ask yourself powerful questions When you get in the habit of asking yourself good questions, you can quickly pivot and re-frame situations. A great question to ask yourself when you're in a state of frustration, sadness, anger, etc, is "how am I making this a problem?" Sometimes we're making something a problem when it's actually not problematic. There are a lot of tough, great questions that you can ask yourself to re-frame your mindset and get back in the game. Links Magnetic Coach Certification Super Attractor Breakthrough with Avani Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Today's guest is content creator all-star Nicholas Cole. Nicolas (aka Cole) is cofounder of Digital Press — a business that helps companies position their founders and CEOs as thought leaders through written content. Cole's background is a bit unusual. As a teenager, he was a top-ranked "World of Warcraft" player. As he got older, he moved into body building before finally landing in his career as a writer. Through his growth as a writer, he launched Digital Press. Today, Digital Press has an entire staff of copywriters and editors working to present CEOs and Founders as thought leaders in their given niches. In this episode, Cole gives us some tips on content creation, finding your voice, and building loyalty for your content. "I treat content the same way that I would approach investing: it's not the day trade method, it's the Warren Buffett method. Invest in something that's going to be sustainable over the long term." In this episode Nicolas talks about: How to make content that engages with your audience and keeps them invested in you. How to find your voice as a writer. How getting feedback is critical in figuring out how and what you content you create. Main Takeaways The more you can connect with an audience on a personal level, the more interested they will be in the content you're creating. You cannot find your voice unless you are actively speaking. You have to quantify how you will be better than those around you. Pay attention to what others in our sphere of influence are doing and then pivot to find a way to stand out. Look at the content you are creating as an investment in a library and as a way to build loyalty, instead of chasing viral content. Links Digital Press Sapiens (book) Nicolas Cole Website Nicolas on Quora Nicolas on Minutes Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn Stay in touch Reach Out For A Special Opportunity! Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

In today's episode, I talk with Giselle Field. Giselle is a one-woman branding and design company. She loves to travel, and uses her travels as inspiration for her work. Giselle started college as an art major, but realized it wasn't for her. She quickly stumbled upon a graphic design class and has never looked back. After college, she had a hard time finding full-time design work, and this pushed her to pursue freelancing and build her skills as an entrepreneur. Overcoming fear and getting out of her comfort zone were crucial in getting Giselle to where she is today. Diving into freelancing full-time can be a scary scenario, especially if it's not something you're choosing. But Giselle realized she had to find ways to move out of her comfort zone in order to move forward personally and professionally. Along the way, her now husband introduced her to rock climbing, which was helped her carry her confidence into the business world. The sport has taught her a lot about fear and perseverance, and has helped her overcome similar challenges in her career. "You just have to put yourself out there, get out of your comfort zone, and think, what's the worst that can happen?" In this episode Giselle talks about: Her journey to freelancing and entrepreneurship The fears she faced along the way and what strategies she used to overcome them Advice and tips for freelancers who are starting out and what they can do to be successful How calculated risk is important for getting ahead in the freelancing world and how to get comfortable with taking risks Main Takeaways Calculated risk is the best way to expose yourself to different things and grow as a freelancer. Fear is holding you back from moving to the next level, but you can overcome it. You won't get to where you want to be if you keep waiting for everything to be perfect, or if you stop learning about your industry. Links Wander Design Co. Giselle Field on Instagram Stay in touch Reach Out For A Special Opportunity! Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Today's guest is Elley Charles. She is a business and mindset coach for female entrepreneurs who have a side hustle and are ready to transition into a full-time business. She is constantly thinking of ways to help entrepreneurs who are ready to live their fullest life and add more impact to the world. Elley is obsessed with personal development and takes pride in constantly working to become a better version of herself. Keeping her commitment to that personal development is what helps her keep her energy high. Reading personal development books is one of the ways she enjoys working on herself. Having the drive for personal growth and development is also what makes her feel most fulfilled, and she loves passing that feeling on to other entrepreneurs. She keeps a happiness list that reminds her to make the most of each day and to appreciate all of the small things in life, which is a big part of her consistently high energy. This high energy is one of my favorite things about Elley. I've always wondered about this energy and where it comes from and how she keeps it. How does she cultivate it? How does she draw her boundaries? In today's episode I finally get to sit down and ask her about it! "I'm helping them to make more money, which means that then they're going to have more freedom so they can travel more or they can give better gifts to their children at Christmas. So there's always that ripple effect. And that's one of the things that really drives me." In this episode Elley talks about: How she maintains her energy and positivity. How to channel that energy into your business or what it is you're offering. Her strategy behind making great, engaging Instagram stories. Main Takeaways Having the desire to better yourself in many different ways is a great way to maintain a high energy for life. Have a list of non-negotiables and a daily routine to achieve your personal goals. Having energy and passion is a habit you have to build. But it's also about conviction. You must have confidence in yourself, in what you offer, and the impact it will have on people's lives. Having fun is key on IG stories. But also, make sure you understand your audience, and the segments that exist inside that audience, so you can properly address them and get them to engage. Links Elley Mae How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling Manifestation Babe Elley Mae on Instagram Stay in touch Reach Out For A Special Opportunity! Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

This episode was inspired by a conversation I was having with one of my friends. She is brilliant and she has an amazing business. We were talking about how to plan her exit from her 9-5 jobs so that she could go full-time in her business. This got me thinking about the time in my life when I was going through the exact same things, and having the same questions that I'm sure most of you have as well. Today's episode goes into my six-step checklist to ditch your job and go full-time in your freelance business. If you're thinking about a transition, then this is an episode you can't afford to miss. "When you're a lifelong learner, there is nothing that can stop you. There's no ceiling, there's no limit. You can do anything and everything that you set your mind to." In this episode Avani talks about: The fears she had around leaving her full-time job and going full-time freelance. How she developed her six steps to going full-time. Advice around structuring your finances so that you're set to succeed. 1. Build career capital Career capital are unique skillsets that set you apart from others. Use your time at your full-time job to seek out skills that you can capitalize on when you leave. 2. Start on the side and create your proof of concept It's crucial to use your nights and weekends to start and grow your business. You're already pulling in a full-time income, so use the time when you're not working to make the most of your side business. If you're going to break out and do your own thing, you had better make sure that it works. Along with working on the side to grow your business, you need to see if it will support a full-time income. 3. Write down your vision and put a date on it Walking away from your job is easy to say, but many don't follow through with it. You need to write down your vision for the future and then put a date on the day you're going to walk away from your job. Be obsessed with this date and do everything you can to make it a reality. 4. Cultivate relationships in your industry Go crazy networking in your industry. Take people out to coffee and pick their brain. You can learn from other people's mistakes, and there's no reason you need to make the same mistakes yourself! They have expert insider knowledge that will help you grow. 5. Be obsessed with learning I like to listen to podcasts by people who are doing what I'm doing. But if not that, then read books. I have a bunch of books that I think you will find valuable. Whatever helps, make sure you don't stop learning. 6. Just do it! Once you have the rest of your stuff done, just make sure you actually go through with it. You can do it! Don't waste the best days of your life! Links The Big Leap So Good They Can't Ignore You The Magic Of Thinking Big The Compound Effect The Slight Edge The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Atomic Habits Stay in touch Reach Out For A Special Opportunity! Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Today's episode focuses on analytics in your freelance business. I've been taking a deep dive into my analytics recently because we're looking to evaluate how the last few years have gone. We're looking at the clients, the revenue, and the team to figure out where we are now and where we want to go next. Analytics are a good thing to look at when you're trying to make a decision on where to go next in your business. When looking at analytics, you certainly don't have to be a "math person" to get on board. Some simple strategies will help you track your data and hopefully give you insight into the future of your business. "Looking at analytics is a way to look at the past and predict and prepare for the future. It's really simple, but if you're just able to write these down and look at trends in your own business you'll see what you can do for being proactive in your business. " In this episode Avani talks about: Why analytics are important to every successful business. What types of analytics you should keep tabs on. How to use that data to push your business forward and shape your strategies around growth. 1. Track monthly analytics Make sure to track your revenue, profit, expenses and contractor expenses. These items are critical for every business out there. You can look at this two ways: 1) how much is coming in and going out, or 2) what's been billed and what's been paid. Anyway you slice the pie, you need to be tracking your money on a monthly basis. 2. Use averages per month to make decisions If you take the number of months your were in business and divide your total revenue with that number, you'll get your average monthly revenue. This is a great number to track year over year to see how you're doing. Is it going up or down? Likewise, you can take the average revenue by the number of clients and make some decisions based on that data. There are several more averages which you can choose to pursue or not (that I discuss further in the episode). They are helpful in figuring out how you want your business to operate and what kind of clients you want to bring on board. Links Profit First by Mike Michalowicz An Accountant's review of Profit First by Jason Andrew Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

I'm an achiever, a go-getter. I want to know what's next and I love to be growing and moving forward. That's really what drives me. But at some point with my business I had to ask: where do I take this? Where do I go from here? It's such a weird place to be and I realize I had forgotten why I was doing this in the first place. I had a grand vision, and a big "why" when I left my job a few years ago, and that was to build my dream life. That was my vision. In this episode I talk about how you can get stuck growing for growth's sake, and why that's unsustainable. It's important to understand that growth isn't always what you're looking for. "I want to live a life where I can wake up whenever I want. I want to take naps when I want to. I want to be able to give myself a raise and not have to ask someone else whether or not I can have it. I wanted to be able to have that empowered feeling in my every day and I wanted to be the person in control." In this episode Avani talks about: Why she recently was feeling dissatisfied, even though her business is succeeding. Why "growing to grow" is unsustainable. The steps she's taking to get her fire back and put herself back in the driver's seat. 1. Vision casting and designing a future desired state Sit down and think about what you want your future to look like. I'm doing this with my husband, but you can certainly do it by yourself. It's important to check in and see if you are where you wanted to be, or if you need to readjust and figure out what's next for yourself. 2. Slow down and observe The best way to level up, either in your personal life or in your business, is to take some time to observe where you need to do so. The only way you can observe properly is to slow down. If you're like me, this might be painful, but it's necessary. You need to make these observations so you can attain the future that you want. 3. Upgrade Where are the gaps in our collaboration? Where are things broken? Where do you need to upgrade and get better? And, once we know the answers to these questions, how can we do this? Spending the time to dig deep into this and upgrade your systems and ways of working is only possible if you do steps one and two first, but will make your future so much more attainable. Links SFF 122: Developing an Abundance Mindset Around Money, Business, and Life The Scalability Show Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

There are two main seasons of business: bulking and cutting. I know that I'm borrowing from the fitness industry, but it's a great parallel for our lives as freelancers. Preparing to grow falls into the cutting category. In today's episode, we're talking about the cutting season, what it is, and how to use it to your advantage. We all know there's fat around the edges that we could get rid of, so this episode will show you how to do that the right way and make your business more lean. "Ask yourself, do you need to be doing what you're doing? Is it producing what you want, the impact that you want? If not, maybe you don't need to do it right now." In this episode Avani talks about: What a cutting season is. How to use a cutting season to the advantage of your business. How she has used cutting in her own business to grow. 1. Your systems Take a look at the systems you are using right now. Evaluate them and ask yourself, what systems in my business are working really well, what systems are not working well, and do I need to keep using these systems, or do I need to upgrade my systems for the next growth phase of my business? 2. Your team Do you have all the right people in place for your next level of growth? Are the people on your team right now the right people? Do they fit your vision for the next level of growth? If not, maybe it's time to part ways. But if they do, how can you make them feel more empowered? How can you help them do their job better? 3. Your clients This is always good to look at, no matter what season you're in. Who is right for your next stage of growth, who is not right for your next stage of growth, and who are you doing busy work for? Who feels is a strategic partner, and who makes you feel like a minion? Who is helping you produce ROI? Dive into the numbers to get a better idea of who you might cut. 4. Your initiatives Which projects have been successful for you and what happened? Which projects do you need to work on, or which projects do you need to stop working on? Ask yourself, do you need to be doing what you're doing? Is it producing the impact you want? If not, maybe you don't need to be doing it right now. 5. Your mindset If you're looking to grow, you need to level-up your mindset. It's time to pour into podcast episodes, pour into courses, pour into books. This is the time, this is the moment to get serious, especially if you're in the cutting season of your business. Links Untethered Soul by Michael Singer Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Over the last few years, I've realized it's not as easy as it seems to be profitable. Profitability doesn't happen by accident. It doesn't just fall into your lap. Profitability, in fact, is a very, very purposeful thing that all of us need to do in our businesses in order to see that profit come in. Here are some tips that have helped me in my journey to profitability. "I know where the money is going, I know what the expenses are going to be. I'm already aware of how it's going to look and that feels really good to me because it's not a surprise." In this episode Avani talks about: Her first experience with profitability as a freelancer. How the numbers of her first year took her by surprise. Her strategies to make 2019 and 2020 more profitable. 1. Use the "profit first" methodology "Profit First" is a ladder where you put aside what you need first before using your money for expenses. Traditionally, you're using your business money to pay for expenses first, and then pay yourself whatever is left. Check out Profit First to get more details on how to turn this around. 2. Make money your best friend Get comfortable with getting into your bank account and looking at it. Look at it every day if you need to. Money needs to become your best friend. Sit down, be purposeful, map it out, play with the numbers, look at what is coming in, and know exactly how much you're going to make in the upcoming month. 3. Use the chopping block If there are things, team members, initiatives, or products that you're paying for in your business that aren't working for you, I recommend putting them on the chopping block. Just because they work for someone else or just because you feel like you need to do it doesn't mean you should be doing it. Especially if it's not producing ROI. Links Profit First Book Profit First Review Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Today I am excited to talk with Bree Webber, someone who is truly a fountain of knowledge. When it comes to communication and writing, no one knows better than she does. Bree is a copywriter and runs her own business at Copy Bree where she helps entrepreneurs by writing copy for their businesses, helping them convert like crazy, and creating really juicy content for their audiences. I learned so much from our conversation today, and it really inspired me to get down to writing for my own business. She shares so many great tips and tricks that I know you guys will walk away feeling the same way I did. When Bree was younger, she always enjoyed reading and writing, but she took a bit of an usual path to becoming a copywriter. Out of college she worked for a book publisher and though she loved her job, she wanted to start a new life with her boyfriend, so she pitched her employer on working remotely. They agreed, with the caveat that she had to work as an independent contractor, and so her business was born. She landed on copywriting after trying few different experiments to see what she really enjoyed, and what she thought could work. Since that moment nearly two years ago, she's been pushing herself as a copywriter, and refining her business and messaging. Bree is currently working with clients as well as creating resources on her website for those who want to dive right in and get started. This episode is full of great information about how to write effective copy, so let's dive in. "The more frequently you sit down and write, the more easily the ideas will come to you and the words will come to you. That's how you build a writing habit." In this episode Bree talks about: How she got started in copywriting and how she transitioned to going solo. The difference between copywriting and content writing. The special formula you can use in the majority of your copywriting. Her secret source for connecting with modern audiences. Main Takeaways Copywriting is meant to sell or persuade, content writing is to educate, inspire, or entertain. It's important to strike a good blend of these two types of writing. To be an effective copywriter, ask yourself: Do you understand the difference between the features of your business, and benefits of your business? And how well can you talk about them? Popular psychology books are a great way to figure out how to connect with your audience through writing, because they provide insights into how people behave. Links Copy Bree Free Resources from Bree Bree Weber on Instagram Bree Weber on Twitter Bree Weber on LinkedIn Thinking Fast and Slow The Copywriters Handbook Everybody Writes Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Today's episode is about radical responsibility. It's a concept that I've been thinking about for a little while now. The results you see in your life, the results that have arrived or shown up in your life because of what you've done, that's on you. You gave the cause and the effect showed up, and you need to own those actions. That is what radical responsibility is. It puts you in the driver's seat and says you're the one in charge. This is empowering. It says that you have the power to influence and attract and bring about results in your life. Let's explores the areas where you can take radical responsibility in your life. "Be solution oriented. Leave the past in the past and just move on. Let's figure out how to fix this. Move on and learn from our mistakes. Take that radical responsibility and move forward." In this episode Avani talks about: Where she found out about radical responsibility and why she's been thinking about it. How you can use radical responsibility to your advantage. How you can apply radical responsibility to your business. 1. Your team Your team ultimately reports to you and you're responsible for what comes out. If something goes wrong, ask yourself how you could have corrected that mistake or process. Did you give them the tools they needed? You have the power to make sure things turn out right with your team. Use that power! 2. Your clients If something goes wrong, or your clients don't like your result, own it and figure out a solution. Don't get defensive. Ask important questions, recoup, and redeliver something amazing. 3. Business development I talk about this all the time: you need to be doing business development. If you're not, you need to take radical responsibility for the fact that clients aren't coming through the door and you're not moving the needle in the direction of more dollars. 4. Finances If you want to know how much money you're going to make and what you're going to pay yourself, you need to take radical responsibility for your finances. I know it's hard (I hated it), but it's important. Ask yourself what you can do to increase those margins or get your money back into balance. Links James Wedmore Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Sometimes we can get too much on our plates. Most of us have been in this situation more than once. Today, I'm going to share some tips and tricks on how to get through the overwhelming to-do lists in your freelance business. As business owners, we take radical responsibility for everything happening in our business. And this can lead to overwhelm and a seemingly never-ending to-do list. Whether it's someone dropping the ball, or someone leaving our team, or a needy client wanting tons of attention, all of it essentially falls on us at the end of the day. And that can be a lot of pressure. Let's explore some tried and true tips on how to handle all this "stuff" that we have to deal with. "There's a cognitive load from these things in our brain and we can't just ignore that. We can't just minimize that they're taking up space." In this episode Avani talks about: How having too much to do can sneak up on us. Why you need to have a plan in place to deal with all your tasks. How you can organize and strategize to complete your tasks. 1. Do a brain dump When it feels like there's too much to do, start by getting it out of your head and on paper. It doesn't only have to be work-related either; it can be all the tasks that are piling up in your head. Taking these things out of your brain and putting them in to the physical world can be really helpful. 2. Triage your list Go through your above list and figure out the importance of each task and how much time it will take. After that, delegate it, if you can. This will free up your time to get through the rest of your list, and make your load a little lighter. 3. Get the list into your task manager Get your to-dos into your task manager. Make sure you're attaching dates and details as well. This way you can wake up in the morning and know what the day's tasks are, as well as the details of those tasks. It makes it so much easier to manage all those items that need to be checked off. 4. Time block Even if you have to schedule it into your day, take two or three hours (or however long you need) and get those tasks done. No more excuses or overwhelming dread, just get your list done. This time should be dedicated to completing your list and nothing else. It will make your day feel so much more manageable. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Today we're talking about a topic that's a lot of fun. In fact, we're talking about fun itself and how we should be having fun in our businesses. You should be thrilled and excited to show up and do your job. And if you're not, then it's time to change that. Let's dives into tips on how you can inject some fun into your job, and make sure you're experiencing everything your business has to offer. "It's exciting for me. Every single day I am happy and having fun. Every client meeting that I have, every team meeting that I have, is infused with fun and we laugh so much together while adding massive value to the world." In this episode Avani talks about: Why it's important to have fun at work. What she does to make her workdays more fun. Why having fun at work should be a priority for you. 1. Affirmations I know I talk about this a lot, but it's because it's important. Write down your affirmations that express how much fun your business is. You will prime your brain to find that fun and soon enough you'll be experiencing it! 2. Collaborate Human connection is an important part of having fun. However you want to do it (e.g. hiring someone, getting together with a friend or acquaintance), make an effort to connect with others. Set a ritual to meet up with someone and work on projects — it will make your tasks way more fun. Another great way to connect is to get feedback from your peers. 3. Schedule your fun Our schedules can easily get packed. That's why it's important to actually schedule fun into your day, even if it's short. For me, I like to do yoga or Pilates, but it can be whatever you want to help break up the day and make it feel more fun. 4. Work-cations Traveling somewhere (ideally with someone) is a great way to have more fun. You're still going to put in a full day, but the night is all yours! You can probably work from anywhere, so why not get out and explore the world while you work? 5. Play music I used to listen to music that put me in the work mode, but I realized I didn't really like any of it. Now I listen to what I want, when I want, and it's made a huge difference. Try throwing on your favorite tunes to make your work a bit more entertaining! 6. Laugh Laughing is one of the best things you can do to feel better. If need be, schedule it into your day. Hop on YouTube and watch some funny videos and feel free to laugh! It's a great way to relieve stress and make your job fun. 7. Play games Games can be anything. Compete against yourself to see if you can complete a task more quickly, and then give yourself a reward! Setting goals and rewards can make you can feel better about taking those well-earned breaks. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Just like your home, it's a good idea to pay attention to the hygiene, cleanliness, and organization of your business. We have all of these things we use to run our businesses like systems, tools, apps, project management software, automations, and it's important to check in on these things to make sure everything is running smoothly. In this episode I share my four tips for how I keep everything clean and organized in my business. "Housekeeping can be sometimes boring or blah, but it's important because it is essential to the health of your business. This is what keeps things going and what makes things easier for you." In this episode Avani talks about: Why housekeeping is important to her business. The reasons she keeps such close tabs on her financial housekeeping. How she keeps on top of housekeeping and makes it a priority amidst everything going on. 1. Finances and accounting If you keep track of your dollars, or if you look into your bank account regularly, you're going to accomplish two things: 1) have a good relationship with money and 2) invite more money in. We need to know how much is going in and out every month so we know how much we have, how much we can pay ourselves, and how much money we will have as profit. This one is really important, so make sure you implement a thorough strategy for staying on top of it. 2. Business development Business development is the heartbeat of your business and taking the pulse of your business is important. You can do this by reviewing your contracts. The active ones, the ones waiting to be signed, the retainers, all of them. Likewise, make sure you're reviewing and sending your invoices in a timely fashion or making sure that they are scheduled to go out at the proper times. 3. Files and assets I have a really messy desktop and download folder. I set reminders to clean up every week and I also set reminders to backup everything. Make sure you have backups of important files so you never lose anything you're working on. You can't be reliant on one machine for your entire business. 4. Team management If you're working with anyone, you need to have weekly one-on-one meetings. This helps you (and them) keep tabs on everything that is going on. It also ensures that you are giving them the tools they need to succeed and make you money. Weekly meetings are a must! Links Profit First by Mike Michalowicz Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Business, just like the weather, has seasons. Some seasons in business are for sustaining or re-balancing, some are for focusing on your personal life, and some are for focusing on your business and putting the pedal to the metal. These seasons are going to ebb and flow as you and your business change. Our businesses are like people — dynamic, living and breathing beings. Because of that, it's naïve for us to think that every season in our business is going to be the same. Your life is changing, the industry is changing, the economy is changing, and therefore, your business will change. So what are those seasons? And what you can do to stay ahead of the game, regardless of which season you're in? "We need to be really excited to have fun, to grow our business, grow our team, and grow our clients. If it's not fun, if we're not loving it, what are we doing? What are we doing with our lives?" In this episode Avani talks about: What season of business she is in right now. How she's handling her season and making the most of it. What season is next for her and why she's excited about it. 1. What season of business am I in right now? When you can identify the season of business you're in, things will feel less crazy as you move forward. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and you know how to get there. Knowledge is power, so understanding where you are will give you the ability to understand what you have to do while you're in this season. 2. What are you looking to achieve in this season? Different seasons have different goals. Maybe you're looking to relax more, or automate more tasks, or find a new freelancer. It's important to identify your goals because it will help you get through the season and prepare you for what's next. 3. Do I have everything I need to make this happen? You need to determine if you have the tools at your disposal to achieve your goals. You may have to contact people or find outside resources. Whatever it is, you need to make sure that you have what you need to make this season a success. 4. When is the season coming to a close? It's important to put a date on things so that you know it won't last forever. An actual date really helps cement the fact that you are now moving on to a new season of business with new priorities. Sit down and figure out how long you want this season to last and stick to that time-frame. 5. What can I do to enjoy this season more? Life is short and we can't waste it not having fun (even if we're working). Come up with some fun things you can do to break up your season, or rewards you can give yourself for accomplishing your goals. Links The 6-Figure-Freelancer 117: Growth Stages of Your Freelance Biz Liz White Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

As is evident from my last episode, I've been a hot mess as of late. This has been true in both my business and my personal life. And that's ok - it's ok to be a hot mess every now and then. In today's episode, I talk about why it's ok. I have been feeling a little frazzled lately and I wanted to share with you the tricks I use to get out of my hot mess and back on track to being me. "I'm doing this for my future family. I'm doing this for my husband. I want to be a good example for these people that I love and am going to love so much. I'm doing this because I want to create a legacy and an asset and I want to grow this company into something that produces money and supports the lifestyle that I want to live." In this episode Avani talks about: Why she's been feeling frazzled and frustrated lately. How she got back on track and learned that it's ok to feel like a hot mess sometimes. What her "why" is, and why it's so important. Main Takeaways Lean into the things that help you feel like you. This will help you center and get back on track. Re-align your why. Ask yourself why you're doing what you're doing right now, and see if you're still on track. If not, figure out why and aim for those objectives in your everyday life. Zoom out and pause. Look at what you're doing from above and see if you're actually doing ok. Links 6-Figure Freelancer 103: Slow Down To Speed Up Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

We all need clients, right? What if you didn't have to put so much energy into getting new clients, and they just came to you automatically? Today we're talking about some of the secrets I've developed that allow me to put my client attraction on autopilot. I've got five tips I want to share with you. I've used these plenty of times to get me to where I am today, so I hope you are able to put them to use too! "People are going to come to you, people are going to recommend you, they're going to talk about you because you're great at what you do." In this episode Avani talks about: How to effectively reach out to people and get into a pattern of consistent outreach. Why you should cast a wide net for potential clients. Tips on sharing your expertise for free to attract more potential clients. 1. Send two messages a day I'm sending out emails, reaching out to people online and in-person. I'm always adding people to my list so I can grow the leads that will then turn into clients in my freelance business. I'm also messaging at least two of these people every single day. Send out two emails a day so that you're continually in contact with people in your industry or niche. 2. Two coffee meetings a week Don't just have meetings with industry colleagues for potential work — do it to develop relationships and learn. If you find someone that likes you, that person is a potential channel for business and referrals. Make sure to ask what you can do to support that person, too. They will appreciate it and it will help cement your relationship with them. 3. Schedule referral requests You can set your own schedule for how frequently you want to do this, but reach out to past clients with an email, tell them you enjoyed working with them, and ask them if they know of any other people that need the same work. This is a great task for a virtual assistant if you have one. 4. Share your expertise It could be online or in-person, but share your expert knowledge. People are watching, and when they think of this subject matter the will ultimately think of you. When people think of you, you get more clients. It's a great way to stay on top of your industry, help people, and bring in work. 5. Create partnerships The more you work with people, whoever it may be, the more relationships you form. If people enjoy being around you, they will recommend you to others. So the more relationships you create, the wider that net can be cast. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Matt Baker is a money strategist and business coach. He's passionate about helping entrepreneurs solve their most challenging problems. And as a VP at Freshbooks, he helps millions of self-employed professionals grow their businesses and get paid faster. Matt grew up in suburban Michigan around lots of industrial and manufacturing jobs. With this kind of work, the amount of money you can make correlates directly to the number of hours you work (overtime, etc.). This mindset was ingrained in Matt early on, as it is with many people. But Matt realized that the same is true of entrepreneurship. Many people decide to go out on their own, because they want control over their careers and more freedom, but end up just as enslaved and overwhelmed as they were before. Matt believes the key to breaking out of that mindset is pricing your services effectively. In this episode, Matt and I talk about value-based pricing, and how it can help break out of trading time for dollars. We also cover how to strategize and be more deliberate with your time. As well as how to be more productive with the time you have. Be sure to check out my link to get started with Freshbooks today. It's made my life SO much easier! "You almost never have to do something. You can tell yourself you've got to do it and that's fine, but you can literally pick your destiny, so to speak, when you have the right mindset." In this episode Matt talks about: Why you should move away from hourly billing. The unforeseen benefits of raising your prices. Why the mindset of "the more you work, the more you make" persists today, and how it's changing. How to maximize the output of the hours you are working. Main Takeaways The best way to make more and work less is to move from hourly pricing to value-based pricing. When you raise your prices, the people who are only interested in the bottom line might disappear. But you'll be left with the clients who trust you and value the service you provide. Set weekly or annual goals and then try to hold yourself to it. It helps you stay focused on the things you think are the most important. Links Freshbooks Breaking The Time Barrier Win Without Pitching Matt Baker on Twitter Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

I know it sounds crazy. Why would anyone cancel a trip to Bali? Sometimes trusting your intuition can seem crazy to others, but it's an important skill to cultivate. A bit of backstory… I was planning to go to Bali on a retreat with my friend about 12 days after my wedding. We were going to surf, do yoga, meditate, and, of course, eat good food. Sounds pretty amazing, right? The trip was scheduled for right after my wedding and it seemed like a great idea when I booked it. It would be a great way to unplug and unwind after hectic wedding events. However, less than a week before I was going to leave, I decided to cancel it. In this episode, we're going to talk about exactly why I canceled the trip, and what I learned from the experience. "If you're feeling like a decision that you're making is feeling weird or wrong or you're hesitant, ask yourself why. What part of you wants to go on this trip or do this thing or buy that thing? and are there blockages in other areas of your life that might be related to this?" In this episode Avani talks about: The difference between why she thought she wanted to go to Bali, and why she "really" wanted to go. How her decision to cancel her trip opened her eyes to other problem spots in her life. What she finally realized was "the moral" of this experience. I felt resistance right from the start I encountered a lot of resistance from myself in even booking the flights, something that should be exciting to do. A lot of little things we're making me not want to pull the trigger. Turns out, after some self-exploration, I just wanted to go because it would look cool. My ego was telling me to go. This was a great lesson in figuring our what the truest version of myself wanted. I started paying attention to other areas of my life where I felt resistance Realizing that I didn't actually want to go on this trip made me examine other parts of my life where I was feeling a similar way. I started asking myself why I felt this resistance and how it was connected to other things going on in my life. I realized it's ok to change your mind Even though I lost about $1,500, it felt like a load had been lifted as soon as I made the decision to cancel. I also realized that it's okay to change your mind. We're all allowed to make mistakes. It helps us learn to think about things a little more carefully and evaluate whether we truly want them before we say "yes" — professionally or personally. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Money isn't everything, but it is one of the main reasons we do what we do. Sometimes we feel like money can be hard to come by or we just need a little more to keep going. Everyone has been there, but few know how to approach those feelings the right way. This episode centers around using your mind to multiply your income. We have control over so few things in our life, so we should take the opportunity to control the things that we can. One of these things is how much money we can make. Today, I'm going to give you specific strategies on how to use your mind to benefit your income. Clear your brain and grab a pen and paper because these are real life tips you will want to put into practice right away. "Money isn't everything, but money does help a lot and money does give you the tool as a tool. It helps you accomplish the things you want to accomplish. It helps you live the life you want to live in order to then turn around and add even more value to the world." In this episode Avani talks about: The reasons she starts with her mind when searching for more income. How her mindset has changed the way she views and spends her money. Tips around how you can adjust your mindset around your money and the money you're going to earn. 1. Change your vocabulary This is one of the biggest things keeping people stuck financially. Your brain is hearing what you're saying and it's responding. If you're using negative language regarding money, "I'm broke, I need more money, etc." then your brain will be convinced that this is the reality. Throw this language away and use affirmations instead! 2. Write your affirmations Writing is a powerful signal to your mind that strengthens the neural pathways. You can write your affirmations however you want, but make sure that you are consistent in recording them. 3. Meditate on abundance Meditate on the abundant things in your life. Specifically, picture this abundance as something physical, like a shape or color and how it feels. Let this envelop you. It's a powerful tool that allows abundance to be present in your life. 4. Try using cash A great way to visualize your abundance is to use cash. Remember, money is simply a transfer of energy. Using cash helps the purchase you're making hit home. It's a great way to repeat the affirmation "there's more where that came from!" 5. Imagine your money Track your income with a spreadsheet or app. Then imagine a few more zeros on those numbers. Think of the difference you can make with that money. This will be a powerful motivator and affirmation around your money and what you can accomplish with it. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

This episode is all about how to get your creative juices flowing. Since my wedding, I feel like I've lost my creative flow. Because there was so much going on, my brain was doing and thinking and processing so much that my creativity was on the back burner. Creativity is one of those things that can be a little fickle when other things are happening in your life. If you're stressed, if you're overwhelmed, if you're very emotional, if you're going through something personally, it's hard to find your creative spark or get your creative juices flowing. As I work through getting my creativity going again, I wanted to share my tips with you, too. "If you have something weighing on you right now, that it's okay. It's okay that your creative spark isn't there, that your creative energy isn't there temporarily, but you do need to face the facts and sort through your emotions so that you're able to perform at the level you want to." In this episode Avani talks about: What happened to her creativity since her wedding. How this has been affecting her business life. What strategies she uses to get her creativity back on track. 1. Future pacing your creativity Sitting down and thinking about how you want your creativity to be in the future is a powerful way to get your creativity flowing now. Writing it out helps your brain solidify that neural pathway around creativity and kick starts your brain into feeling creative. 2. Take a day off You need to pour into yourself before you can pour into others. Make sure you take some time to do nothing and recharge your batteries. This relaxes the mind and allows creative juices to get flowing again. 3. Flex your creative muscle Your brain and creativity are muscles just like anything else. A great way to exercise them is to write down 10 ideas for solving a problem. It doesn't matter what the problem is, just try to write down 10 creative solutions. Just like that, you'll find yourself thinking more creatively. Try doing this for 10 minutes every day. 4. Move your body There's a powerful link between your body and your mind. Get out and move your body around. It doesn't matter if it's a little or a lot, getting up and moving around will help get your creativity going. 5. Sort through your emotions I had to sort through a lot from my wedding and regarding my business and those things were clouding my creativity. To get down to the good stuff (the creativity), you've got to unpack and dismantle the emotions on top of it. 6. Listen to a podcast and 'hangout' with someone that's going through something similar Listening to podcasts is a great way to grow your brain and learn a bunch of new stuff. But honestly, it's the best way to figure out how people who are in the same boat as you are dealing with their problems. You can use the new ideas you hear to jumpstart your creativity. 7. Make something This sounds counterintuitive, but you can trick your brain into already feeling like it's creative by forcing yourself to do something that's inherently creative. It's a great way to kickstart your creativity! Links Bailey Brown's Pilates Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

I realized early on in my freelance business that there was a limit to the amount of work I could take on. I didn't like it. It made me feel boxed in, and like I was wasn't in control of how much I could grow. Trying to figure out a way to scale my business and reach beyond my personal limits was challenging. The best way I found to grow was to hire other great freelancers to help me out. So, here are some tips about hiring the best freelancers for your business. "Making your first hire is very important because the moment you do this, the moment you pay someone else to do something that you don't need to be doing, you are freeing up your own time to do higher ROI tasks." In this episode Avani talks about: How to find the right talent without spending too much time on the process. How she manages the people working for her and what she expects from them. Her tactics for keeping employees working hard and making sure they are taken care of. 1. Write a job description Even if you know what the job is going to be, you need to write a job description. Not just for yourself, but for the people you're hiring. This is the first filter in finding good people to work with. Be clear about who the company is, what it is that you do, what kind of people you're looking for — not just the qualities in work and career that they need to have, but also the personal qualities that would make them a good fit. 2. Ask for referrals Ask people in your industry for referrals. If they were good for others they might be good for you. This doubles as a pre-vetting process, and can save some figuring out if they would be right for your team. 3. Test When you start bringing someone on, make sure you give them a trial period of a couple of weeks to see if they will be a good fit before signing them to a long-term contract. Testing them is how you make sure you maintain quality control for your team and your product. The last thing you want is to terminate a long-term contract because things aren't working out. 4. Negotiate Negotiating is the best way to make sure that everyone gets what they're comfortable with. Someone may care more about flexibility than pay, and that can be negotiated. It also allows you to get them to work harder for that next pay bump after they prove they're worth it. 5. Set expectations You need to set expectations for what this team member is going to do for you. They need to know all the details of the projects that they are going to be working on. You also need to make sure you are communicating with them in a way that works for them and gives them the opportunity to do their best work. 6. Weekly check-ins Checking in on your employees isn't just for the task, it's to find out how the employee is doing. They may have something going on in their personal life that is affecting their work. Figuring out what's going on with them will give you a better idea of what you can expect and how it will impact the business. If you can't make it happen on a weekly basis, try for bi-weekly. Links Asana Slack Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on Linked

As many of you know, I got married last week! After surviving the chaos, I put together some tips for how you can stay sane while getting married, or whatever you're encountering during your day-to-day life. I came away from my wedding weekend with four life lessons that will help you continue to move your life and business forward. "Your work should be filled with joy and laughter and fun. And so should the moments you spend with your loved ones, the events that you have that you can celebrate and cherish." In this episode Avani talks about: The events surrounding her wedding and the lessons she learned from them. Coming to terms with not being able to fully experience every moment all the time. Strategies for alleviating stress and staying healthy during busy weeks. 1. You can't catch every moment Your brain can only process so much — it's impossible to be present for every single thing happening in your life. It's important to figure out the times that you should be present and soak up as much as possible (like your wedding) and not stress about missing things. Be thankful for what you are able to experience. 2. Don't let stress get the best of you Certain things might go wrong. The question is, will you lets these things ruin your day? Don't stress. You have friends, family and other people on your team to help you out. Focus on feeling great and being in the moment. 3. Have a plan to eat and hydrate I made a spreadsheet for what and when I was going to eat during my wedding week. You probably don't need to go to that extreme, but make sure you're planning what you will eat and how you will stay hydrated. 4. Have fun! This whole thing should be FUN! We're meant to have fun in life and this is one of the best opportunities to do just that. If you're not having fun, re-frame your mindset, or find things to do that are fun! Start with an affirmation that you're thankful, happy, and having fun! Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

This week we're running some of our most popular episodes. Enjoy! If you're anything like me, you're a perfectionist. This is great in a lot of ways and can really help your business grow, but sometimes you need to throw caution to the wind and stop being a perfectionist and people pleaser. In this episode, we're going to talk about five ways you can stop being a perfectionist and why it matters. Carve out some time to listen to this episode even if you have work to do because you need to hear it! "We can ditch the idea of being a perfectionist and get better. We should strive to be imperfect." In this episode Avani talks about: Why you should learn to put yourself first in a non-selfish way. How she learned to deal with letting people down. How focusing on yourself sometimes can benefit others. Five Ways to Stop Being a Perfectionist 1. Don't feel bad about letting people down. You can't hold yourself responsible for other people's actions or feelings. If you say no to a client, you don't need to feel bad that they have to find someone else. You are going to let some people down and you need to be ok with that. 2. Do the bare minimum. If you're an over achiever, sometimes it's ok to take the easy route and do the bare minimum. I guarantee no one will notice. It's a great way to eliminate some of your stress. 3. Allow people to be nice to you. Everyone is human. Your clients will understand if you need a break, you're sick, or if you're on vacation. Give them the opportunity to accommodate your "you time". They will understand. 4. Slow down and take breaks. It's ok to take a long lunch. It's ok to not work 40 hours a week. It's ok to breathe! Make sure that you are taking some time and not working yourself to death. 5. Take a vacation. Vacation is important. It's a great way to recharge and your clients will understand that you're out of the office. You don't need to punish yourself to please them, so get out there and take a trip! Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

This week we're running some of our most popular episodes. Enjoy! Today's guest is Ashlee Hightower. Ashlee is an attorney for creatives and the owner of Contracts for Creatives as well as Cobalt Chronicles. In this episode, she talks about what we're missing in our contracts as freelancers, as well as what we need to do to protect ourselves, protect our businesses, and make sure we're getting the most out of our contracts. Ashlee began her career as an attorney working at a large, national law firm. After a few years, she moved into the corporate world (freeing up a lot of her time) and began reading local blogs to find out about things going on in her city, Washington D.C. Intrigued by the idea of a blog, Ashlee started her own travel and wellness blog. This foray into the creative world allowed Ashlee to connect with more creatives in the D.C. area. She soon realized that many of them were having trouble with contracts, or were afraid of them, because they seemed to complicate the creative process. As people began to come to her with questions about contracts, word got out and her new business, Contracts for Creatives, was born. This episode is crucial. It's one of those things you don't want to mess around with in your freelance business and that's why I brought Ashlee onto the show. She has all the education, the background, the knowledge to give us the right advice to create the best contracts we can. "In the creative space, it's very important that the intellectual property rights are outlined thoroughly in your contract and that you're aware of what rights you're giving away to a client." In this episode Ashlee talks about: Her background in law and how she ended up in the creative space What a contract is in its most basic form and the biggest mistakes creatives are making in their contracts How freelancers can keep themselves safe through their contracts Main Takeaways A contract is just a simple document outlining the collaboration between two parties. Make sure every detail, especially payment plans, are in your contract and that there is no confusion on what you'll be delivering and how and when you will get paid. Be very specific about details in your contract and make sure that you give yourself a way out. Expect red lines (changes) to the contracts that you send over to your clients. It's a normal process and can actually benefit you. Pick your battles and decide if it the changes are worth potentially losing a client. Links Cobalt Chronicles Contract for Creatives Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

This week we're running some of our most popular episodes. Enjoy! In this episode, we're talking about one of my favorite things on the planet: Instagram. More specifically, Instagram Stories. I was checking my numbers and I realized that in the last 12 months alone I have had $35,000 of work come in just through Instagram stories. That is a crazy amount of money! I truly believe that stories are the most valuable part of the whole Instagram platform. Today, I wanted to talk about exactly how that's working for me, what I do in order to create relationships with people through Instagram Stories, and how you can play the long game on Instagram. Instagram doesn't have to work the same for each and every person. It depends on who you are and what you like and what you're hoping to accomplish with your business and the platform itself. This is just what has worked for me. "Clients or prospects feel like they know you and they like you because they keep watching you and they want to work with you somehow. So when you show them 'hey, this is what I do on Instagram Stories' and show behind the scenes, they're going to be wowed." Using IG stories to land clients 1. Show up every single day. Consistency is key. It doesn't matter if you have great content or not, it could be something basic or simple. Just make sure that you are posting something that your audience can engage with. 2. Document, don't create. Anything interesting that you experience in your day-to-day you should document. You don't need to make something super interesting, just capture what's going on in your every day life. 3. Show up on video. Videos with sound have very high rates of engagement on IG Stories. So it's important to show up on video, with sound, with your face at least a couple of times a week. And remember that analytics are important and you should be checking them. 4. Show off your brand. Your brand is who you are. You need to live it and show it off on Stories if you want to keep engagement up. People are interested in the little personal things that make you your brand. Make sure to show off bits of your day that make you, you! 5. Encourage engagement. Instagram has a lot of ways to get people engaged. Whether its polls or sliders or anything else they have, use these so that people will interact with your content. Post these frequently so that you stay at the top of people's minds. 6. Respond to people who interact with you. Don't just let comments and messages fall by the wayside. Respond. It's not hard to explore people's profiles and find out a little bit about them and craft a meaningful response to something they said. This is how new clients are made. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

This week we're running some of our most popular episodes. Enjoy! We've all had coffee meetings where we sit down with someone just to "pick your brain". Today, we're talking about why those meetings are actually super important, and how you can maximize your ROI from a simple get-together. We'll dive into some strategies to help you make sure your meetings have a purpose, and both parties get value. While these meetings are important, you want to make sure that no one leaves feeling like it was a waste of time or that it was all give and no take. These meetings should be mutually beneficial. It is totally possible to make these kinds of meetings mutually beneficial and valuable for your business. "Prepare ahead of time and go into this meeting with a list of questions and ideas that you want to discuss and talk about. You should be going into that meeting knowing exactly what to say and how to say it confidently." 1. Know your purpose Why are you asking this person to meet? You need to know exactly what you want to walk away with, and it's important to begin with the end in mind because you don't want to waste your time or theirs. 2. Prepare ahead of time Go into this meeting with a list of questions and ideas that you want to discuss and talk about. Don't get caught saying, "um", and "uh", when you're in front of someone that you're asking for advice. You should be going into the meeting knowing exactly what to say and how to say it confidently. 3. Lead the meeting You called the meeting, you lead the meeting. This will come naturally if you prepare ahead of time, but don't make it feel like the person you're asking advice from needs to keep the conversation going. Lead the meeting confidently so you get what you want out of it. 4. Ask intelligent questions If you're prepared, go back over your questions and make sure that they're intelligent. These questions need to be crafted so that you can extract as much information in as little time as necessary. No one likes to sit around and talk about the weather. 5. Be mindful of the time This person took time out of their busy schedule to talk to you for a set amount of time. Don't make them feel like they are the ones that need to wrap up the meeting because you're talking so much. Have a plan to end the meeting so they don't feel like they have to. 6. Say thank you A "thank you" goes a long way. I recommend thanking them on the spot, and then sending a follow-up email thanking them for taking time to meet with you. They're giving you the gift of information, and that's worth saying thanks for. This will give you the bonus of being remembered by that person in the future. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

This is going to be a bit of a niche episode. As many of you know, I'm getting married soon, and all of the planning that needs to happen around this wedding can get to be a little much at times. I know I'm not the only entrepreneur out there planning a wedding (or planning one in the near future). Today we'll explore how to get all of the planning done while running your business and staying sane at the same time. If you're walking down the aisle soon, the tips in this episode might just make your big day a little easier. "The reason we get overwhelmed with tasks is because we don't see clarity. We don't see when it's all going to get done. Having a project management system is essential." In this episode Avani talks about: How she manages all of her due dates and tasks for the wedding. Her strategies around time management for wedding-related tasks. How she relies on herself and people she trusts to get everything done. 1. Treat planning like a client or job It will be difficult for you to remember all the things you have to do before a wedding, so a great strategy is to treat it like a job. Get a task management tool and write down all your tasks with due dates. That will help you stay on top of everything that needs to happen. 2. Prioritize Certain aspects of your wedding might not need as much attention as others. Figure out what you need to do and what you can delegate to other people (like your fiancé) to take care of. This way the important parts of your wedding will turn out the way you want. 3. Theme your days This is a trick I pulled over from my business. Block time (days or hours) to dedicate to wedding planning. This way you're not throwing it in-between your business tasks, but instead putting yourself in a zone of working on wedding things. 4. Ask for help It's okay to ask for help, especially if you're running a business and trying to plan for a wedding. Find the people that you can trust to help you plan and see if they would be willing to take a couple of tasks off your plate. 5. Take care of yourself Make sure that you are taking care of you. A great way is to let little things slide and focus on behavior that is rewarding, such as eating healthy and exercising. Links Free Class: How to Get a Steady Flow of High-Paying (and High-Quality) Clients Asana Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

I work hard to have a positive mindset every day. But sometimes it's just not enough and the stress ends up getting the better of me. With running my business, planning my wedding, and moving, I've been overwhelmed and stressed as of late. Even though my life is stressful right now, it's a great opportunity to talk about how to effectively manage stress when you're running your own business. In today's episode, I'll review four tips for managing your stress. Some are mental, some are physical, and all of them are important. If you've ever dealt with stress, this is the episode for you. "A lot of times managing stress starts with having a foundational practice or foundational principles that you can go back to easily." In this episode Avani talks about: What stress actually is and how it affects our bodies. Strategies for mentally dealing with stress. What you can do physically to combat stressful periods and bring them into check. 1. Meditate Meditate every day, even if it's just for a minute or two. It's a great way to center yourself and remember that there is beauty in being still, and that there are good things to be thankful for. 2. Look at the big picture If you're not a heart surgeon (or something similar), your average day doesn't mean life or death for someone. There's something comforting in remembering that what you do probably won't affect the outcome of the world that much. Keep things in perspective! 3. Breathe and align your mind and body Take four deep breaths while counting in your head at the same time. It's a great way to realign your body and mind it's also a great strategy for when you're actively feeling stressed. It's very anchoring and comforting. 4. Do something for you Whether it's a hobby or a sport or an artistic expression, make sure you're doing something that you want to do at least once a week. It's important to make sure that you're taking care of your desires as well as other people's, otherwise you just keep building stress. Links Free Class: How to Get a Steady Flow of High-Paying (and High-Quality) Clients Headspace App Kwik Brain Podcast Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Today I talk with Kate Jones of Kate Waldo and Co. She's the organizational queen. Kate is a professional organizer for influencers, and she gives them the tools they need to streamline and organize the behind-the-scenes of their businesses so they can focus on what they love. In this episode, we talk about one of the things that used to stress me out the most in my business: finances and taxes. It can be an uncomfortable topic, but we're going to show you today how you can change that. Kate is passionate about this topic because part of her own business is to help bloggers organize every aspect of their operation, which includes optimizing their finances and taxes. Necessary disclaimer: neither of us are CPAs and we're simply giving our advice on how we handle tax season. Regardless, this episode contains a lot of good advice that can help you feel less stressed about taxes and finances. "I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that what you do is valuable and it is not a strength of everyone else. It's your job to bring it to the world to help other people do something that they wouldn't otherwise be able to do." In this episode Kate talks about: Basic tips around organizing your finances. How to get a handle on your money and how often you should be checking in on it. The top mistakes Kate sees entrepreneurs making when it comes to taxes. Main Takeaways Make sure you have separate business and personal accounts. You'll be thankful when tax season rolls around. Likewise, stay on top of your book keeping to make things run smoothly! You should have a reliable timetable around checking your finances. Start with a check in every week, and a deep-dive every month. If you're hiring out this service, you can have reports sent to you on a regular basis, but "not checking" is not an option. Ignorance is bliss, except when it comes to taxes. Make sure you take it seriously. Put money aside and track the items you can write off. You don't want to get to tax time and find out you owe thousands of dollars, or can't prove your write offs. Links Kate Waldo and Co The 4 Step Framework for an Organized Influencer Business Kate Waldo on Instagram Mint Quickbooks Hub Doc Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Today we're talking about how to give clients proof of the transformation you are offering them. This is something that is a little tricky, and is one of the ways you can hurt a sale if you don't get it right. This was born out of a question I received through Instagram: "In a service based creative business, how can you provide guarantees that when working with us, we will do a good job to take our business and our clients' business to another level?" We're going to cover four ways you can provide proof of your value, and some tips on exactly how you can communicate that value to your clients. "As soon as someone feels comfortable, they trust you and they feel confident. That is when they're going to say yes, that's when they're going to take out their wallet and throw the dollar bills at you." In this episode Avani talks about: Why giving your clients proof of transformation matters to your business. How you actively deliver transformation to your clients through your business. What parts of your transformation you can share with your client upfront to build trust and land the sale. 1. Provide social proof Humans want to have their decisions affirmed. We want to look around and see that we're doing the same things as other people. Creating case studies and showing off other brands you've worked with validates your transformation process in the eyes of the client you're trying to land. 2. Prove expertise Case studies and examples help with this, but showing your thought process proves that you are an expert. Showing that you have a methodology builds credibility and proves to your client that you're actually an expert. 3. Prove you have a plan Showing your clients the plan you have in place to implement their transformation removes the doubts they might have of working with you. Provide key pieces of your plan to them so they can see the legitimacy of it and how it will transform their business. 4. Give samples Give them a small fix to a problem or an idea that will help show that they won't need to hold your hand through the process. This will also give them a little taste of what its like to work with you or your company. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Avani's Master Class Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

People have been asking me a lot lately about mistakes freelancers make. So in this episode we talk about the top mistakes you might be making when trying to get clients. As we all know, getting clients isn't easy. It takes a lot of work. In this episode I identify the mistakes that I see freelancers making all the time when trying to get clients. Some are easy to fix, some are not. If you've been struggling to land clients, give this episode a listen because it might just be the advice you're looking for. "Grab all the best practices from everyone. Implement and see what happens. See what the results are, see if it's better or worse. Start to look at getting clients scientifically." In this episode Avani talks about: How you can connect to potential clients. Why consistency is key in trying to land new clients. How your communication to potential clients might be hurting you (or at least not helping). 1. Stopping outreach too soon If you've been reaching out to clients with two messages a day, don't stop. A lot of entrepreneurs stop too soon if they get radio silence back from a potential client. Keep on doing it because practice makes perfect and eventually it will stick. 2. Optimize your messaging Reaching out is good, but it might not be good enough. You need to optimize. You might be sending messages offering something that your potential client doesn't want. Go back, check your communications, and ask yourself (and others) if there's a way you can optimize your messaging. 3. Communicate the transformation I see too many freelancers not clearly communicating how they will help. You need to tell the potential client the vehicle, current state, process, and future state. That is: how you will get them there (vehicle), why they need it (current state), how you'll do it (process), and what it will be like when you're done (future state). 4. Have a buyer mentality, not a seller mentality A seller will offer their services to anyone for a buck, and has a sense of desperation that people don't like. A buyer will be discerning about which clients will be a good fit, which makes your clients respect and desire your services even more. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Life is busy. Busyness is good because it shows we're getting things done, but often our routines and habits can suffer. Sometimes that's no big deal. Certain habits can fall by the way side and not be picked up for a while. But there are probably some crucial habits that you want to be doing (or were doing) and you need help bringing them back. This episode is all about getting those habits back and strategies to help them stick. We've all done it, so this episode is here to help you reboot your habits. "Everything you need to do in this life, in this world, is already inside of you. Habits and consistency are just a way to have that come out. To help you really flourish in this world." In this episode Avani talks about: The reason habits are important and what they can do for you day-to-day. Why you shouldn't get defeated if your habits fall by the way side, or take some time off. How your habits affect your identity as a person. 1. Start small Starting small gives you at least a starting point for continuing your habit. Even if you squeeze in whatever it is for a few minutes every day, it will give you the momentum and motivation to do it the next day and the next. 2. Stack the habit You probably already have a habit that you don't break. Whether it's combing your hair or brushing your teeth, there's something you likely do most days without fail. Use these habits as a way to kick-start other habits. Block some time right before or right after, or during (like a shower) to get these other habits back on track. 3. Be accountable to other people Work with friends or family to do habits together or use them as accountability. If other people are relying on you to do something or at least expecting that they will hear about it, you're more likely to do it. 4. Remind yourself who you want to be It's easier to form a habit when you change your identity. If you want to reform a habit, think about yourself actively as a person who does that habit and then those actions will feel tied to your identity as a person and be easier to do. 5. Know Your Why You need to be able to understand why you are doing your habits. Don't do anything "just because". Really understand the outcomes of your habits and the impact they have on your life. Links Atomic Habits by James Clear Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

I was recently talking to my friend Jason Resnick from Feast and I found the content of our conversation too important and helpful not to share with you all. This episode is pulled from our conversation and covers many topics that will help you in your own business. From how he started coaching, to how he thinks about advertising, and more. Jason is a coach for freelancers and he runs his own development agency. He's also created an amazing community called Feast. It's a freelancers roadmap and community for you to niche down, specialize in your business, and build recurring revenue. From group coaching to building products, Jason's business has continued to evolve as the needs of his clients have changed. Many of the services and products he's added to his business are a direct result of his customers and clients asking him for specific things. One of his biggest challenges as a business owner and coach is managing group dynamics and working through realistic timelines for helping clients make significant strides in their work. Jason works through his challenges by continuing to test and adapt his methods, which is something we dig deeper into during this conversation. Jason is still doing coaching and development in addition to his podcast called Live in the Feast in which he interviews other freelancers and influencers. He picks their brain about all sorts of topics and always has great insight into whatever the subject may be. "You need to have organization methods and understand how to sell. Sales is not a joke and I think a lot of people in our industries are not comfortable with selling." In this episode Jason talked about: How he got started building "Feast", and the questions people were asking that inspired him to start coaching. How he gets his listeners or viewers to convert into full coaching clients. His strategies and thoughts around advertising on digital platforms and how he runs his ads. Main Takeaways You have to dive in deep to someone's business, and sit down with them in order to give them the right kind of advice and value. Give people a little taste of what they can expect from you or your service so you know if they will be in for the long haul, or are just a quick buck. If you're going to coach someone, make sure you have a plan, a timeline, and clear expectations on what they will take away from it at the end. Important Mentions Feast Community + Coaching Live in the Feast Podcast Jason on Twitter Jason on Instagram Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

We all want to live happy, productive lives. But that's easier said than done. We have a million things going on and sometimes it feels like we're just trying to keep our head above water. In today's episode, I'm going to share my strategies for making things just a little bit easier so we can all live more productive, happier lives. If you've been stressed and want to figure out a way to lighten the load a little bit, this episode is for you. "Asking for help is a talent. Not everyone can do it. And if you get good at asking for help, you will be great at building anything you want." In this episode Avani talks about: How to ask for help, and why it's a skill that will help you in every aspect of your life. The power of mindset, and how thinking about things being easier can actually make things easier. Understanding when and how to cut things out of your life. 1. Ask for help Whether it's contractors, family, or friends: you can't do it all by yourself. When things get a little too hairy, make sure you ask for help. It's an easy way to make your life a little less stressful. It takes skill to ask for help properly, so make sure you exercise the talent and don't abuse it. 2. Put something on the chopping block Go through your task list and ask yourself if certain things really need to be done or if they align with your long term goals. If you can chop something and everything else would be fine, then do it. This is a quick way to make things easier for yourself. 3. Visualize ease It might sound strange, but visualizing what "ease" looks like and then applying that feeling to your tasks makes them a lot easier. It's a simple thing that everyone can do to put your brain in a better place when approaching tasks. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Today's guest is Ashley Copeland. Ashley is a blogger, podcaster and YouTuber who focuses on investing and growing your money — specifically how you can make your money work for you, and grow it passively. Ashley has a podcast and a YouTube channel called Stacks and the City, which is all about how to get money, save money, and be financially savvy while still living a very urban, millennial lifestyle. She has a six-figure net worth and built it through real estate and investments. Ashley's journey goes all the back to her childhood. She was raised by a single, working mom and lived below the poverty line even with her mom working multiple jobs. She knew that she never wanted to feel like that in adulthood, so as a teenager, she started reading investment books and figuring out the best way to bolster her income for the long-term. For Ashley, there was no other choice but to save money on things like shopping and eating out, so she could focus on building her investments and provide a foundation for her future. That line of thinking is what lead her to teaching others about money and the power of investing. In this episode, we discuss making money as a freelancer, how you can increase your income, and how to manage a team. Everything we talk about is centered around increasing your income, so when you're making the big bucks you don't just have that money sitting in a bank account. "I think that some of the money issues that our peers have are because they feel like they need to keep up with the Jones's or keep up on Instagram." In this episode Ashley talks about: Her personal background and inspiration for her wealth management. The best way that you can start building wealth today and how to make it last into the future. The biggest mistakes she sees millennials making with their money. Main Takeaways Fear and lack of knowledge is the main thing keeping people from getting into the investment game. You need to take a leap of faith. Reduce your debt and understand that wealth building takes a life time. Pick your niche and stick with it. It's the best way to build wealth. Friends and peer pressure pushing you to spend too much money is a huge problem with millennials and their relationship with money. Purchasing real estate and getting a roommate for said real estate is one of the best ways to grow your wealth early on. Links Stacks and the City Ashley on Instagram Ashley on YouTube Stacks and the City Podcast Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

Sometimes you land in a funk and it feels like life is just out to get you. Last week, that was me. I had a few days that didn't go very well. This happens to everyone at one point or another. So the question is, how do you handle it? On today's episode, I want to share a few tips on how I handle those "manic moments". At the end of the day, when we have crazy moments of anxiety, stress, tension, or just negative things in our lives, we get to choose how we face them. We can either reach into our toolbox and pull out tools that we have cultivated and established over time, or we can just let it take over us and become the victim of the situation. I'm sure you've experienced the same thing, so let's dive in and learn how to overcome those frustrating times. "Real impact is different than just filling in the holes and being reactive. So if you're going to be able to be proactive and pick the things that matter, that you should actually worry about and give your attention to, then your manic moments will dissipate faster." In this episode Avani talks about: Things that can wreak havoc in your week. How to reach deep and overcome the craziness of what's going on. Key things to keep in mind to help deal with all the stress. Main Takeaways Let yourself feel your feelings. It's ok to let feelings manifest as long as they don't take over the situation that you're in. Make sure you eat! Your mood (or at least mine) can be very dependent on if you've eaten lately. Your body needs fuel! Zoom out and realize that this is one small situation in your entire life. Keep the big picture in mind and you'll feel better about the craziness. Links Chakra Girl Radio Podcast The Journey Junky on YouTube Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

I'm excited to talk with Victoria Levitan on today's episode. She and I talk about a lot of nitty gritty details about how you can use video to make a splash in your business, and to grow the audience you've always wanted to have. Victoria is an online video expert, and her mission is to help online service providers and entrepreneurs figure out how to share their message and grow an audience using video. Her goal is to make video marketing easy and accessible for people who want to learn how to do it right. Originally from Switzerland, Victoria came over to the U.S. 10 years ago to attend college. Being an introvert and far from home, she wanted a way to connect with people online, so about four years ago she started a personal blog. Video was an extension of her desire to connect with people online in a meaningful way. Victoria believes that video is so powerful and important because you get to connect with a real human being. You see them on camera, you see their personality, and you get to know them. You are building real relationships because they become a person you start liking and trusting. "When you go into business for yourself, or even if you just try to do something completely out of the ordinary, it really is about having that mindset that you can do it and believing in yourself." In this episode Victoria talks about: Why video is so powerful and critical for building your business. The biggest mistakes she sees people making with video content. They type of content freelancers and business people should be making with video. Main Takeaways Video allows you to connect with real humans on a personal level and builds trust in a way that other mediums can't. When selling a product or service, make sure to talk about what you can offer clients first and talk about yourself second. Instagram stories is an easy way to break into the video world. Posting simple content from your every daily life can get your followers and potential clients engaged because it humanizes you. Links Victoria Levitan Victoria Levitan on Instagram Victoria Levitan (personal) on Instagram Victoria Levitan YouTube Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn

I'm back from vacation and ready to talk about money! Specifically, I want to talk about how I pulled off $40k in June. I love talking about this subject because it gives me the opportunity to save you some time and stress by showing you how you can achieve similar results. Here are three strategies I used to finally hit a $40k month and all the details around building up to that number. I'll also talk a little bit about my revenue, expenses, and the "boring" stuff of making money. "Have your goal literally be the background music playing in your life. You are in the process of brainwashing your own brain to make this dream, this goal, a reality." In this episode Avani talks about: Where she got the inspiration to hit $40k months. Her strategies for tracking her money and getting to that number. The three mantras she implemented to finally get her above that magic number. 1. Thinking You need to become obsessed with your goal. This helps prime your brain to take in the information that will help you achieve that goal. Think about it all the time, make it the background music of your life! 2. Feeling Thinking is important, but feeling is equally important. You need to feel what it will be like when that money finally starts rolling in. Emotion is energy and it will attract similar energy: AKA your goal! 3. Acting You can't just hope that things fall into your lap. You need to act! When information and energy come to you, act on it. Strategize about how you will get to where you want to be and take massive action. Setting goals, raising rates, finding clients - all of it requires action. Stay in touch Get The Client Magnet Roadmap Follow Avani on Twitter Follow Avani on Instagram Follow Avani on LinkedIn