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The Charity Freelancer's Podcast | Where Charity Experience meets Freelance Success
The Other Side: The Charity Freelancer's Podcast explores the journey from charity professional to thriving freelancer. Join us for practical tips, real stories, and community connection for anyone considering or already on their freelance journey in the sector.
Jane Curtis chats with individuals who've made the leap to freelance or self employment from the charity sector and in doing so uncovers invaluable practical tips and incredible insights first-hand.
Whether you're considering making the move or you're already on your freelance journey, or you’re just nosey and want to know what goes on behind the scenes of well known freelance businesses… you're in the right place.
12 Episodes
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Ready to design work that fits your brain, your values, and your life? Jane sits down with Rebs, a digital communications and fundraising specialist who left senior charity roles to build a flexible consultancy. We unpack the practical steps behind a smooth transition: testing services as a side hustle, building a client base before quitting, and shaping a week that blends strategic work with hands-on delivery. Rebs shares how being autistic led them to rethink productivity and energy. We ta...
Thinking about trading a senior charity post for a life with fewer meetings and more meaning? We sit down with fundraiser-turned-freelancer Analiese Doctrove to map a path that balances family, focus, and real sector impact. We get practical about the move: lining up early clients through warm contacts, announcing the shift on LinkedIn, and joining supportive communities that value collaboration over competition. Analiese shares how core fundraising skills translate seamlessly to consu...
We sit down with Craig Linton, co-founder of Thread Fundraising and co-author of Donors for Life, drawing out practical steps for a low-risk move into consulting. Across this candid chat, we dig into the skills that transfer directly from fundraising to business ownership: clear storytelling, supporter care reimagined as client care, and evidence-led decisions. We also grapple with pricing: where generosity meets boundaries, and why working for free can undercut your impact. Craig explains ...
Ready to turn a solid charity career into a resilient, human-centred freelance practice? Jane sits down with leadership coach and My Emotional Work Life host, Jen McCanna, to explore how she moved from events fundraising to learning and development and built a coaching business that lasts. Jen shares the underrated skills that still pay off, and how they translate into confident facilitation and trusted delivery. We dig into energy management as strategy, not self-care fluff: the rhythm of c...
In Episode 8 of The Other Side, Simon Scriver shares how two failed ventures shaped a thriving, accessible training community for fundraisers. From street fundraising to global virtual events, Simon breaks down luck vs grit, why boring work matters and how to stop under-pricing your services. We also discuss hiring fears, building a supportive community without burning out and whether the charity sector is ready for the growth in freelance and consultant services. One of m...
What if the top job isn’t the right job? Jenny Perez spent 30 years in the charity sector, rose to a national CEO role, and discovered that the work she loved most had been buried under daily operations and admin. Her path back to energising work runs through redundancy, a freelance contract in mentoring, and a master’s degree completed while solo parenting. The lesson is not about grit for its own sake, it’s about designing your days around the work that makes you come alive. Jenny shares h...
Ready to trade a single job title for a life that actually fits? Jane sits down with former grants fundraiser Rosie Milsom to map her rewarding shift from sector employment to a flexible, purpose-led portfolio career. It starts with side projects and a LinkedIn post, winds through a deeply personal fertility journey, and lands on a simple insight with big consequences: self-worth powers everything. Rosie shares the practical moves that made her transition stick: taking on training, launching...
Ready to trade one-off wins for lasting momentum? Bright Spot founder Rob Woods joins us to unpack how charity professionals can build a sustainable, values-led business without burning out or getting lost in feast-or-famine cycles. Rob shares the pivotal moment he moved from training days to the Bright Spot Members Club, creating an environment where fundraisers stay inspired, practise proven techniques, and follow through long after the workshop buzz fades. We talk strategy and structure: ...
This week Jane sits down with former small charity chief exec turned consultant, trainer, and social enterprise co-founder, Vic Hancock Fell. They unpack the power of a long runway, a clear offer, and a values-led business model. Vic shares how a master’s degree exposed the gap in sector support for small charities, and how that insight grew into two distinct paths: a personal consultancy of one-to-many leadership training, and Fair Collective, a not-for-profit matchmaking service conne...
Jane sits down with Lesley Pinder, founder of Compass, her start up company that explores how charities can make generosity feel great by designing experiences that reflect human behaviour, not tidy funnels. We unpack the moment Lesley chose to leave the 9-5, why specialisation is key, and how “you don’t need a map, you need a compass” became the north star for her consultancy. We talk practicalities too, from shaping consultancy offers from live demand, to carving out routines to prot...
What happens when a scientist trades lab notes for writing stories that move donors to act? Richard Berks traces his path from research to charity communications to a sustainable freelance career, and the surprising tweet that sparked a community trusted by thousands for connection and clarity. Richard shares the lesson many of us learn too late: offering everything is not a strategy. He breaks down how he narrowed his services to what medical research charities actually buy, offering donor-...
What if you could build a six-figure consulting business while still having time for the life you want? Cindy Wagman takes us on her fascinating journey from charity professional to thriving business coach who's helped over 100 nonprofit consultants create profitable, values-driven practices. Cindy shares how she became an "accidental consultant" during maternity leave when her mentor suggested negotiating a contract instead of accepting a traditional job offer. With remarkable candour, she ...
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