Freelance Academy – Lauren Hooker

How would your life be different if you were able to effortlessly book clients?

Would you be able to quit your stressful day job? Spend your days doing the work you want to do on your own terms? Have less financial stress?

In May 2012, I graduated with a BFA in Visual Communication Design from Virginia Tech. I had all the skills necessary to start my career, and my goal was to land a design position at a company near my hometown.

So I did. And I hated it.

I worked under a boss I didn’t like, for a company I didn’t like, designing under brand standards I didn’t like.

So I did what any frustrated designer who hates their day job would do: I started freelancing on the side.

And that was when I noticed one large area where design school had failed me…

I had no idea how to find, book, and work with clients.

So I winged it.

I took on any and every design project that came my way. I charged too little and worked long hours for pennies. I had an uncanny knack for finding clients who didn’t value my work. And I definitely wasn’t bringing in enough money to take my business full-time.

Fast forward 2 years, and I’ve now built a 6-figure business and a waiting list of over 250 prospective clients.

What changed?

Introducing Freelance Academy

Instead, I researched everything design school didn’t teach me about freelancing. I learned how to:

• Pare down my offerings and specialize
• Attract and book clients
• Build a portfolio that appeals to my ideal clients
• Set up my business legally and keep up with business finances
• Build and price my design packages
• Refine my client process and improve client communication
• Handle critiques and cut down on revisions
• Balance multiple projects and meet deadlines
• I’ve discovered the creative strategies YOU need to implement to build a successful freelance business, and I’ve broken them down into 6 step-by-step modules.
• I’ve included a checklist and schedule so you can easily implement what you’ve learned. You won’t have to wing it any longer; simply follow the plan.

Here’s a look at what you’ll learn :

This course covers the 6 main components of building a successful freelance business and booking clients:

ONE – Specializing

Discover your niche and develop a unique point of view that will attract the right clients

TWO – Finding the right clients

Capture clients through your blog, mailing list, social media accounts, and website

THREE – Creating your services

Create your service packages and determine prices that reflect your value

FOUR – Project management

Streamline your workflow to keep up with multiple client projects at once

FIVE – Cilent communication

Set boundaries, manage expectations, and put safeguards in place so the client process runs smoothly

SIX – Legal + finance

Legally protect your business and put a system In place for keeping up with business finances

Here’s a look at what you’ll get :

6 in-depth training modules will take you through the course material. The modules are video-based, but you’ll also have access to the slides and audio. You’ll have 2 weeks for implementation between each module and lifetime access, so you can work through the material at your own pace.

4 live online sessions. We’ll begin the course with a live orientation webinar, where I’ll share strategies for making the best use of the course and introduce you to the material. You’ll also get 3 live Q+A webinars (one for each month of the course) where you’ll receive personalized coaching and feedback.

Lifetime access to the video lessons (as well as access to the audio and slides for each one). I’ve designed this program so you can complete it in just 3 months, but you also have the option of going at your own pace. Review your favorite modules and pick it back up whenever you’d like.

A comprehensive workbook filled with checklists, questionnaires, cheat sheets, scripts and worksheets for each module.

Lifetime access to our Course Community, an exclusive forum for asking questions, sharing your progress, offering feedback, meeting others in the course, posting client referrals, and linking to helpful resources.

Lifetime access to our Resource Library, a collection of workflow charts, invoice templates, swipe copy for inquiries and client communication, quote templates, etc.

Lifetime access to tech trainings on the programs mentioned in the course, including Trello, Asana, and ConvertKit.

Exciting challenges to help you take action on the course (because that’s often the hardest part!). I have some pretty sweet prizes planned for the lucky winners who win the 3 challenges offered throughout Freelance Academy.

Immediately after purchasing, you’ll be sent an email with a private link for logging into our course page. From there you’ll be able to access the Course Community, Resource Library, and registration pages for the live coaching sessions.

New modules will be added to the course page every 2 weeks.