11 Things I’ve Learned in 11 Years of Being Self Employed in Marketing

September 16, 2025

This week is 11 years since I first went self employed in marketing. In some ways it feels like yesterday, and in others it feels like I am a totally different person!

Back then I was figuring it all out as I went along. Now I’ve gone from those scary and uncertain early days of finding my first clients, to running a six figure freelance business, and today I’m proud to be CEO of activ Marketing Franchise. I now help others grow their own businesses in the same industry I love.

If you’re wondering how to start a marketing business, or you’re just at the beginning of the self employment journey, here are 11 lessons I’ve learnt along the way.

1. The early days feel like an uphill slog

When you start out, you’re building everything at once. Systems, processes, confidence and, most importantly, clients. Keep your focus on winning those first few and make sure you charge appropriately for your work, maintaining your value. I went in too cheap and it was a mistake. Do a great job and things will snowball from there, literally.

2. Be patient with family and friends

Not everyone will understand why you work late or why you’re so driven. That’s okay. They care about you, but they may not share your mindset or understand how it feels to be self employed.

3. Develop a thick skin

You will get knockbacks. Pitches won’t always land and clients will give brutal feedback. Take it in, learn from it and move forward.

4. Expect to wear every hat

You’ll quickly discover you’re not just a marketer. You’re also your own finance manager, sales team and operations lead. It can feel overwhelming, find ways around this to avoid burning out.

5. Your personal brand matters

Your business brand is important, but people also buy into you. Show up as yourself, share your expertise and be consistent.

6. Work with people you genuinely like

The best clients are those you share values with. If you don’t enjoy working with them or respect their expertise, it’s not a great fit. You have to actually like these people!

7. Become the safe pair of hands

Clients outsource because they want to feel confident and assured that things are being taken care of. Listen properly, understand what they need and come back with solutions, not more problems.

8. Be real

Authenticity might be overused as a word, but it’s true. If you try to be something you’re not, people notice and you will get found out. Being yourself will always take you further and allow your business to reach it’s full potential.

9. Price with clarity and confidence

Be ok with asking a client what their budget is. Be upfront and transparent about costs, value your time and focus on results rather than hours. Clients respect honesty and you’ll build a more sustainable business and income.

10. Set boundaries early

There’s no annual leave when you’re self employed unless you build a strong team around you. Find boundaries that work for you and your clients, and protect them.

11. Keep learning without chasing every trend

Marketing changes fast. Embrace tools, automation and AI to make life easier, but don’t feel you have to follow every shiny new idea. Keep to your strategy and monitor results as the guiding light of everything you do.

Still want in?

Self employment in marketing has highs and lows. There will be days where you question everything, but there will also be moments when you realise you’ve built something you’re proud of and you have the flexibility you crave.

These are the things I wish I’d known from the start. If you’re ready to take the leap, go for it. There’s no time for regrets in this life IMO!

Want to start your own marketing business with my help?

I know first-hand how exciting and challenging those early steps can be. Through activ Marketing Franchise I now support others to grow successful marketing businesses with the backing of a proven model, systems and a supportive team.

If you’re curious about whether this could be the right path for you, take a look at activ Marketing Franchise or reach out to me directly. Sometimes the hardest part is simply getting started.

If words don’t do it for you, watch me explain my 11 tips on Instagram.

I have seen so many social media managers on TikTok recently sharing how tough Q4 is shaping up to be. Many described September as one of their worst months yet, with clients pulling out, content budgets cut, and income dropping overnight.

But that is not what we saw at activ.

And even if it had been evident in some way, it would not have shaken us. Our growth model, and the way we teach our franchisees to run their marketing businesses, is not built on luck or trends. It is built on structure, multiple income stream forecasting, and long term client relationships.

The difference between freelancing and building a business

It frustrates me to see brilliant, creative people losing sleep over the next invoice because they have never been shown how to make their income secure. The issue is not their skill. It is the lack of structure and guidance that turns creative chaos into commercial stability.

No one should live in that feast or famine cycle when they are self employed. I’ve been there, back in 2014 when I started out as a solo freelancer.

When I first went self employed, I had two clients. The contract values together came to £6.5k. At the time, that felt incredible. I thought, this is it, I am winning already.

But no.

Those projects consumed me. I had no time for business development, no processes, and no real boundaries. I was learning client management, pricing, and systems as I went along. What looked like profit on paper turned out to be pain in reality.

That was a massive wake up call.

I realised that you cannot build a business relying on two or three individuals to decide whether you get paid that month. Even though I have been there, I still find it crazy to think that so many self employed marketers are doing exactly that right now.

You need recurring income to create stability

Recurring income is what makes your business predictable. It gives you space to breathe, plan, and grow. It is the foundation that keeps your income steady when projects slow down or clients pause work. And yes, it needs to be secured with a contract!

If your clients are paying you on retainers or subscriptions with clear agreements in place, you are no longer waiting for someone else to decide whether you can pay yourself. You are running a business, not chasing invoices.

Now, the Pareto Principle tells us that 80% of your revenue usually comes from 20% of your clients. That is a natural pattern, but it is also a dangerous one when you only have a handful of clients in total. If one of those key clients leaves, your income takes a huge hit.

The goal is not to fight Pareto, but to rebalance it. Have enough clients in your mix that if one pauses, your bank account does not. A larger client base means smaller percentages per client, and that gives you security.

A forecast should be used to build a healthy mix of income streams that blend subscriptions, monthly fees, retainers, and one off project work. This approach gives balance, flexibility, and resilience. It allows you to plan ahead rather than live month to month hoping your next reel or pitch fills the gap.

How to build stability using the Solo Power® approach

My #SoloPower® approach is about creating structure and strategy so that freedom is built in, not hoped for.

Here are five actions you can take right now to step out of the feast or famine cycle.

Build recurring revenue first, not last
Even if your retainers start small, secure that predictable base before solely chasing project work. Stability gives you freedom to be creative again.
Review your pricing every quarter
If you are charging the same as you were six months ago but working harder, it is time to adjust. Value your expertise.
Set clear boundaries and processes
You teach clients how to treat you. Scope creep and time thiefs are business killers. Clear communication and contracts are essential.
Use a forecast
See what your next three months look like. Map your recurring income and identify gaps early. When you plan, panic disappears.
Stay connected to others in business
Isolation is dangerous. Community keeps you accountable, inspired, and supported when things get tough.

From feast or famine to freedom

The feast or famine cycle is not a test of resilience. It is a sign that your business is missing structure.

Freedom does not come from working alone. It comes from systems that protect your time, income, and creativity.

That is exactly what I teach through #SoloPower®, an approach built to help solo marketers and freelancers create security, community, and recurring income that lasts.

If you are ready to take the next step, my next FREE guide on How to Combat The Time Ceiling And Build Financial Security shows how to create sustainable structure in your business.

👉 Workbook- How to Combat The Time Ceiling and Build Financial Security