Does ROI Always Matter?

Does ROI Always Matter?

Author: Millo May 25, 2023 Duration: 57:54
When growing your business, should you worry about getting a positive ROI on every penny you spend? It’s an interesting question for me while talking with today’s guest, Sarah. Sarah started her own agency just 5 months ago. And while she’s been able to get hourly contractors on board quickly to help with creative work, she’s having difficulty finding the right people to help with administrative work. Even more, she’s not sure how to pay for them. Because in a traditional agency model, everything has to be tied back to billable client hours. After talking through it, we came up with some good solutions.  PS: Sarah is looking to hire someone to help with client relations. Her contact info is below: sarah.russell@aloide.com https://aloide.com/ PS: Get featured in an upcoming FTF SHORT! Just visit http://freelancetofounder.com/ask and submit a question.  Support our sponsors so we can keep airing new episodes: Ampla - Providing capital, banking, bill pay, cards, and insights to omnichannel businesses. Sendinblue - Use promo code FOUNDER for 50% off your first three months on a premium account at https://www.sendinblue.com/founder/ Dripify - Premium learning platform for entrepreneurs. SolidGigs - Get more freelance jobs Get your own on-air coaching call We'd love to feature your business and offer some free on-air advice for growing your business. To see if you're a good fit, click here. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: If you enjoy the show, can you do us a favor and leave us an honest rating and review on Apple Podcasts? We'll love you forever. Click here to leave a review. More Recommended Listening: This show is a part of the Podglomerate, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter. We suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows about entrepreneurship, business, and creativity, such as Rocketship.fm and Creative Elements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a common gap between working for yourself and truly building something that lasts, and Freelance to Founder lives in that space. This isn’t just theory; it’s a daily conversation for freelancers who are tired of the unpredictable income and ready to create a real business. Host Preston Lee draws from his own journey from freelancer to someone who has built and sold companies, and he brings that grounded perspective to every episode. Nearly every weekday, Preston is joined by other founders and entrepreneurs who’ve navigated the same path, breaking down the practical steps you can take to scale your solo operation. The call-in format means you’re hearing real questions from people in the trenches, facing the same client issues, pricing dilemmas, and growth plateaus you might be. Listening to this podcast feels like having a direct line to a supportive and experienced mastermind group, one that focuses on actionable strategies over vague inspiration. It’s for the designer, writer, developer, or consultant who’s ready to move beyond the feast-or-famine cycle and lay the foundation for something more substantial and sustainable. The discussions are candid, the advice is tested, and the goal is always clear: helping you transition from a solo practitioner to the founder of a thriving business.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Freelance to Founder
Podcast Episodes
Who's Actually the Client Here? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:45
Sarah delivered exactly what her client asked for—until the spouse entered the chat. Now the feedback is contradictory, the timeline is slipping, and the relationship feels like it's unraveling. This episode breaks down…
Is Your Proposal Tool Actually Costing You Clients? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:56
Clay is buried in proposals and contracts—jumping between tools, second-guessing every software decision, and wondering why nothing ever feels quite right. Preston and Clay pull back the curtain on the client management…
The Invoice You're Too Scared to Send [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:27
Laura completed the work, sent the proposal, and then froze. The invoice is sitting there — unsent — because she's convinced this is the moment she loses a client she can't afford to lose. Clay and Preston dig into the f…
Pay Gap: Freelancers vs. Agencies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:04
Amy Bridges posed a simple question in the Milo Mastermind community and it sparked a conversation Preston and Clay couldn’t let go: does presenting yourself as a freelancer or as an agency actually make a difference in…
Letting Go of Source Files = Good Idea? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:40
Kevin did a brand redesign for an old colleague two years ago — got paid, and moved on. Now the client's new marketing manager is asking for the original InDesign source files to update the brand guidelines internally. K…
Love Your Craft, but Tired of Business? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:27
Rachel Stone King still loves design and branding—but the business side of freelancing has started to feel like a weight she can't shake. The thought of networking, hunting for clients, and staying motivated has left her…
The Power of Saying "No" To Crazy Clients [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:10
Kirstie runs a design business and a client emails her at 5:22 p.m. on a Friday needing an ad designed that same night. Sound familiar? Preston and Clay break down the real question behind rush fees—not just what to char…
Don't Charge by Hour or Project. Do this... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:04
Lanya has a freelance project in front of her, she’s estimated the hours, and her client is open to either hourly or project-based pricing—so now what? Preston and Clay make the case that the real question isn’t hourly v…
Remove Pain from Recurring Revenue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:09
Erica is a web and graphic designer who invested in a coaching program built to turn designers into full-service marketers—complete with monthly retainers, ad campaigns, and recurring revenue. The strategy looked great o…
The Best Marketing Tactic to Get New Clients [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:03
Matt runs Barrow Studio, a brand identity and strategy agency in Bristol, UK—and he's drowning in advice. Every newsletter, YouTube channel, and podcast promises a different "marketing golden ticket": build an email list…