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
[Q&A] Giving Client Ownership? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:43
On today’s Q&A episode, if you give your client full ownership of your creative work, how much should that cost, and how exactly do you even do that? That’s the question Nicole hits us with, and it opens up another discu…
Escaping One-Time Projects [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:12
On today’s show, how do you escape the trap of one-time projects and convince your clients that they need what you have to offer on a repeat basis? That’s part of the hurdle Aurelie faces as she aims to grow her 3-year-o…
[Q&A] Predicting Income [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:26
On today’s Q&A Episode, how can you know what kind of revenue your business will make in the coming months or years? It’s called forecasting. And forecasting as a freelancer or agency builder can be a real challenge. Whi…
Trapped [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:14
On today’s show: do you ever feel trapped by the decisions you make in your business? Our guest Morgan loves to write. But, early on, she took on quite a few social media clients. Then, those clients referred more client…
[Q&A] Best Tools as I Grow? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:45
On today’s Q&A episode, what are the best tools to use as your freelance business grows? That’s what Cesar asks us because his business is outgrowing tools like Google Drive. So, Clay and I launch into our best advice on…
If Not Proposals, What? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:32
On today’s show: you hear us harping on proposals all the time. We think they are usually a waste of time. But if you’re not sending proposals, then… what? How do you pitch your services to new clients? Well, there’s a w…
[Q&A] Charge by Hour or Project? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:35
On today’s Q&A episode, if a client is willing to pay by the hour or by the project, which one should you choose? That’s part of Pennygoo’s question, and our answer might surprise you… Here we go! This episode was origin…
Okay, Fine. Hourly Can Work. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:42
On today’s show: I finally give in to the idea that charging your clients hourly can actually work in some business models. It’s still not my favorite—since you get punished for being more efficient. But our return guest…
[Q&A] Rich Client Treats Me Like a Therapist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:57
On today’s Q&A Episode, Noah Tetzner finds himself in a tight spot. He’s got a high-paying client on a monthly retainer. And while this makes a ton of financial sense for his business, this client is starting to go way o…
When To Call Yourself an Agency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:13
On today’s show: have you ever wondered when is the right time to start calling yourself an agency? It can be a bit awkward early on. So Clay and I coach our call-in guest Austin through the right timing. Austin has many…