Will AI Make You Obsolete?

Will AI Make You Obsolete?

Author: Alvalyn Lundgren April 1, 2026 Duration: 13:57

If your brand message as a freelancer is that you create excellent work, that you're a certifed software expert, or you've earned badges and certificates in subject matter areas, you're already obsolete. If your creative process relies on templates, creative marketplaces, and execution, your income is in jeopardy. If your marketing approach centers on quick and cheap, AI has already replaced you, for free. Execution is no longer a viable selling point for your creative services.

What should you do? In this episode host Alvalyn Lundgren shares practical truths about how to remain irreplacable as a reliable creative partner for your clients by focusing on your most important asset: your humanity. 


Alvalyn Lundgren guides the conversation on the Freelance Road Trip Podcast, a space built for independent creatives navigating the winding path of running their own practice. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a practical companion for designers, illustrators, and photographers who feel the constant push and pull between their artistic drive and the realities of invoices, clients, and sustainability. Each episode feels like a candid conversation from the passenger seat, tackling how to protect your creative energy while building a business that doesn't burn you out. You'll hear honest discussions about pricing your worth, finding clients who respect your vision, and setting boundaries that allow both your work and your well-being to thrive. The whole point of this podcast is to merge that innate creativity with actionable strategy, moving beyond just getting by to building something genuinely fulfilling. Tune in for a blend of mindset shifts and concrete steps that help you steer your freelance journey with more confidence and clarity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Freelance Road Trip Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Project Management For Creative Freelancers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:44
How do you manage your creative projects from beginning to end? How do you keep track multiple, concurrent projects at various stages of development? Basic project management skills are essential for your success as a fr…
Why Clients Leave [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:28
One inconvenient truth about freelancing is the fact that, no matter how well you get along with your clients, no matter how effective your work is, or how smoothly a project is going, clients will leave you. Even long-t…
This Will Keep You Going [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:09
Every freelance creative needs a vision — a reason to look beyond their current circumstances. Our work has to be about more than simply making a client happy or earning a living. Vision keeps us moving forward toward a…
4 Keys To Success for Freelance Creatives [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:31
Whether you serve clients by offering creative services and creative results are your clients, or you create a product that you sell to customers, you won't accomplish anything without addressing four aspects of success.…
Ethics, Motives, and Responsible Creativity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:25
What's the end result of our creative efforts? What responsibility do we as creative professionals have toward the end user? What responsibility do we have to uphold the public good? What do you do when your ethics and y…
Are You Idling? Or Accelerating? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:57
To realize success as an independent creative, we need to move forward consistently, even if we think we're not yet ready. Forward motion jump starts us into an ongoing cycle of increasing capability and confidence. Taki…
Do Freelancers Have The Right To Work? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:42
AB5 took effect in California in January 2020. It narrows the definition of independent contractor, and the type and amount of work a person can do for a client without being classified as an employee. While freelancers…
This Is Entirely The Wrong Approach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:59
There are good and poor approaches to how you work with clients. In this episode I answer questions from freelancers, both of them graphic designers, about working with clients. We're talking about how to be sure a clien…
Pricing Tip: When Should You Name Your Price? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:46
Freelancers, are you getting paid what you're worth? Are you working with the right kinds of clients? Your pricing strategy attracts either low-value or high-value clients. This is the final in a 3-part series on pricing…
Price, Value, and Anchoring [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:37
If you're a freelance creative who's in it to make a living and especially if you're in it full time, and for the long-term, you must have a strategy for how you set your creative fees. Here are 5 hard truths about valui…