Freelance Bookworm’s Monthly Roundup: Must-Read Books for Freelancers and Solopreneurs
One of the biggest frustrations for new freelancers and solopreneurs is running up against fake gurus with very little to offer, paywall scams for helpful content and a lot of teaser content that only provides half answers to all of the questions you need answered to launch your new enterprise.
I know it was one of my biggest frustrations!
That’s why I started hitting the library and listening to every audiobook I could get my hands on to find the best books for freelancers and solopreneurs for October 2024 and beyond!
The freelance world’s worst kept secret?
You need to read and read a lot if you want to be successful!
That’s why I decided to launch this regular monthly post, diving into the world of freelance writing, freelancing in general and solopreneurship. Bringing you my recommendations of the best books to help you thrive and succeed in today’s competitive landscape.
Read on for this month’s recommendations!
Book Review of Freelance Your Way to Freedom by Alexandra Fasulo
Source: https://www.alexfasulo.com/freelanceyourwaytofreedom
Brief Overview:
Freelance Your Way to Freedom is Fasulo’s motivational guide for up-and-coming freelancers that are ready to make the break from the 9 to 5. She draws on her own personal experience as a successful six-figure freelancer on platforms like Fiverr, offering real world, practical advice for aspiring solopreneurs searching for actionable insights to begin their own freelance success story.
This book walks you through everything you’ll need to grow your business, including choosing your niche, how to market your new business, managing clients and scaling up to ultimately reach that six-figure goal.
Key Highlights:
- Fasulo guides us through her personal journey from regular 9 to 5’er to full time freelancer.
- Provides step-by-step guidance on how to create a successful profile and business through marketplace platforms such as Fiverr
- Gives useful advice on how to price your services and when to increase your rates over time.
- Great tips on how to juggle multiple clients while still maintaining that elusive work-life balance.
- Offers insightful strategies on how to scale your freelance business from a part-time side hustle to a full time successful career.
- Dives deep into the mindset shift you need to make to move from struggling newbie freelancer to a freelance success story.
Key Takeaways:
- Always Be Flexible: The amazing thing about being a full-time freelancer is that you get to control your own schedule, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be flexible to account for client needs. You need to be disciplined and willing to work within your clients needs, while still maintaining reasonable boundaries.
- Consider Niching Down: It’s hard to succeed as a generalist as a freelancer, although not impossible. Fasulo recommends specializing in one or two specific and identifiable areas to stand out from the competition and attract those higher rates!
- Successful Client Management: For a successful freelance business, building strong relationships with your clients is a must. That leads to repeat business and sustained success over time.
- Believe in Your Value: Resist the temptation to offer the lowest rates to build your reputation. The most successful freelancers take their work seriously, have pride in their work and understand that they’re fully deserving of fair rates. Focus on increasing your rates as you gain experience and a reputation in the industry.
- Establish a Professional Business Mindset: If you’re ultimate goal is to build a six-figure freelance business you need to treat your work seriously. Focus on long-term goals and scaling your business up at every opportunity.
Personal Recommendation:
Without a doubt, Freelance Your Way to Freedom is essential reading for new and up-and-coming freelancers. Fasulo weaves an inspiring account of what life can be like as a successful freelancer and what it takes to get there.
The way she naturally includes examples from her own personal journey makes this a must read and provides just the right amount of motivation for anyone that wants to follow in her footsteps.
It’s more than just and enjoyable read though, it’s also a practical guide packed with actionable tips to help you get started on your own journey today.
Full of advice and examples on topics such as finding clients, pricing and scaling a freelance business every freelancer will find this helpful from the fresh newbie to the experienced freelancer looking for a little extra motivation.
If you want to succeed as a freelancer, this book will act as your roadmap to get your journey to success rolling along on the right road.
Book Review of How to Get Paid for What You Know by Graham Cochrane
Source: https://www.grahamcochrane.com/books
Brief Overview:
Graham Cochrane’s How to Get Paid for What You know is a unique guide to help you turn your own passions, knowledge and skills into a practical and profitable online business. Cochrane speaks from experience as the driving force behind The Recording Revolution, an ultra successful online service for aspiring musicians.
In this book he shares his blueprint for creating and selling a digital product or service, courses or other membership driven entrepreneurial ventures. If there’s one key point he drives home over and over again, it’s that anyone can monetize their own expertise.
You don’t need to start with a huge following and you don’t need to make a major investment to get started. In this guide you’ll also learn to scale up quickly and generate lasting passive income for the long haul.
Key Highlights:
- Cochrane builds the book around his own successful journey of starting a successful online business and generating life changing passive income as an example of what anyone can do if they’re determined enough.
- He provides insights into how to identify your own areas of expertise that you can turn into a successful product to market to a niche audience.
- The author provides a step-by-step guide on how to start and build online courses, create e-books as lead magnets and develop a membership drive that leads to loyal followers and long term customers.
- How to Get Paid for What You know also delves into how to build an audience through the expert use of content marketing and maintaining it with an email list.
- Truly profitable passive income requires scaling and automation. Cochrane provides proven strategies to help develop these and move towards more freedom and less direct involvement in the business over time.
- He includes real-world examples of successful solopreneurs that have followed a similar approach to his to monetize their knowledge and build success.
Key Takeaways:
- Anyone Can Monetize Their Expertise: Even if you’re unsure of where to start, we all have useful knowledge and expertise that can be tapped to start and grow a profitable online business.
- Content is Still King: Creating great and valuable content on a consistent level is the best way to attract and grow an audience that will eventually lead to sales of digital products and services.
- Scaling and Automation are Essential: If you’re goal is to make money through passive income you must create scalable products and services as well as developing automated systems for your business.
- Deliver Real Value: When you consistently provide helpful and valuable content to your audience you build trust with them and that will lead to long term success.
- Learn to Change Your Mindset: If you’re goal is financial and personal freedom you have to move away from the mindset of trading time for money and focus on creating something tangible that results in real and ongoing passive income.
Personal Recommendation:
Some books leave a lasting impression and How to Get Paid for What You know is one of those books. This is by far one of the best guides for freelancers, solopreneurs and anyone that wants to break free from the cycle of constantly looking for new clients towards truly passive income.
This isn’t just pie in the sky theory.
Cochrane offers a refreshingly clear roadmap for using your own existing expertise to build repeat income with minimal effort in the long term — although you will have to work hard in the beginning.
If your goal is to walk away from the daily grind of a traditional office job and join the ranks of successful solopreneurs that work from their own home, this is the guide for you!
Book Review of Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business by Laura Pennington Briggs
Source: https://betterbizacademy.com/about/
Brief Overview:
With help from the team at Entrepreneur Media Inc., Laura Pennington has penned one of the most practical guides to freelance success on the market today. Whether you’re new to freelance or simply struggling to get your career off and running, this book’s for you.
Laura’s a successful freelance writer and coach and she breaks down in detail how to get started, how to find clients and how to scale a writing business into a full time, year round income.
This book covers everything from marketing and pitching clients to managing your new enterprise. If you’re looking to get started in the industry or if you’re wanting to give your stalled momentum a boost you’ll want to read this volume from start to finish.
Key Highlights:
- The reason this book speaks to the reader so well is because the author shares her own personal journey from teacher to six-figure freelance writer. This is personal.
- You’ll gain practical insights into how to pick your own niche and find clients in that niche that are willing to pay you well.
- This guide includes strategies to build a portfolio of work and demonstrate your expertise, even if you’re just starting out with few if any real clients.
- Provides effective tips for pitching clients so that you can land well paying and repeat customers for your services.
- Tips on how to manage your time as a freelancer and how to get the most out of each day, juggling multiple clients.
- How to diversify your income stream into areas such as online coaching and digital products so that you’re not relying solely on your freelance writing income.
Key Takeaways:
- Start Freelancing Today: You don’t need a degree in journalism or tons of previous experience to get started on the path to success as a freelance writer. You just need to get started.
- Personalize Your Pitches: Take the time to create personalized pitches for each prospective client. By demonstrating that you understand the companies or individuals you’re pitching on a personal level, you’ll stand out and land better clients.
- Grow Your Portfolio: Don’t worry if you have zero clients, you can still build a winning portfolio. Create and publish online samples in you’re chosen niche that demonstrate your writing abilities for all to see.
- Improve Your Time Management: It’s essential to strike the right balance between writing, managing clients and marketing your freelance business.
- Establish and Scale Your Business: Once you’ve built a stable of steady well paying clients, begin to diversify your income streams for exponential growth.
Personal Recommendation:
Everyone struggles at some point along their freelance journey. Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business helps you develop winning strategies whether you’re starting from scratch or just battling to build some momentum.
Pennington’s down to earth approach provides real, actionable advice that can be applied right away.
No matter what level your freelance business is at right now, this book can help you build a sustainable career for the long term. She walks you through every step with real examples from her own freelance journey.
If you have the passion to build a business and the marketable talent to impress clients, this empowering resource may be just the missing link you need to get to that next level of success. It’s easily one of the best books for freelancers of 2024.
