What’s Your Game Plan for 2024?

PLUS: FF Spotlight & New Events

AuthorAuthor

Alex Andrews & Lauren Andrews
December 19, 2023

Hey Friend,

We hope you’re scheduling some time to rest and looking forward to the festive break next week. Spend as much time as you can with Friends and Family this holiday season, cover yourself in merriness and just enjoy yourself.

This is our final email of 2023 to you - our wonderful Freelance Friends. We will be back again the first week of January.

Last night we held our 2023 Unwrapped session (thank you to those in attendance) - It was an amazing hour. Due to the incredible response we’ve decided to host it again on the 8th Jan for all those that missed out.

If you want to get your Game Plan sorted for 2024 and set some goals 🌟 
Sign up for our free Unwrapped session now.

Here is what we have coming up in this week’s FF Newsletter:

  • Maya inspires us with her knowledge and advice for those embarking on their freelance journey 🌟 Member Spotlight

  • Beat Those Holiday Blues Connected Circle with The Connected You Community 💙  Online Event

  • Reflect on 2023 & Plan for 2024 - Goal Setting Workshop | 2nd event due to demand 🪞 Online Event

  • Be a part of our Manage Your Time & Achieve More Event in January ⏳

    Online Event

  • Update your Portfolio in our ‘Portfolio Surgery’ workshop with Jordan Walker Online Event

  • Karim’s Gift To You 🎁 Free Personal Training Session

  • Our New Facebook Community 🆕

  • 🗞️ News Worthy - The most interesting stuff from the internet this week!

Freelance Friends Spotlight with Maya Battle

In our latest Member Spotlight, meet Maya, a dynamic digital strategist and project manager, who brings a unique blend of creativity and marketing acumen to the music industry.

Discover her journey and insights in our engaging conversation.

Q: Hey Maya! Could you tell us a bit about yourself? Who are ya, where do you come from, and what do you do?

Hi, I am Maya. An Anglo-Peruvian who has lived everywhere from London to Lima but is currently based in Brighton. I am a digital strategist and project manager, specialising in music and creative industries. My job is to get creatives to the next level through intelligent marketing.

Q: Can you recall a moment when you suddenly realised, ‘Yes, this is exactly what I should be doing’?

I think I have these moments regularly and it all stems from the people I connect with. I get excited about other people's passions - I find it deeply inspiring and exciting. Those moments when I connect with someone and their project reminds me that I am exactly where I need to be.

Q: What do you think your younger self would say about you now? How would they feel meeting you?

Aww love this question. I reckon little Maya would be stoked! My work has allowed me to travel around the world, meet all sorts of incredible people and work on some unreal projects. To be honest, current Maya is pretty stoked about it, too!!

Q: In five years, what’s your dream scenario for yourself and your work? What are you most excited about?

I would love to be managing a team of other passionate creatives, collaboratively working on badass projects around the world. As always, I'm most excited about the people I'll meet, projects to problem-solve and the places I'll get to see along the way!

I'd love to be working on more projects that join the UK creative scenes with the one in Latin America. The creative space there is super out-of-the-box and thought-provoking.

Q: If you could sit down with someone just starting out on their own freelance or entrepreneurial path, what one piece of advice would you love to give them?

  1. Get your pension and your accounts sorted. I know some freelancers that were really late to the game with that and I can't express how important it is to look after your own foundations.

  2. The freelancing lifestyle is, in equal measures, tough and glorious. In those tricky moments, remind yourself about all the amazing things this way of life gives you. If it was easy, everyone would do it, and you should be proud that you've got the chutzpah to go for it!

  3. Lastly, surround yourself with people who get it or it can be a little alienating if all your mates are full-time. It's why Freelance Friends is so great!

Q: Picture this… You’re stranded on a desert island, and you can only listen to one song forever. What song would you choose and why?

I have synesthesia, so music literally tickles my brain and gives me colourful visuals, so I would have to choose something happy with good visuals to entertain me. It's not the rules, but here are a few: Fomba by Modeste Hughes (sounds like honey dripping into your ear), Tezeta by Mulatu Astatke (sounds like cooking on a sunny Sunday morning), Stay High by Brittany Howard (sounds like falling in love).

I am in a chilled mood right now, though - ask me another day, and it'll be all disco, funk and electronic world beats.

Events

We have three incredible events lined up for you in January, plus an event this Saturday hosted by our Friends at Connected You!

Beat Holiday Blues Connected Circle

Saturday, December 23rd 2023 - 6:00 pm

PLEASE NOTE: This is an external event hosted by Connected You.

Holidays can bring up a lot of emotions. Connect with others to beat the blues and fill your heart with wholesomeness through mindful presence.

Facilitated by a life coach to hold a safe space for you to feel what needs to be felt and for you to feel seen and heard.

2023 Unwrapped: Setting Intentions for 2024

Monday, January 8th 2024 - 7:00 pm Back By Popular Demand

Hosted by: Lauren, Co-Founder of Freelance Friends

This session was originally held on 18th December to rave reviews from all the attendees, so we are bringing it back for one more go on 8th Jan.

Reflect on your achievements from 2023, set goals for 2024, and connect with like-minded individuals in our thriving Freelance Friends community.

Led by Lauren, this workshop offers practical tips on work-life balance, motivation, and leveraging our community for support.

Whether you're a seasoned freelancer or just starting out, this free event is the perfect platform to turn your dreams into actionable plans.

Don't miss out on this exciting journey of growth and goal-setting.

Reserve your free spot now.

Manage Your Time & Achieve More This 2024

Monday, January 22nd 2024 - 7:00 pm

Hosted by: Essi, Author of Heartful

Join us for an exciting online event where you'll learn valuable tips and proven strategies to manage your time effectively and achieve more in the upcoming year.

Led by experienced speaker Essi Auguste Virtanen, this workshop is perfect for students, professionals, and anyone looking to enhance productivity. Gain practical techniques to optimise time management skills and reach your goals.

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to boost productivity and well-being.

Register now to join Essi and Freelance Friends in mastering the art of time management for success in 2024.

Portfolio Surgery: How Your Work Can Land Your Dream Job

Monday, January 29th 2024 - 7:00 pm

Hosted by: Jordan Walker

Join us for this portfolio surgery hosted by the enigmatic Freelance Friends Member - Jordan Walker. This immersive session is dedicated to building a powerful portfolio to showcase your work to potential clients and companies.

Your portfolio is a reflection of your creativity and professionalism, not just a collection of projects but a representation of you as a unique individual in the industry.

This session is perfect for creatives, freelancers, and anyone looking to make a significant impact in their career through a well-crafted portfolio. Whether you're starting from scratch or refining an existing portfolio, these insights will help you stand out in a competitive market.

Join us for this Portfolio Surgery and take the first step towards showcasing your talent and professionalism in the most impactful way.

For more details on the specifics of the event, please click here.

*This session is free for the first 10 signups, then £3+booking fee.

Karim’s Gift To You 🎁 Free Training Session

In last week’s email, we showcased Karim and his PT biz. He’s offering free PT sessions to our community until the end of the year, so take advantage whilst you still can.

Free in-person personal training session. In East London valid before January. Get in touch with him over on his Instagram or email him here. There is limited availability, so get in fast!

For those outside of East London, he is also offering two weeks of free online training. You can sign up here—limited availability.

Join Our New Facebook Community

Sharing Resources and Support

In times like these, sharing knowledge and resources is crucial. We encourage you to share strategies that work with our community. To facilitate this, we've created a Facebook page to share useful tips and resources.

Collaboration and Skill Sharing

Now more than ever, expanding your business through collaboration and skill-sharing can be a game-changer. Can you team up with another Freelance Friend to expand your network? Combining skills can open new doors and create mutual growth opportunities.

🗞️ News Worthy

News Worthy is a fun recap of the best things we found online over the past week.

Remember only to click what interests you. It’s okay to take a few minutes to learn something new and have a little laugh.

Refer a Freelance Friend

If you know someone who would find our community helpful, you can share FF with them by directing them to our website - www.freelancefriends.fun.

Want to advertise with us? Email Alex.

Do you have an idea or news to share with the community? Email Lauren.