blog

Looking for best black Friday deals for moms? The Free Mama is offering the best one on the internet, that will encourage, motivate, and inspire you!Back in October, we ran the first ever 3-Day Free Mama Retreat, and It. Was. EPIC. We brought you world-class speakers, practical, hands-on workshops, intimate connections, and more.

“In a matter of 3 days, my confidence went up, I worked through mindset issues, and being around like-minded women was empowering!”

“Attending this event was crucial for my personal and professional growth.”

“A life-changing experience. I was able to dig deep into what I need to do and where I want my business to be in the future.”

Every single woman who attended said this was one of the greatest investments she has ever made in herself.

We’re already hard at work on the 2020 Free Mama event, and we want to give you ONE chance to lock in last year’s pricing and secure your spot at the #1 event for moms in business. 

If you purchase your ticket by midnight on Cyber Monday, you’ll be getting an amazing deal — last year’s pricing on tickets for the 2020 Three Day Free Mama Retreat, PLUS a whole bunch of bonuses.

This is the only chance you have to lock in that pricing — the next time you see tickets offered (if we don’t sell out this weekend…) they’ll be twice as much. This is the BEST time to save your spot and commit to being a part of the absolute best event for moms in business. 

Plus, when you snag your ticket now, you’ll get the entire Black Friday Freedom Bundle, which is going to let you cross SO MUCH off your Christmas list. Check it out:

• An audio copy AND the Kindle version of my bestselling book, The Free Mama
• The Prospect to Paid training, which will teach you exactly what to say and do to sign your first (or next!) client
• The complete Quick Start Freelance Success Kit, featuring my best tips and trainings for determine your marketable skills, getting clients, a perfect proposal template, and more.

And if you already have one or more of these bonuses, you can gift them to the amazing women in your life — we’ve made it SUPER easy for you to be the BEST SANTA EVER.

If you’re a part of the Free Mama community, then you know exactly how much value is packed into every single training program we offer. And you know how dramatically your life can change when you start to take action. Do you know a woman who needs that extra push? Grab your Retreat ticket for a STEAL — and get the goods to give your mom/sister/cousin/best friend. You’re truly giving a gift that she’ll treasure forever. 

Here’s the scoop, Mama. This deal is ONLY available until midnight on Cyber Monday. You will NEVER see this ticket price again — and I’m pretty sure I’m never going to give away this many bonuses ever again. This is the absolute BEST time to get your 3-Day Free Mama Retreat tickets at the lowest possible price with the MOST bonus value.

Ready to rock your world? Take advantage of the best black Friday deals for moms and get your 3-Day Free Mama Retreat tickets AND grab the ridiculous bonuses included with your purchase — to keep for yourself or to gift to an amazing woman in your life.

See you in Houston!

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Is The Free Mama Movement legit?” You’re not alone!

I hope you have some crackers handy, mama, cause you might find this cheesy, BUT, I am SO THANKFUL for every single woman who puts her trust in me and The Free Mama Movement.

And since today is Thanksgiving in the US, I’ve been feeling all warm and fuzzy and thinking about all of you — especially what it feels like to be on the cusp on taking this leap, and wondering about the women who have already taken the plunge.

How do they come up with the money for the investment? How long does it take to make that investment back? What do their lives look like after they join?

Well, obviously, the moment someone enrolls in TFFM, rainbows and unicorns materialize around her and envelop her in a bubble of happiness that doesn’t allow anything bad to happen to her ever again. 

Or, you know, NOT. 

Actually, I thought it would be fun to take a deep dive and look closely at the life of one Free Mama so that you could see exactly how she made the decision to join, and what really happened afterwards. 

Meet Jill Overby, mom of three — including one with Type 1 diabetes. Jill had often looked for ways to supplement her income — Mary Kaye, and an MLM — but she simply found herself working loads of extra hours with very little to show for it. She certainly wasn’t making the kind of money that would let her quit her day job, working as a college career counselor at a high school half an hour from her home. 

[photo of Jill — she said she would send one.]

Plus, there was health insurance to consider — her husband is a freelancer, so the whole family relied on her job for coverage.

And yet. Jill desperately wanted to be home with her kids. Leaving her son in the care of others was terrifying — not everyone knows how to care for a child with Type 1 diabetes, and mistakes can truly be a matter of life or death. 

When Jill discovered The Free Mama Movement, and learned about the potential to be a virtual assistant, she was excited — but incredibly cautious. 

Health insurance was still an issue. And how could she invest money in a program and quit her job with no guaranteed income?

“I’m not a risk taker,” said Jill. So she dug into the free resources she could find, and even invested in a less expensive course that gave her some very basic information. 

But within a month or two, Jill knew she needed more. She needed more hands-on training, more of a community, more support as she built her business, and more ideas on how she could get clients in the door. 

So she took the plunge and enrolled in TFFM in July of 2018. In August, with encouragement from the Free Mama community, Jill reached out to a photographer friend who was tapped into several local networking groups for women entrepreneurs, joined her at an event — and had someone reach out to her for help almost immediately. 

At the same time, Jill was getting ready to go back to work in September, and going through the same stomachaches and stress sickness she endured every year when her husband said, “Well… what if you don’t go back to work?”

Jill reached out to her mom for advice. Like Jill, her mom is not a risk taker, but she didn’t view this step as a risk. “You’ve put a lot into this already,” her mother reminded her. “You’re seeing results. You’re on the way. I think you should go for it.”

With the support of two of the most important people in her life, Jill went all in. She gave notice to her principal — and then got the school to hire hire for a big project. She kept working through the course material and had a handful of clients before she finished. 

It took her a few months to build up to her current level of six retainer clients. She and her husband figured out the health insurance dilemma by getting on one of the exchanges, and her life today is relaxed — and rewarding. 

She’s at home when her kids need her. She’s present. And she’s contributing financially without the stress and anxiety of being away from home all day.

Today, Jill and her husband have plans to work through Kathryn Jones’ CF Design School so that they can add another high-paying, specialized skill to their business. Jill is looking into working as an OBM and taking on a more strategic role for her clients. She’s dreaming bigger than she ever did before, and when she thinks about the future, she’s excited, instead of overwhelmed. 

If you’re nervous about investing in yourself, you’re not alone. If you’ve wondered if The Free Mama Movement is legit, you’re not alone. And the good news is that with over 1000 mamas who have gone through the program, it’s likely that someone else struggled with the very same questions and anxiety. So post your questions, ask for advice — and talk to the people you trust.

I’d love to see you realize your dreams, which is why I have a special announcement coming tomorrow! Because even without rainbows and unicorns, being a Free Mama is pretty darn incredible. 

P.S. Don’t forget to watch your inbox for a super-special Free Mama announcement tomorrow!

P.P.S. Ready to take the leap and start today? Here’s the first step you need to take to start freelancing!

Are you selling potential clients the wrong thing?

Picture your ideal client, mama. (And if you’re not sure who that is, I have a FreeMamaTV episode on that too!)

She’s struggling. She’s floundering. She’s desperate for help. So, what’s she saying?

Spoiler alert: It’s probably not something like, “I wish I had more organized email folders!”

But, so many freelancers are out there saying things like, “I help busy entrepreneurs organize their systems!” 

If you don’t know the difference between what your clients need — and what they want — you’re not going to be able to sell them the right things. Which means… you’re not going to get the clients you want. 

So on today’s episode of FreeMamaTV, you’ll learn how to tell the difference between what clients need and want — and how you’ll use that information to get those clients clamoring to hire you. 

Want to set yourself apart from the crowd — and snag the best clients? Then don’t miss FreeMamaTV!

Have you subscribed yet? If you don’t want to miss a single episode of FreeMamaTV, you can subscribe right here!

Last week’s episode was the harsh truth on REAL REASON you weren’t hired!

FreeMamaTV is such a good way to hone in on your virtual assistant skills, whether you’ve been doing this for years, or you’re brand new! I can’t wait for you to check it out!

P.S. I also dropped some truth bombs in my latest blog post – and I’m letting you in on the step you need to take if you want to start freelancing TODAY!

Have you wondered how start freelancing today?
Only read this if you want to start earning money from home NOW!

If you’ve been following along for the last few weeks, mama, you know that my path to freelancing was paved with tears. A lot of tears. 

When I finally decided that I was going to break into social media management, I had exactly no experience. I didn’t even have a personal Instagram account, and my Facebook skills were decidedly casual. I had no idea what I was doing — plus I still had this full time job that I couldn’t quit.

So, step one — even before I started looking for clients — was to read my company’s HR manual. Then I talked to my boss and told her what I wanted to do. 

Now, if the idea of talking to your boss has you quaking in your boots, I get it. But I want to ask you this: Did you ask your boss if it was okay for you to start a blog or sell Scentsy? I’m guessing no. 

I definitely recommend talking to your boss about starting your freelancing business, and I want to remind you that you’re not doing anything wrong. As long as you’ve confirmed via HR that you don’t have a conflict of interest, and your company’s policy allows the side hustle, you are in the clear.

My very first client was actually my boss’ husband. My boss and I made it clear that when I was at work, I was at work — working for her. I did my freelance work at night and on the weekends. 

And remember, I didn’t know how to do this social media thing when I started, so I basically got paid to learn new skills. No, it wasn’t a tremendous amount of money, but I had my first client. 

I learned so much about what I did and didn’t want to do, about how I wanted to run projects, about time management, and about what it’s really like to have a business. Instead of enrolling in a business course, I got paid to learn those lessons in real time.

Imagine just for a moment what it would be like to say yes. Yes, I’ll take on this project. It won’t pay a ton, and I’ll be giving up Netflix for the next month, and I’ll have to figure out a few things, but I can do that.

Imagine what your life could look like a week, a month, or a year from now if you say yes today. Imagine if you stopped wondering how to start freelancing today, and started your business with saying yes.

When I said yes — to that first client, and to the ones immediately after — I had to say no to a lot of other things. At times, I totally undervalued the work I did, and massively undercharged for it, too. 

Quick tip: I figured out pretty quickly if I hadn’t charged enough for something, because instead of feeling grateful and excited when I sat down to work, I felt resentful and frustrated. Resentment = charge more next time!

It wasn’t pretty or shiny. I didn’t know everything I needed to know. I just knew that I had to start. 

That is truly the only thing you need to know, Mama. You just need to start, and you’ll have time to refine and smooth out those rough edges later.

You deserve to have the life you want — and I want to help you get there. So head on over to the Free Mama Facebook group and tell me what you’re going to do TODAY to get your business off the ground. 

P.S. Orlando mamas! Will I be seeing you at the Free Mama Meetup? And by the way, wherever you are, make sure you don’t miss next week’s email, because there just might be a special announcement!

P.P.S Have you seen my FreeMamaTV episode on how to market yourself online? Check it out here!

It’s time for some tough love, mama. I’m about to let you in on the real reason you weren’t hired!

You’ve got the leads coming in, and you’re getting on discovery calls, but you’re not closing the deal. If you want to know why, then you need to watch today’s episode of FreeMamaTV. 

Let me guess: you think it’s your prices. 

I promise you that you can keep lowering your prices, and it won’t make a difference. If you want the real scoop on why you’re not getting the clients you crave — and you’re ready for some hard truths — then I can fill you in. 

The good news is that once you know what’s really happening, you’ll be able to make the right changes — and finally start landing those clients #likeaboss. 

Check out FreeMamaTV so you can stop playing the “my prices are too high” game — and start addressing the real issues – the real reason why you weren’t hired!

Have

Have you subscribed yet? If you don’t want to miss a single episode of FreeMamaTV, you can subscribe right here!

Last week’s episode was full of non-scammy ways to promote yourself online!

FreeMamaTV is such a good way to hone in on your virtual assistant skills, whether you’ve been doing this for years, or you’re brand new! I can’t wait for you to check it out!

P.S. Have you ever seen my posts and thought “boy, her life must be great” – Well, you’re not the only one! I’m letting in you on what you see (and what you DON’T see!) – a look behind the curtains, if you will – of my life! Check it out here!

Sunshine, roses, unicorns and rainbows — that’s my life, mama.

That is, you might be tempted to believe that’s my life. I mentioned last week that the final two Free Mama Meetups of the year are coming up, and I got a comment or two about how perfect my life is. 

Yep, that’s me, jetting off on a whim, taking vacations left and right. No cares, no worries, just fun, fun, fun.

Let me take you back about three years, Mama. When I was the primary breadwinner — and the Holder of the Health Insurance — for my family. When my husband worked seven days a week on his business. The business for which we had taken out a six figure loan. The business that did not pay him a salary.

We took exactly zero vacations back then. 

I cried a lot.

What I said last week about the pain and the courage? Not just a story. That was my life. It was hard, and gritty, and we fought and we yelled at our kids, and we worried all the time. 

So, yeah, you can choose to tell yourself, “It’s easy for Lauren. She’s always traveling and having fun and meeting people. She’s not like me.”

For a long time, I told myself that it was easy for other people. 

When I was working my way through the blogging/networking marketing/secret shopper trifecta, I saw plenty of people who were more successful than I was, and when I was feeling down (which was a LOT of the time), I drowned my sorrows in graham crackers and nutella and told Justin how those people had it so much easier than I did. 

(Except I was really talking to myself, because Justin was never home.) 

And also, I was wrong. 

Not one of those people had it easier than I did. They all had to start somewhere, with no knowledge and no experience. They all had to work really hard in the beginning, to get things going. 

If you only show up for the curtain call and all you hear is the applause, you have no idea what things looked like at the very first rehearsal. 

If you only see the beautiful ballerinas on stage, you have no idea what their feet look like inside those toe shoes. 

Beginnings are messy. It’s about getting started. You can refine things later — but only if you get started now. 

If you still think that the beginning of my business was shiny and pretty, then make sure you don’t miss next week’s email, where I’ll show you just how imperfect the whole thing was. 

I’ll break down the step by step of exactly what I did so that you can see it for yourself — and follow the same process for your own life. 

P.S. Can’t wait for next week to learn how I started my business? Grab a copy of my book and dig in!

Think self-promo is icky? Here’s how to change that!

Do you hate the idea of promoting yourself? Does the thought of building a personal brand make you cringe? Do you feel gross when it’s time to sell yourself and your skills to others?

The thing is, creative self promotion doesn’t have to be hard, inauthentic, or icky. It can even be — are you ready for this? — fun. Plus, when you do creative self promotion right, it’s easy to connect with amazing clients. 

If self-promo is a struggle for you, you’ll love today’s episode of FreeMamaTV, where you’ll find the best ideas for creative self-promotion that are guaranteed to be ick-factor-free. 

Plus? These strategies will work wherever you want to use them — on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, at in-person events, and even when you’re just talking to people. 

If you’re looking for a fun and easy way to attract more clients, then go check out FreeMamaTV — and see how simple and effective creative self-promotion can be.

Have you subscribed yet? If you don’t want to miss a single episode of FreeMamaTV, you can subscribe right here! Last week’s episode was about getting steady income as a freelancer!

And if you’re looking for even more FreeMama content to binge, my blog last week was all about the secret source of confidence! If you are looking for ways to find courage, you’re going to want to check it out!

FreeMamaTV is such a good way to hone in on your virtual assistant skills, whether you’ve been doing this for years, or you’re brand new! I can’t wait for you to check it out!

Are you curious about the secret to confidence, mama?

Three years ago, I was looking everywhere for that secret. The next webinar would have the answer. Learning this one other skill would give me what I needed. Just a little more preparation. I wanted to know how to find courage.

And in the meantime, I’d put on my big sunglasses for the drive home so the kids wouldn’t see me crying. 

I was in pain and going through the motions for a long time. 

I believed the story I told myself — that I was almost ready, but not quite. That I was learning and preparing for — something. 

Part of me truly believed that one day, a timer somewhere would sound, and POOF! I’d be confident! I’d be ready! 

Instead, I got a different kind of wake up call, when I had a miscarriage.

It took that level of pain to give me the push I needed to walk away from my job. And that’s what I don’t want for you, Mama. I don’t want you to keep believing that there’s a secret strategy for gaining confidence and courage.  There’s no magic recipe for how to find courage.

There isn’t. 

And all this time that you’re putting into “learning” and “preparing” could be time you’re spending earning money. You could be doing the work instead of thinking about it. You could be gaining experience instead of dreaming about your perfect life. 

Do you remember your very first driving lesson? You got in a car, and the instructor told you to put your foot on the gas. 

And all of a sudden, you were driving. On roads. With other cars around you and traffic lights and (if you were really unlucky) roundabouts to navigate. 

You didn’t feel ready, but you had no choice, so you clutched the steering wheel, leaned alllllll the way forward and you drove.

On the flip side, I’ve seen posts like this in our community:

SO DEPRESSED! The client wants me to do _______. I told her I’ve never done that before. She didn’t care and wanted to hire me, but I just don’t think I can do a good job, so I said no.

Mama. You are in a warm and supportive community of twenty-five thousand women. Someone in here has done exactly the work the client needs, and will talk you through the hard parts. And I can promise you that when you actually sit down, the hard parts won’t be nearly as hard as you think. 

But if you push away every possible opportunity, you’ll never, ever get where you want to go. 

So….how to find courage? Courage comes from inside. From taking action. No one else can give it to you. You have to decide that you want to act, and then do it. 

That’s the only way.

P.S. The FINAL TWO MEETUPS of the year are almost here! If you’re an Orlando or a New York area mama, I WANT TO SEE YOU! 

Income stability as a freelancer? Here’s what you need to know!

Have you heard that freelancing has to be feast or famine, mama?

Have you been told that you’ll never have a steady, consistent income unless you get a J-O-B? 

Well, I’m here to tell you that you’ve been lied to.

That’s right — it’s totally possible to achieve income stability in your freelance business, and on FreeMamaTV you’re going to learn exactly how. 

Check out today’s episode for three simple tweaks you can make in your business today if you want to stop worrying about where you’ll find that next client, earn consistent money, month after month, and have the flexibility that comes with freelancing — along with steady cash flow. 

Yep, you really can have the best of both worlds, and today’s episode of FreeMamaTV has the scoop. 

Have you subscribed yet? If you don’t want to miss a single episode of FreeMamaTV, you can subscribe right here! Last week’s episode’s was all about what to do on a discovery call so you can land the client of your dreams!

And if you’re looking for even more FreeMama content to binge, my blog last week was all about marriage! A little different than your normal freelancing topics, but I’m dishing some tips on what makes a marriage work and what we do for our marriage!

No tricks here, just treats. 

I know it’s Halloween, not Valentine’s Day, but I’ve got to ask: what’s your idea of a romantic weekend, mama?

Does it involve racing cars? No? ME NEITHER.

Unfortunately, I married a guy who is OBSESSED with cars. His Instagram handle is @carcrazyj. And for the last few years, I’ve indulged his passion because it happened to work out with two passions of my own: Brittney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Also, our shared passion: free alcohol.

This year, however, when I got the email about the annual Formula 1 thing, I saw that the musical guest was P!nk. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a good rock song as much as the next girl, but P!nk’s no Brittney.

So I figured we’d just… give it a pass this year. We could hang out with the kids and go trick-or-treating.

Which worked out totally fine. 

Until Justin found out. 

You know that thing really young babies do, where their lower lip quivers for a few seconds and your heart just melts? Right before they begin HOWLING? Well, that was Justin.  

“I look forward to this all year long,” he sobbed said in a completely rational and calm tone of voice. “This weekend is about my three favorite things: free alcohol, race cars, and time alone with my wife.”

And yes, he ranked them in that order. 

You can imagine, then, just how excited I was to rush out and book tickets. But the thing is, I can’t live my best best life unless Justin is also living his. I’m not a marriage counselor, and I’m certainly not going to stand here and pretend that I know all the secrets to happiness in love, but I do know one thing of what makes a marriage work, and it’s that both people have to be happy.

I want Justin to understand how passionate I am about my business, so I brought him with me to Funnel Hacking Live back in February. Justin wants me to understand how passionate he is about race cars, so… we’re heading away for our romantic weekend. Just the two of us and approximately 73 billion race car fans. 

I hear from lots of mamas in our community that they feel unsupported. “My husband doesn’t get it.” “My friends don’t understand.” “My parents aren’t supporting my efforts.”

Can I ask you when was the last time you made an effort to get into their world?

I know, right?

Sometimes, what makes a marriage work and living your best life means making sure the people around you are living theirs. #deepthoughts

Okay, enough of the heavy stuff, Mama. It’s Halloween, and we want to see your kids. Head on over to the Free Mama Facebook group and share those pictures!

P.S. Have you ever seen something you thought might be too good to be true? Last week, I talked about how to trust your instincts!