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In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from the Founder of Chapter One Journal — Stepan Mitaki. He says: “Hi Frankie & Steve, I've got a full-time product job in London, a 3 year old, an 11 year old stepdaughter, and a small iPhone app I've built alone in the evenings. It's been on the App Store for two months. It has a few paying customers and it earns nowhere near what my salary does. Everyone gives me one of two answers. Go all in, or drop it. I can't do either. Quitting a London salary with two kids is not a decision I get to make on optimism. Dropping it means the one thing I actually care about building quietly dies. So I keep going at about ten hours a week, mostly after bedtime, and I genuinely cannot tell whether that is discipline or a very slow way of failing. How do you work out whether a side thing is a business that hasn't started yet, or an expensive hobby you should be honest with yourself about? And is there a version of this where you never make the leap, you stay in the job forever, and that's actually a fine answer rather than a failure? Thanks, Stepan” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. •••Stepan's OneJournal websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

To celebrate DIFTK turning 10 years old this year, this episode is a little bit different! We’re taking NO questions. Instead, we’ve asked 10 DIFTKers to tell us 10 Truths about freelance parent life. Something they wish they’d known about freelancing with kids. Something they’ve learnt. Some ‘truth’ or realisation — positive or negative! Something they think you’d all benefit from knowing about. Because the absolute BEST bits of this podcast always come from all of you. So we are LITERALLY HANDING OVER THE MICROPHONE. Enjoy! Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. •••Frankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from copywriter Helen Savage. She says: “I’m a freelance writer and have less work than I’ve had for the 6 years I’ve been freelance — but at the same time my youngest child has just started walking to school by himself. I’m struggling a bit with the fact I’m going to be needed less and less by my kids and don’t have the work to fill my time and give me that sense of purpose. I appreciate a lot of parents might want to scream at me for complaining about children being more independent 😬 but I’m having a whole new identity crisis with the combination of these two things. How do I navigate this new phase?? How do I regain a sense of purpose when I increasingly feel no longer needed?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. •••Helen's BlogWrite websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Piggybank aka ANONYMOUS. They say: “Hi Frankie and Steve. My question is this: I often see freelancers and creators sharing what they make money wise. I must admit I can’t help but read, listen or watch this stuff. I find myself wondering if I should do this? But then I worry… what if people think it’s just showing off. Is it?  What if people start attacking me for when I do well? What if people think I suck when I don’t do so well? I feel like people might judge me for NOT posting what I earn. Am I just being too British about it — how dare we talk about money? Penny for your thoughts? So long as you tell everyone online where you got that penny from 😉 Detective Piggybank” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. •••Frankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from graphic designer and brand strategist, Joanne Grubb. She says: “My best friend and I have a really good idea for an online membership 'club' for charity comms professionals. We want to build a community that's as engaging and supportive as DIFTK and Being Freelance.  Where do we start? And what do you wish that you both knew before you started?  My initial entry point before I joined was your amazing podcasts, as it feels like they’re really important for breaking down barriers to entry and building your brand?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. •••Joanne's JG Creative websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from social media trainer and strategist, Sarah Pascaru. She says: “How are we all coping without any family to help nearby?? I’m in this situation — and also a single parent — and it’s hard. What are we all doing to avoid burnout and stress? Anything?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. •••Sarah's Social Jooce websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Jon Richards — graphic designer at Goodness By Design. He says: “How do I stop feeling guilty about not working during 'working hours'? I've been freelancing for over 15 years, but until last year it was always alongside a part time 9-5. So this is the first time I've been fully freelancing and I'm noticing a lot of guilt around when I'm not working. If it's a weekday and within 'normal' working hours, I feel like I should be doing client work, marketing or something. But as a creative, sometimes I'm just not in the right mood. Someone suggested recently that this might be a hangover of working in a 9-5. One of the main drives to go freelance was the flexibility it would bring. So I guess my question is, how can I get better at giving myself permission to do things like, go to Bristol for the day, visit an art gallery or just watch a film, when my head isn't in the right place to work? Do you ever have the same feeling?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. •••Jon's Goodness By Design websiteFrankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from career coach for parents at The Balance Collective, Clara Wilcox. She says: “I'm unapologetically anti-AI for a whole load of reasons — ethical, against the ‘big bro tech boys’, and the way they steal information to train it etc. But how do you work and promote yourself in a world that seems so pro-AI without sounding like a Luddite?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. ••• The Balance Collective's website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from career and worklife coach Vicki Kirk.  She says: “Hi Frankie & Steve, Is it just me that is finding it really hard to get going again this new year? Normally I’m all for diving into the planning / organising / new year-ing but this year I just want to curl up under the duvet! There’s a few reasons behind it (potential big family stuff on the horizon, a bit burnt out from last year, not entirely sure where I want to go with my business this year) but with a to-do list the length of my arm, I’d really like to find some motivation soon! Anyone else feeling like this? Any words of wisdom?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. ••• Vicki Kirk's website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Anonymous. They say: “Hi Frankie & Steve, I’ve been working freelance for an agency for a while now and have a good relationship with them. They’ve asked me to consider them buying me out of my company and coming on board as a director of their company instead, as effectively a partner. How should I consider this? Should I consider this?! What should I include in my thinking? How do I value my company?” Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linkedin. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community. ••• Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Anonymous. They say: “Hi Frankie and Steve, I love the freedom, flexibility, variety and potential of freelancing, but the places I used to get work don’t need me anymore, and I’m struggling to find a new service/niche that works. So I’m wondering whether a job might be a better option for a while. How do you know when it’s time to stop freelancing and look for a job? What would you take into consideration?” What would your advice be?  Let us know your thoughts on Instagram and Linked. Or join in the conversation in the DIFTK Community.   ••• Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from photographer Victoria Phipps. She says: “Hi Frankie and Steve! I’m a photographer specialising in analogue family photography (as in film, from the olden days when we were the kids!)… maternity, newborns, families etc. I’ve been in business for 15 years and have often struggled with the concept of “speculate to accumulate” when it comes to business growth. Or in the case of freelancers — personal growth! Do you subscribe to this theory?  Obviously as freelancers we don’t often have the big budgets that larger corporations have to play with, so decisions around investing in further professional education, coaching, fancier equipment etc. take a bit of thinking about. It’s sometimes hard to know what will ‘move the needle’ in your business. Do you have a set of rules you apply when making decisions like this or do you follow your gut?  Do you have any examples of times when the outcome of an investment in your own business growth has made it worthwhile? Or times when you’ve got it totally wrong and thrown your money down the drain?! Victoria” What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.   ••• Victoria Phipps' website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from creative mentor & workshop tutor, Sophie Roberts. She says: “Hi Frankie & Steve! I’m Sophie — a creative mentor and workshop tutor at West Plum Studio. I help people spend more time crafting. My question is around how to know where to draw the line between what you’ll give away for free vs what you’ll charge for in your business?  In the crafting world there is so much free information available online. I’ve learnt lots over the years from generous free content that others have shared. I’m more than happy to share my own content for free but there does need to come a point where you start to charge otherwise it’s just not a business! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks!” What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.   ••• Sophie Roberts' website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

*A summer holiday special* I put a call out for questions for the podcast and had SO MANY messages about the school summer holidays. Then Penny Brazier sent me THIS message and we agreed it was a brilliant idea. Penny says: “I’m eternally curious about how people tackle the summer holidays once they’ve got school age kids. It’s an impossible equation and there’s no one answer, but I feel like we can maybe come closer to our own personal truth by hearing how other people do it — to try and glean some inspiration. What about an episode where you gather responses *first* and then go over them? Including yours and Steve’s own methods? I’m sure the DIFTK crew have hacks we don’t know about!” What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.   ••• Penny Brazier's website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from strategy and planning specialist Sophie Greenwood. She says: “Hi Frankie & Steve, I’m writing this while feeding my baby in a sensory room. True story! Anyway, I’m going to be rebranding and renaming my business in the autumn, and wondered if you had any advice for what steps I could take between now and then to make it land with a bang? The rebrand has already been done with a designer (Mad About The Brand) — it’s all ready. I just want to make sure it cuts through the noise and makes some waves. I’m also coming back from maternity leave very soon — so it’s all a lot of change at once! Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!” What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.   ••• Sophie Greenwood's website Frankie Tortora's website Steve Folland's website Steve's podcast - Being Freelance Doing It For The Kids website DIFTK Instagram Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi ••• This episode is supported by With Jack. With Jack protects sole traders and limited companies on the high seas of freelancing so you're free to navigate uncharted territories and fish for amazing projects. With Jack is all about insurance for freelance creatives. Simple. That doesn’t mean more forms or faff — it means less. It’s not about endless features and stale service — it’s about one solid policy and the personal touch. With Jack is a trading style of Ashley Baxter Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register. https://withjack.co.uk/why-do-i-need-insurance/