Sarah and Chris discuss the dangers of growing a freelancing practice, what and when to delegate, and the power of networking to get clients.

Currently going back to school & doing less client work.

Build-a-team of go-to contractors.

The dangers of growth!

• Big for the sake of big


• Is more headcount really what you want?


• Regulatory burden of abigger business w/employees

Good growth gives you:

• Better clients


• Better pay


• Better professional quality-of-life

Edmondton is a unique city for entrepreneurs:

• Very flat, open, cultural hierarchy


• Big DIY ethos

Project mgmt is hard!

Jokingly talked about being horrible to our assistants.

Technical domain-work is what I enjoy:

• Don't want to stuck doing a job I hate


• Outsourced the things I hated most (made a list)


• Got a bookkeppers first
  Focusing on what you're good at vs focusing on what you enjoy


• Stretch assignment vs outsourcing specialties

Sometimes hard to remember to bill for everything.

Never start work without a contract!

Remember to address scope changes in quote.

To get clients:

• Commitment to high-quality work


• Lots of referral & network business


• Personal projects for gaining clients

"I'm generally doing a few ridiculous things in my day"

Building credibility w/personal projects:

• They can serve as a calling card


• Accidental calling card: Jennifer Wilde (book about peanut butter* kid's book)

How the book helped with credibility/authority:

• Billed as an illustrator & writer


• Fostered variety in work


• Thinks the mixture is a benefit to clients & a strength


• Got a university client contract


• Won work that was totally unrelated to children's books

Merely having professional artifacts like books can help establish credibility.