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OH EM GEE, mama, did you hear? Did you hear that I wrote a BOOK?

I am giddy with excitement, because this is a dream I’ve had ever since I was a little girl. Back then, I also had dreams of illustrating my own work.  But since my worst grades were always in English and art (true story), I kind of shelved this dream for a long time.

Dreams are funny, though, because even when you try to shove them away and hide them in dark corners, they poke at you every so often.

Hey there! Remember me? You said you wanted this!

I started The Free Mama before I had any proof that this system would work. I hadn’t yet left my own 9-5, and I wasn’t making an income from freelancing. Even more than that, I knew that I wanted to do it  — and I believed that it was possible.

However, The Free Mama existed in my head and my heart, and I set out to make it a real thing in the world.

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”
– Henry David Thoreau

It took time for me to be able to leave my day job and earn a full time living as a freelancer. None of this happened by magic.

It happened from showing up, day after day, and doing the work. And once I had proved that the system worked, my next goal was to share this information with as many other mamas as I could.

Because of that, I wrote The Free Mama because I didn’t have any other choice — it was bursting out of me. The thoughts and ideas were there, and I had to find a way to put them out into the world for you to consume.

Above all, You have choices. That’s the secret, mama.  That’s how I turned my dream into a reality. You can leave your job, make money from home, and support your family. That belief — the belief that you, and all women, have choices — is at the heart of everything I’ve done for the past five years.

Certainly, I could write a whole other book about what it felt like to write a book and then release it into the world (stay tuned… I may actually do that!). As a result, the past few months have been a whirlwind of emotion and action, and I wake up every morning and pinch myself.

I wrote a book.

Because you, mama, you are my inspiration.

Finally, please join me in The Free Mama Book Launch Facebook group! It’s a pop-up Facebook group we’re using to launch the book and get it out to the mamas who need hope. It’s a party over there, with plenty of Free Mama swag, prizes, behind-the-scenes interviews, and more.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and it’s only getting better.

P.S. Do you know another mama who needs hope in her life? Invite her to join us in The Free Mama Book Launch Facebook group!

Check out my ultimate video guide on how to become a work from home mom!

Can you believe Thanksgiving was only last week?! It’s a little hard for me to believe, as we’re still wearing t-shirts here in Houston, but Happy belated Thanksgiving if you’re here in the US still in a turkey coma.

 

Now that we’ve kicked off the holiday season, there are all kinds of things going on.  You undoubtedly have family obligations, gifts to buy, parties to attend, and more — and your kids will be home from school once vacation starts. Plus, there’s the whole business of your business — your clients and all the things they need to do before the end of the year.

That’s why it’s important to go head into December with realistic goals and a plan for managing expectations wisely.

Here’s my mantra for December,  and I want you to feel free to steal it for yourself.

“It’s okay to say no.”

Does your family get invited to a dozen Christmas parties? You’re allowed to say no to some of them.

Do your children expect you to buy them toys that cost more than an in-state college education — or toys that run contrary to your beliefs? Saying no does not make you mean or grinch-like.

Last year I said no to sending out Christmas cards, and let me tell you, it felt glorious. And I’m guessing none of our friends or family really even noticed.

Take some time to consider how you want to show up for your business and your family in December. Do you have a client making a huge sales push in December? What does that mean for you and your work schedule? And what does your work schedule mean for your family obligations?

Sit down now and figure out your guidelines for the month of December. If you say yes to everything, you’ll show up exhausted and unhappy. If you decide ahead of time to say no to some things, you can be fully present for every single yes.

Think about how amazing it would feel to go to two or three holiday parties and have an incredible time. Would that fill your cup more than feeling obligated to attend 8 different parties?

If you take a little time now to determine your boundaries, you can sail through December with tidings of comfort and joy… rather than wanting to smash every ornament you see.

For example, my husband and I are meeting this week to figure out who is working when during the two weeks the kids are home from school. By planning ahead of time, we’ll each get the time we need to work, to be with our kids and each other, and to have some totally unstructured downtime.

Realistically, with all the kids at home, we can’t both work full time, and we want to be able to get out and do things with the kids, too.

We’re also going to make some decisions about what we do (and don’t!) want our kids to have and experience this holiday season. We love spending time with family, and we don’t want our kids to have multiple late nights — because late nights for the kids means miserable days for us.

Plan ahead, Mama, so that you can hit your holiday goals with a smile.

P.S. Pop on into the Facebook group and tell us one thing you’re excited for this holiday season!

Do you remember the first time you tried to get a job? Maybe you were in high school, looking to make some extra cash over the summer, or you needed a job to pay for your college education, or you were out there, diploma in hand, trying to start your career.

You sent out resumes. Sometimes, you got a response. Other times, you didn’t.

Sometimes you were invited in for an interview. You got all dressed up, went in, had conversations, and left.

Some of those interviews turned into job offers. Others simply faded into the background. The point here is that it took you some effort to find and land that first job.

A couple of days ago, I was on a call with a student who told me that she still hasn’t found her first client.

I asked her what she’s done so far to find clients, and she told me that she’d contacted one person, and that person hadn’t replied, so she’d more or less stopped trying.

Mama, I say this with all the love in the world: You cannot expect to find clients and build a successful freelancing career if you’re going to give up before you start.

Many of the students in my coaching program tell me that it took multiple followup emails and calls just to have a first conversation with a potential client. Because your potential clients — the people who need your help the most — are stressed, overworked, and frazzled.

Sometimes, first emails go unanswered. Heck, sometimes fourth emails go unanswered — but the fifth time’s the charm.

Your first client could be someone you’ve reached out to, who is simply too busy to reply right now.

If you don’t follow up, you’ll never know.

Every day, people ask me, “Can you really make money from freelancing?”

Well, yeah, you can, because millions of people are doing it every day. Yep, millions. The Freelancer’s Union reported that in the US, there are currently 57.3 million freelancers.

So, yeah, this freelancing thing works — and it’s not going away anytime soon.

When you’re struggling to get that first client, you need to take a good look at what you’re doing. Are you really showing up, getting out there, and offering your services?

Are you wrapping up a beautiful package with a bow on it? Or are you halfheartedly throwing something together and hoping someone finds it?

My student said she was afraid to reach out to anyone, because what if they also ignored her?

So what if they do? Why does that have to matter? Some people will ignore you — but if you let those people define your life, where will you be a year from now?

I’m not a huge fan of the expression “What you put in is what you get out” (I mean, come ON, it’s a total network marketing line, and you know how I feel about that!) — but there is a nugget of truth in there.

If you don’t go after clients, if you don’t show up, if you don’t put a bow on the package — you shouldn’t be surprised when you don’t get results.

There’s no magic pill here. Simply signing up for The Free Mama Movement doesn’t give you access to the Kingdom of Clients. You are the only person who can take action to move your life forward.

On the flip side, Mama, when you do show up and do the work, you have the power to dramatically change your life. It’s happening every day for the women in our group, and for people all over the world.

You have the power to do this, mama. I believe in you.

The big question is, Do YOU believe in you?

P.S. If you need extra support, motivation, and tough love, Lauren-style, take a look at the Free Mama Coaching program to see if it’s right for you.

P.S. While you’re out there snagging all those gifts on your holiday shopping list, remember that the BEST stocking stuffer is available on December 13 — that’s when The Free Mama book hits the digital shelves! Join us in the pop-up Facebook group for giveaways, prizes, and tons of fun.

Yep, I’m thinking about snowballs — but it’s not what you think. I mean, it’s 70 degrees here in Houston, so I don’t think we’ll be breaking out the snow boots any time soon.

The snowballs I’m thinking of are a bit different. But let me back up a bit and tell you about the state of panic I found myself in a few weeks ago.

I’d been dealing with a lot of tricky and time consuming issues in my business — a million tiny details that needed my attention, in addition to the normal workload of working with the Free Mamas in my 12-week program, my group coaching students, my one-on-one students, and one of my own freelancing clients.

There was laundry and carpool and feeding of my children, as there always is.

My husband had just made the decision to quit his job.

I felt like my to-do list had grown exponentially, while the hours available for work remained stubbornly fixed.

I sat down at my desk and felt so incredibly overwhelmed that I couldn’t figure out where to put my focus. There were so many things that felt like I needed to do them FIRST that I really couldn’t take action on a single thing.

For a solid five minutes, I just stared at my calendar, unable to do anything.

Has that ever happened to you, Mama?

Well, after five minutes, I pulled myself together, grabbed a paper and pen, and started listing out alllllll the things that were in my head.

Now, you know how much I love my online systems. But every once in a while, you just need the solid feel of pen on paper, you know? I got that whole list written down, and then I figured out:

• Which tasks could be outsourced to someone else
• Which tasks weren’t a priority for right now
• Which high priority tasks that only I could handle would have the most impact on my business right away

Right away, I got rid of the stuff in the first two categories, which left me with a smaller list to deal with.

And that’s where the snowball comes into play. I took a close look at the high priority tasks I needed to do and ranked them in the order that made the most sense to me based on the impact they would have on my business and the amount of space they were taking up in my head.

By working through each of those tasks one at a time, I’d be able to pick up momentum and keep myself motivated — like a snowball rolling down a hill.

When you’re overwhelmed, it’s really easy to slip into inaction — that place where I found myself, staring at the screen, unable to get started.

If that happens to you, mama, here’s what I want you to remember:

1. Breathe. This isn’t life or death. Your business is important, but lives are not hanging in the balance here.

2. Take ten minutes to determine the things that will have the biggest impact on your business and your sanity, and rank them in some way. You might start with something you can cross off your list in under 10 minutes, or focus on the thing that has the most potential to bring in revenue, or the thing that feels the heaviest for you right now.

3. Start moving. Set a timer for 25 minutes and dive into the work. You can accomplish a lot in 25 minutes of focused work, and you’ll feel more in control as you make progress.

Overwhelm happens. The trick is to make sure that you don’t let it derail your progress. When you start to feel like you can’t do anything, it’s time to take a step back and reset.

I’m curious — when was the last time you felt paralyzed by everything on your plate? And what did you do to move past that feeling? Share your #takeaction tip in the Facebook group!

P.S. Be sure to check back here next week, because I have some exciting news to share for any mamas who want to make even more money as a freelancer!

If you’ve been working your way through the modules of The Free Mama Movement, you might already be fielding client inquiries — which is AMAZING.

And maybe you’ve had a potential client come to you and ask for a proposal. So you wrote a proposal and sent it. And then the client came back with even more ideas and questions. So you addressed all of those. And then the client came back AGAIN, with EVEN MORE questions, and you’re just not sure what the heck to think anymore.

Mama, you are NOT alone.

You’re not the first freelancer to face this issue, and you won’t be the last. I’ve been there, too — which means that I can give you some practical advice.

When you’re dealing with a potential client and you don’t yet have a contract in place, you want to be careful.

On the one hand, you don’t want to give away hours and hours of your time writing proposals, strategizing ideas, and having inquiry calls when you’re not getting paid.

On the other hand, you don’t want to walk away from what might be an amazing contract, once all the dust settles.

What’s a Free Mama to do?

You need to pay attention to three things: boundaries, communication, and expectations.

Your potential client may be new to this process, and likely isn’t trying to take advantage of your time. She’s overworked and overwhelmed, and she has a lot of ideas. Your job is to reign her in with boundaries.

You can explain politely and respectfully, “I would love to start helping you and take some of this off your plate. In order to do that, I need you to sign this contract and make an initial payment. Then, I can start digging in, and we can revise the agreement if needed in a month or two.”

It’s also REALLY important to be clear in your communication with potential clients, and set expectations appropriately.

Be up front about what is and is not included in your proposal — and set up a way to cover yourself if you’re asked to do something outside the scope of work you’ve agreed on. For example, you can say, “Any additional tasks not included in this scope will be billed at an hourly rate of $X,” or “Any additional work will require a separate agreement.”

Once you start working with clients, you might find that you’re still dealing with a little bit of their craziness. Part of your job is to help them work with you most effectively. Once more, boundaries, communication, and expectations are key.

If your client keeps sending you messages on Facebook, but you’ve asked her to send work via email, train her. Reply to her messages from email, and reiterate that this is the communication channel that lets you ensure you don’t miss a task.

If your client texts you at midnight, don’t answer. Answer via email during your normal work hours, and let her know that she can expect to hear from you via email during your normal work hours.

If you see that your client has overlooked something, don’t just sit back and wait for the train wreck. Get in there and do what you can to fix things before they’re a problem. If you do that, you will have a client who loves you forever and tells everyone else how amazing you are.

Remember, you want to be professional — but not subservient. You’re a business owner, not an employee, and you need to act like one. So don’t be afraid to be proactive, to speak up when needed, and to ask for what you need (respectfully, of course) in order to get the job done.

You can always ask for feedback if you’re not sure exactly how to phrase something to your client — we’ve got a whole community of mamas who will help you.

You can rock out the work, mama. It just takes some practice to navigate the wild world of clients — but you can do it.

 

 

Raise your hand if you’ve seen this before.

61 comments. And at least 60 of those are, “PICK ME, PICK ME!”

How the heck are you supposed to find clients in Facebook groups when that’s what you’re up against?

Well, there are definitely things you should NOT do… and I also have the details on the ONE thing that WILL work — big time.

Let’s start with what won’t work — so you don’t waste your time on it.

1. Don’t post something like this:
   ___
   Hey there! Mods — Delete if not allowed.I’m a VA and I offer the following services! I’d LOVE to connect with the people here, so I’m offering a FREE consult. Just click here to book a FREE call with me!
   —-
   There two major issues with this kind of post. First, anytime I see “Delete if not allowed,” I know that the person who wrote the post couldn’t even be bothered to look up the rules of the group. If you’re trying to demonstrate that you’re detail-oriented, you just failed. Plus, rude. Second, this is a self-promo post, and people really, but REALLY don’t like it when you come into a community they’ve created and curated and try to make money off their work. Just don’t.
2. Don’t go to groups where people just like you are hanging out and expect to find work.

For example, you’re probably a member of The Free Mama Facebook Group. (If you’re not… um, WHY NOT?) That group is full of other mamas who ALSO want to be freelance Virtual Administrative Consultants, so there’s NO POINT in posting about your amazing services.

Yes, sometimes a mama will come in looking to hire out a specific project, but you shouldn’t view peer groups as a place to find clients.

So, how CAN you use Facebook to get clients?

By mastering the art of storytelling.

What’s that?

Well, let’s say that you’re a Pinterest Manager. You can go into groups where the kind of people who HIRE Pinterest Managers are hanging out. And you could post something like this.…

—
Two months ago, I broke up with Pinterest. I mean, I was totally DONE. No matter how much I put into the relationship, Pinterest never delivered ANYTHING in return.

But then, I don’t know, something changed. Pinterest changed. I changed. I figured out THREE things I needed to do to drive traffic EXACTLY where I wanted it.

Value Thing 1 distilled down to 1-2 sentences.

Value Thing 2 distilled down to 1-2 sentences.

Value Thing 3 distilled down to 1-2 sentences.

Are you and Pinterest on a break right now?
—

Let’s look at what you’re doing with a post like this.

For starters, you’re posting it in a group where it might actually help people. Not a group of other Pinterest Managers, but rather a group where online business owners who are NOT primarily Pinterest Managers hang out.

Next, you’re talking about what you do in an engaging way. Anyone who’s ever been frustrated by Pinterest can immediately relate. You’re providing real value, and opening the door for conversation.

You’re NOT saying, “HIRE ME TO MANAGE YOUR PINTEREST.

You’re NOT writing a blog post and pretending it’s a value bomb.

You’re NOT pitching people.

You’re starting a conversation and building a relationship.

You’re becoming known for something — which lets people know when they should turn to you for help.

When you share a story, people will comment. They’ll ask questions. And you can answer those questions and give more value. And if it’s appropriate, you can invite people to connect with you, to go deeper. To take the relationship to the next level.

And it never, ever has to feel icky or smarmy.

We workshop a lot of storytelling tips and feedback in my coaching programs, so if this is a skill you need to work on, that’s one resource you can consider.

You can also start practicing — tell your story on your Facebook page, on Instagram, or whoever else you’re hanging out on social media.

Practice your storytelling, Mama, and use it to connect with amazing clients! And if you have any other questions on freelancing, I can bet you that I have answered them right here for you!

My husband reminded me of a funny story, and I thought I’d share it with you.

A couple weeks ago, we had a rare family weekend — my husband didn’t have to work for a change. So, on Saturday morning, we all went to the gym together. The kids went to daycare, my husband went to work out, and I headed to my beloved step class.

#childoftheeighties 🙌🏻

Class is an hour, and Justin usually works out for about 40 minutes. So he was waiting for me to finish. Class ended, and allllll the people came out… except for Lauren.

I didn’t show up until a good 10 minutes after class had ended. Why? Because I was hanging out chatting with the instructor.

Justin laughed out loud when I told him, “Hey, this is how I fit in my daily interactions with grown-ups.”

The thing is, I’m not kidding.

Freelancing means being on your own — which is awesome — but it can also be a little lonely.

The thing is, I firmly believe that as a grown-up — and in particular as a freelancer and/or business owner — you have control over your life.

If you’re lonely, what are you doing about it?

You could join a mom’s group. Or a networking group. Or team up with another local freelancing mama once a week for a co-working session.

You have options. You’re not helpless, Mama.

It’s totally legitimate to worry that you’ll be lonely if you leave your job and start freelancing. Heck, it’s totally legitimate to feel lonely at home. But you don’t have to just sit there saying, “I’m lonely.”

You can find a way to change that situation.

Maybe you’re a person who likes small, limited doses of people.

Maybe hanging out in our amazing online community daily and spending an hour walking and talking with a friend once a week will be plenty to recharge you.

If you’re more like me (HELLO! EXTROVERT!), you can definitely find ways to fit interaction into your schedule. I’ve been known to work at Starbucks just so that I could hang out with the barista and find out how she’s really doing.

But I also build interaction into my daily life. I stop at the park on the way home from school with Daphne. She plays with friends, I chat with the parents. It’s low key, and it helps us transition from the school/work day to family mode.

I work in public spaces (like Starbucks) so that I can have casual conversations with people around me.

I befriend the step instructors at the gym.

I joined a mom’s group the second I arrived in Houston.

Being lonely is a real thing. But you don’t have to just accept loneliness as part of your life. If you’re struggling to figure out how to get more community in your life, let us know in the Facebook group. Maybe there’s another Free Mama in driving distance — or at least one who knows your area and has some smart suggestions.

Remember, being part of The Free Mama community means you’re never really alone.

We got you, Mama.

Heeeeey there, Mama! 

October! Halloween! Fall! Leaves! Yeah, I’m a little excited. I live in Houston, where we basically have 937 days of hot and humid summer, four days of fall, a day of winter, and then back to summer. Allow me to revel in my four days of fall. 🤠

If you’re feeling in a bit of a slump, Mama, like you lost your mojo, you’re definitely not alone. Lots of Free Mamas have been talking about how they’re just not motivated lately.

You know, you come off of summer with all these big plans for September, because the kids are heading back to school. You’re going to do big, huge, amazing things! You spent all of August dreaming about how productive you would be in September.

And you rocked it out. You put in the time and you worked and you got so many things done. And then the calendar turned over, and you realized that even though you did a LOT in September, there is STILL work to be done now.

Well, that’s a bit of a party pooper.
The thing is, it does take work and effort to build your freelancing business. You’re not wrong — it is hard.

Now, that doesn’t mean that it’s too hard for you and that you can’t succeed. But it does mean that you’ll have to keep yourself motivated to get up every morning and Do. The. Work.

So… how are you supposed to stay motivated? It comes down to three things, so let’s take a look.

Thing #1: Get super clear on your WHY.

There’s a reason you want to be a freelancer. What is it? It’s more than just “being with your kids” or “making money.” It’s deeper than that, and knowing what your why is will help you focus on what really matters.

A big part of my why was about being more present as a mom. I saw myself walking my daughter to school every day, sitting with her to do homework in the afternoon, spending time playing at the park — I knew what I wanted our life to look like.

And when I moved to Texas, I had to build my business from scratch. There were days when I thought that it would actually be easier to just get a job. In fact, one day my husband even suggested it! But my WHY kept me going. I knew what I wanted: to walk Daphne to and from school, and no one was going to take that from me!

Get super clear on your why, Mama, because it will keep you going when things get tough.

Spoiler: things do get tough.

 

Thing #2: Know your business goals.

Having a packed to-do list can make you feel really busy — but busy isn’t the same as productive, and even productive isn’t the same as crushing your goals. If you’re filling your days with things that aren’t getting you to the right place, you’re not going to get results.

I’m a fan of setting measurable, time-based goals. So, for example, if your goal is to land 3 new clients, that’s great, but by when do you want to do that? In the next 8 years? Or by the end of next month? And then, what needs to be in your Daily Five to get you to that goal?

If you’re putting the right things on The Daily Five, you’ll be working towards your goals and making real progress. But if you don’t align your daily action with your goals, you’re going to be exhausted — which is hardly motivating. It’s actually, like, the opposite of motivating.

 

Thing #3. Do stuff that makes you happy.

Sometimes, it can feel like there’s this giant competition to see whose life is hardest and who is the most miserable.

Mama, step AWAY from that race. Find things — even little things — that make you happy, and do them.

You may be in a season where you’re working 14 hours a day and then coming home to laundry and dishes. I’ve been there, and I know that it’s hard to take a little bit of time for yourself, but I’m telling you that it’s worth it. A 10-minute break with a cup of tea in your favorite mug, a shower with that scented body wash you love, or even just a phone call with a good friend can help you recharge.

It doesn’t cost you any extra to drink enough water every day — and it’ll make a huge difference in how you feel.

And mama, if you’re exhausted all the time, take a look at your sleep habits. If you’re staying up until midnight or 1am and getting up at 5am, you’re not doing anyone any favors.

GO TO BED, MAMA.

=

What is so critically important that you must stay up late at night? I know that a lot of mamas say, “But that’s my time for myself.” I hear you — but can I suggest something? Work on getting the sleep you need, and you’ll have more energy to put in the work you need to do to create the life you really want.

You can find your way back, Mama. You can do this. Come on into the Facebook group and let us support you!

P.S. I had an AMAZING time recording this episode of She Did It Her Way with Amanda Boleyn. We talked about how important it is to value the work you do for others. It would mean the world to me if you’d give it a listen — and share it with a mama who you think needs to hear this message!

How many times a day do your kids ask you, “How come [my sibling] can [do this/eat that/go there/stay here]?”

At any given moment, at least one kid is convinced that you love the other kid more. But as the mom, you know that love is not a pie that gets eaten. Love expands. At any given moment, you might have to worry about one kid more than the others, because that kid might need more support/encouragement/help/whatever… but that doesn’t mean that you love any of the other kids less.

Any mama who is pregnant with her second baby knows that fear: How can I possibly love another baby as much as I love the first one?

And then you have the second baby, and you learn that it is totally possible. Love expands. Always.

My daughters are fiercely independent creatures. My six-year-old is absolutely the dominant personality in our family. All summer long, I talked about her in these very emails. Even my baby girl, this child who is not yet even two years old, knows exactly what she wants — whether that’s food, toys, cats, and so much more — and goes after it without hesitation.

My son, on the other hand, may not be the child I talk about, but he is the child I think about. He’s the classic middle child, the sensitive soul, the child who needs an advocate.

Once in a while, I have to take all three children out — say to a dentist appointment, or worse, to Target to buy clothes. During the time it takes me to check in with the receptionist or wipe down the cart, Daphne and Audrey will have wandered off, made a new friend, invented a hashtag, and updated their Instagram stories.

Henry will be clutching my knees desperately, because perhaps today is the day I’ll decide, “Hey, I’m good with two kids. I can just dump this one.”

On the one hand, Henry runs on autopilot.

Left to his own devices, he would be content to sit and play on his own with Legos for hours on end, creating elaborate worlds and filling them with fanciful characters who go on epic adventures.

But when Henry is out there in the world, he needs extra help and support. This is a kid who learned to swim — at age 4 — in a single lesson. Once he was in the water, he was an absolute fish, blowing the bubbles, grabbing the rings from the bottom of the pool, leaving the safety of the shallow end.

Getting him into the water, however, required surgically removing him from my legs.

So, yes, this child fills a significant portion of my thoughts, while his sisters just do their own thing and occasionally remember to glance my way.

I suspect that as my children grow, there will be times when one of the girls needs more of my attention, that this is a shifting, changing process.

Clients are the same.

You may have a client who runs on autopilot, where you hardly have to think about anything, where the work is steady and consistent and easy. And you may have a client who requires more from you for a period of time.

Managing your business effectively requires you to recognize that a client going through a transition or a launch or a pivot — or simply a client who has a personal life that has taken over — may need more of you right now, but that doesn’t mean you give your other clients less.

And because your clients are not actually the same as your children, if you have one who is always needy and demanding, who always requires more of your time and attention, who always is in the middle of a crisis, you may need to take a step back and ask yourself, “Am I the right person for this client? Is this client the right person for me?”

To put it another way: You’re stuck with your kids, Mama. But you can fire clients if necessary.

If you have a client who goes through a rough patch and needs some extra support, that’s one thing. You can adjust expectations, be the hero, and win the client’s undying gratitude and loyalty.

But if you have a client who makes it impossible for you to take care of your family, who takes so much from you that you have nothing left to give anyone else, then it’s time to re-evaluate and re-prioritize, mama.

Manage your clients, manage your business. You can do this — and you can make it work for you.

And while you’re here…have you seen the ultimate video library on how to start freelancing?