Indie Business Club: Ep24, Let's Go Surfing
Indie Business Club is a podcast for independent creatives, freelancers, founders and business owners hosted by Mel Barfield and Ben McKinney, both copywriters and business owners who share tips and advice they've picked up along the way.
This particular episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the FOUNDRY (co-working and office space) in Poole as part of Creator Day ‘25.
5 Key Takeaways from the Episode
Build a Community for Support When you're feeling overwhelmed or considering "burning everything to the ground," (a great question from Robyn Santa Maria) turn to your community. Mel and Ben emphasise that building a network of fellow freelancers and business owners (like Emily have done with the Last Friday Club) is crucial for support. Having people you can reach out to with voice notes on difficult days or connecting with others at events can provide the encouragement needed to keep going.
Balance Work and Rest Intentionally For freelancers struggling to switch off from work, being intentional about planning breaks is essential. Solutions mentioned include setting specific goals like a four-day work week, physically "bricking" your phone (like Ben does) to limit access to work apps in the evenings, and having trusted team who can take over monitoring online channels when you need time off.
- NOTE: many of us work solo, so ensuring you use automated services like out of office on email or standard responder on Meta channels can help manage expectations for people getting in touch “out of hours”.
Focus Efforts Based on Business Goals When faced with numerous potential tasks, evaluate them based on your business goals. Mel and Ben suggest you need to "focus on what the goal is of your business" - whether that's growth, earning more money, or having more time. By clarifying how you want your business to serve you, you can better determine which tasks deserve your attention.
Be Strategic About Unpaid Work When deciding whether to take on unpaid work, evaluate what you're getting in return. Mel and Ben suggest using the term "unpaid" rather than "free" and considering factors like audience exposure, portfolio development, and potential future opportunities. They recommend being clear about the value exchange and maintaining control of the relationship rather than letting someone else set all the expectations.
Conduct Thoughtful Market Research For market research, use platforms like LinkedIn to see what others in your field are doing and get feedback through comments. Google search terms related to your business to identify competition and positioning opportunities. Mel and Ben caution that finding no competition might be a warning sign rather than an opportunity - it could mean there's no demand for the service, so investigate why others aren't offering it.
To wrap up …Mel and Ben emphasise the importance of community, setting boundaries, being strategic about business decisions, and continuously evaluating your goals and direction.
If you're an independent business owner or freelancer, this podcast is a valuable resource for practical tips and relatable experiences!
