Mt. Freelance and Me

I didn’t go to church when I was a kid. I was brought up freelance. 

My parents worked from home for themselves. It was great. They were always around, which was especially nice as my Dad experimented with different methods of cooking potatoes every morning which invariably became my breakfast. But more importantly they showed me what working for yourself looked like. 

So when I graduated from college I took it as my birthright that I would never work a full-time job. 

I held to it for over a decade. Working turns as a temp, videographer, production assistant, union set dresser and eBay PowerSeller, and even making money as an artist from my pursuits as a filmmaker, screenwriter and performer. 

But in my early thirties, I strayed from the path. 

Right about the time I was getting tired of living month-to-month and couldn’t quite imagine a freelance path forward, I had the opportunity to create a character for a pitch the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy had with a big client. A creative director had seen a performance of mine, AC Dickson eBay PowerSeller, and proposed I create a similar kind of character as a spokesperson for the pitch. I was hesitant until compensation was discussed. It was more than I could have imagined being paid to sit around coming up with ideas, and I said yes. 

After a few years of freelancing there, I took a full-time job as as copywriter at Wieden+Kennedy. I don't regret it for a second. I got to fly around the world to write a book about the agency, I got to come up with the 7 Wonders of Oregon campaign to increase state tourism, and I helped run the in-house school WK12 for three years. I also got my first taste of premium health care, a 401k, holiday bonuses, sick days and paid vacation. But after about seven years there it was time to move on. 

I’ve been freelance again now for five years. And I love it. 

I still work as a copywriter, helping brands essentially talk about themselves. But being freelance has also allowed me to work on my own projects again, so I’m hosting the Moth, auctioneering and emceeing events for non-profits, and recently premiered my first solo show in awhile. I also get to spend an incredible amount of my time with my kids. 

It’s hard to imagine a better situation. Which brings me to Mt. Freelance. 

About two years ago I was paired with fellow freelancer and art director Aaron James to help a local agency win a big pitch. Along the way Aaron shared his idea of creating an online course to help people freelance and asked if I’d create it with him. 

At first I wondered if there was enough to knowledge to really share, and if there was enough of an audience. But the more I thought about the more I realized we had in fact learned a ton that we were regularly sharing over lunch or coffee with fellow creative people looking to grow their careers. 

I also realized that my Dad had actually written a book called On Our Own that was essentially the same idea several decades earlier. 

So I said yes. 

Two years later and I’m be honest, more hard work that I had imagined, we are ready to go. 

Mt. Freelance is up and running. 

Here's the link! https://www.mtfreelance.com

It’s essentially a 33 video course where Aaron and I walk members through how to freelance. We’re not teaching how to writer or design or code or illustrate. 

We’re teaching how to build a great portfolio website, how to reach out to prospective clients, how to charge, how much to charge, how to negotiate so you can actually charge that, how to juggle clients, and even how to find the best health insurance, and two dozen other topics. 

And we’ve also created a Facebook group for members to interact with us and each other. 

So if you are an experienced freelancer, the next time someone asks you to coffee to talk about going freelance or getting better at it, tell them about Mt. Freelance. 

If you are thinking about going freelance, or starting to do a little freelance on the side, or are new to freelance or even kind of old to freelance but need a little help, give Mt. Freelance a visit. You first lesson, and a bunch of articles, are free! 

Big shout out to Aaron James for bringing me on. 

Christina Coon for producing the course. 

Braden Stotts for filming and editing it. 

Ben Sellon for the sweet photos. 

Half Court Studio for the right feel. 

Instagram, Linkedin and Facebook for having places to share. 

And everyone I’ve ever worked for or with for the ride.