On December 13, 2013, I published my very first podcast episode here in Freelance Blend. Today, more than two years later, I’m publishing my 100th podcast episode. Looking back, I could just say: “Wow, what a journey it has been!”
My journey, like yours, is a testament to our tremendous potential to achieve our goals and dreams as freelancers and online entrepreneurs. And so, in this 100th episode, I’m sharing with you what I have learned in this journey so far and what I want you to bring in your own journey.
Tune in to Freelance Blend’s 100th episode as I dive deep and share the 16 important lessons I learned from the 100 episodes of this podcast.
16 Lessons from 100 episodes
Here are the 16 valuable lessons that I learned doing this show for the past 2 years:
1. You just have to do it. Just press “publish.”
Freelancers and online entrepreneurs are naturally creative. We want our projects to help others and bring the recognition that we deserve. Because of this, many of us suffer from perfectionism. I learned from 100 episodes that extreme perfectionism can harm you so just do it! “Progress not perfection.”
2. Believe in yourself (“Kapalan ang mukha”).
When I started, nobody really knows me but this did not stop me from approaching the big names in the industry. Visualization and reading my affirmations really helped me develop the confidence to push through my goals and dreams. To learn more about visualization and affirmations you may read my post on this entitled “Starting the Day Right With the Miracle Morning.”
3. Don’t underprice yourself.
Aside from helping freelancers learn more about their trade and the industry, I used the podcast to promote my own services. One important lesson I learned while freelancing is to never underprice myself. You shouldn’t too. The price of your services represent your brand and a low priced service can affect how people perceive you and your brand.
4. The riches are in the niches.
I talked about this in a previous episode entitled “Blogging Basics Part 2: Elements of an Epic Blog” and I can’t emphasize it enough. It is difficult to be known in a very large market or topic, so choose a niche, a submarket or a sub-submarket, that you can dominate.
5. Visualization is so powerful.
As I mentioned above, visualization was an important element of my success. I first learned about visualization from a previous guest here in the podcast, Mike Grogan of BestOfYou.ph. Listen to our conversation at “Personal Branding Success Story – Mike Grogan of Best Of You Podcast.”
6. Do things that make you happy.
One of my favorite quotes says: “I don’t chase money or fame, I chase happiness.” Freedom from freelancing definitely contributes to happiness but working from home can have some lonely times so do simple things to make you happy.
7. Progress not perfection.
The cold and coughs I suffered during my very first podcast episode with Fitz Villafuerte taught me this. Today, I don’t edit the bloopers anymore. I keep them part of the show. By doing this I can make the show more relatable to my audience.
8. Form a mastermind group.
Mastermind groups have helped a favorite influencer of mine, Pat Flynn, as well as a previous guest, Anton Diaz of OurAwesomePlanet.Com. Early last year I finally joined a mastermind group of three and it has helped propel my career.
9. Invest in yourself and your business (“Huwag maging kuripot”).
When I started this podcast I bootstrapped. Today, as I earn from it, I invest back on the business. When you limit your investment, you limit your growth.
10. Work “on” your business, not “in” your business.
I learned to outsource other tasks in managing this website. Outsourcing allows me to work with a bird’s eye view of my business and plan for the long-term.
11. Be authentic.
As I said, I am no longer editing the mistakes I commit in the podcast. Authenticity also involves being open about my affiliate commissions.
12. Connect with people and be a Connector too.
Connections get you more clients and you can add value to others by being a connector – someone who introduces people to each other.
13. Kill the impostor syndrome, you don’t have to be an expert!
This is an issue I usually hear from coaching clients. The truth is you don’t always have to be an expert! Many clients want to work with newbies because they’re easier to train and have not developed bad habits yet.
14. Have a home base.
Having a blog that not only houses my podcast episodes but also my workshops and services has helped me develop a strong personal brand. Offline and online freelancers need an online home base. So open a hosting account, I suggest Bluehost (an affiliate link).
15. Invest in new social media.
Facebook and Twitter are cluttered are already cluttered. There are newer social media sites and apps that can help you stand out from all the noise in your followers’ news feeds.
16. Think different.
Podcasting is still uncharted territory here in the Philippines. So to stand out, I decided to start one. Here’s my advice on why you should consume and even produce a podcast:
FBP 022: Podcasting – Top 10 Reasons Why You Start Your Own Show Now
Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Listen to Podcasts Now
Don’t be average. Think different.