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How Much Is Too Much to Pay for AI?

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You were so proud of yourself (deservedly so) and excited to get started. You did your homework—assessed needs, researched options, demonstrated strategic thinking and believed that if you incorporate artificial technology powered software into your business processes, you’d enable your organization to take a leap forward and achieve important wins. So you brought in AI powered tools that can be expected to implement your goals. But unfortunately, there was a glitch—you would soon realize that your understanding of operating costs was incomplete. What?? You expected to pay some sort of a premium for enhanced services; it’s just that you were under the impression that soon after AI tech capabilities were optimized, the return on investment would overtake user expenses. But uh, oh—you’ve been running AI-powered software for nearly a year and ROI has not yet caught up. What’s going on?

A survey from KPMG finds that many business owners are taken aback by their AI operating expenses and that is especially true for enterprise companies that decided to employ a usage-based pricing model. The accounting firm interviewed 2,145 executives around the world and one-third reported that they had a limited understanding of the real-time price of employing a usage costs pricing model. Freelancers and small business owners are singing the same song. Like the pacesetters who lead enterprise companies, many Freelance business owners intended to save money over the long term by deploying AI instead of paying for hired help, whether W-2 full-time or 1099NEC out-sourced talent. The assumption was that AI can do the job at a lower cost than staff members. But a new report has issued the sobering warning that such as expectation is not necessarily accurate.  AI technology was supposed to make human labor almost obsolete but the reality is, AI enhancement is often more expensive than the humans it was meant to replace. 

Artificial intelligence has become an essential business tool. Yet, with dozens of AI platforms available in the market, understanding AI software pricing models, and also determining the right solutions for your company, is now recognized as a tall order. Whether your business entity is a Freelance one-person entity whose leader must watch every dollar, or you are the Chief Financial Officer of a prominent global or national enterprise company that has you managing substantial budgets, the cost of AI software can range from a free tier plan for small entities to six-figure annual pricing contracts that serve multi-nationals. The business leader’s challenge is to balance the AI-powered solutions that will support desired growth strategies with an affordable price (as you define it). But then again, isn’t that the story of all business expenses?

So when you’re thinking about an AI-powered chatbot, customer relations management platform, content creation and/or virtual assistant, it is imperative that you reach a crystal clear understanding of which systems you must have in place before bringing in AI tools, as well as a very good estimate of the monthly operating costs you’ll likely incur. You also need to obtain a credible expectation for the ROI that will accrue to your monthly or quarterly Income Statement, in terms of enhanced productivity, operational efficiencies, repeat business, or value of your customer list.

To help you get your arms around the real-time costs of operating AI, I turned to AI sales and automation agency The Crunch to view a sampling of typical pricing plans. Moreover, be ready for hidden expenses that might affect total ownership costs—implementation and integration fees can add 20-30% to initial costs. Training costs and ongoing maintenance expenses must also be factored in.

AI pricing plans 

  • Subscription-based pricing is the most popular option. Costs are predictable and regular service updates are guaranteed. Monthly or annual fees are typically $10 to $500+ per user.
  • Usage-based pricing costs are based on how your business consumes your AI services. Like water and electricity consumption in residential or commercial dwellings are tracked and priced, you are billed for the processing hours or data volume that requires AI power. While this offers flexibility for variable workloads, costs can escalate quickly during peak usage periods. Also, you don’t know what you’ve spent util you see the monthly statement, so you’re vulnerable to sticker shock.
  • Freemium models provide basic features at no cost, but premium services are accessible only from behind the paywall. These payment options work well for testing and small-scale projects but will require that you pay as usage grows.
  • Enterprise licensing offers custom pricing for large organizations, typically including dedicated support, enhanced security and unlimited users. These contracts usually start at $50,000 annually.

Budgeting AI services for your needs

  • Define how you’ll deploy AI. To access AI software while on a budget, list your must-have features and match them to the cheapest pricing tier that provides them. You might have more control over costs by choosing usage-based pricing if your demand is low or spiky and intermittent. Start with a freemium tier and upgrade when your activity volume makes it wise to do so. Start by identifying the specific problems you want AI to solve. Is your goal to automate customer service processes, generate various types of marketing content, analyze data whose conclusions will be the foundation of strategies, or enhance productivity? Clear objectives discourage overspending on unnecessary features. Document must-have features versus nice-to-have capabilities. This distinction helps you evaluate whether premium pricing will deliver corresponding value.
  • Calculate total cost of ownership. Look beyond monthly subscription fees and remember to calculate implementation costs, training expenses, integration requirements and the potential to rack up usage overages. A seemingly affordable AI software price can balloon when factoring in these additional expenses. For example, a $50 monthly tool requiring $5,000 in custom integration may cost more over two years than a $200 monthly solution with native integrations.
  • Start with free trials and Freemium plans. Most AI platforms offer trial periods or free tiers. Test multiple solutions before committing. Evaluate user experience, integration ease, output quality and customer support responsiveness during trials. Consider functionality, ease of use, integration capabilities, support quality, and total cost.
  • Potential scalability. Choose platforms that grow with your business. Switching AI tools later often involves a migration cost, maybe also retraining and, at minimum, workflow and productivity disruption. Investigate to the best of your ability whether pricing reasonably reflects any usage increases. However, some platforms offer volume discounts or flexible plans that accommodate growth without dramatic price increases.
  • Evaluate ROI potential. Calculate your expected ROI. If an AI tool saves 10 hours weekly at a $50 hourly rate, it justifies $2,000 monthly in value. Compare this against the actual cost to determine ROI. According to McKinsey’s 2026 AI Impact Study, businesses implementing AI tools see average productivity gains of 25-40%, with payback periods typically under 12 months for well-chosen solutions.
  • Invest in AI training. Allocate budget and time for comprehensive team training. Most vendors offer onboarding resources, webinars and documentation—use them.
  • Monitor AI usage and ROI. Establish relevant KPIs before AI implementation. Based on your deployment of AI, document metrics before AI and then monthly or quarterly readings to validate the ROI that is received once AI processes are in motion.
  • Track actual usage against projections. Are you actively using AI tools you’re paying for? Is your AI tools delivering the expected productivity gains? Underutilized features waste money; regular monitoring identifies any underperforming investments before you spend more money than you should.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: Royalty free digital illustration

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How To Encourage B2B Referrals

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When it comes to influencing B2B buying decisions, few marketing resources are as powerful as a referral made by a customer who had a good experience working with your organization and is happy to recommend those in his/her business network to investigate your brand if there is need of a service or product that matches yours. Customer endorsements, also known as Word-of-Mouth referrals, are a crucial ingredient of an effective customer acquisition strategy. It’s been documented that Word-of-Mouth referrals positively affect 20% to 50% of purchasing decisions and 84% of B2B buying decision-makers report that their buyer’s journey typically begins with a referral. Foundational to Word-of-Mouth referrals are good customer experiences and good relationships.

The term Word-of-Mouth marketing refers to an informal sharing of opinions, experiences and recommendations about a brand, product, or service between colleagues and friends. Whenever people speak about a business, they are participating in Word-of-Mouth marketing. Long before social media marketing existed, business owners and sales professionals relied on the trusted opinions of business colleagues and other reliable sources to guide their purchasing decisions. Word-of-Mouth endorsements continue to be sought after and trusted, even as business (and personal) communication has gone beyond telephone or face2face conversations to encompass digital formats, including social media, online review sites, webinars and podcasts and/or online professional communities.

There are few marketing strategies that are as potent or as cost-effective as endorsements made by satisfied customers and the power of Word-of-Mouth referrals is supported by metrics. According to data published by ThinkImpact, a platform that provides business and career related information, 78% of B2B referrals create viable customer leads for the business and 63% of B2B revenue comes from existing clients and referrals combined.

Credible, verifiable and sharable

In the increasingly complex B2B marketing landscape, Word-of-Mouth referrals are considered credible and verifiable business intelligence. In spite of, or maybe even because of, the dominance of professionally produced marketing materials and campaigns, prospective buyers are acquiring a growing respect for boots-on-the-ground, real world user experiences—and that evolving perspective has caused some to look skeptically at corporate-concocted marketing messages.

In stark contrast, Word-of-Mouth referrals are seen as unquestionably real and born of bona fide knowledge and/or experience and they have the power to significantly amplify your brand reputation and annual revenue. The problem is they are an unpredictable gift. Waiting for personal endorsements made by satisfied customers to materialize leaves too much to chance in a hyper-competitive marketplace. It should come as no surprise that a Freelancer must take charge and devise a strategy that will keep positive Word-of-Mouth opinions circulating through your networks.

The key driver of B2B Word-of-Mouth customer referrals is trust that is the outcome of consistently providing an excellent customer experience, encouraging customer engagement and inspiring brand loyalty that advances into advocacy and culminates in Word-of-Mouth referrals. Encouraging customer feedback through various channels and touchpoints, such as surveys, polls and calls-to-action that invite customers to produce a testimonial that describes an example of customer service or customer experience that they found especially meaningful—can put your customers on the pathway to making Word-of-Mouth referrals on your behalf.

You will find it useful to expand your Word-of-Mouth referral network to include professional colleagues. Cultivating a reputation as a thought leader by developing relevant educational marketing content, combined with taking an active role in local business associations, can become a launching pad for establishing thought leader credibility. Devise a strategy that thoughtfully showcases your subject expertise and capabilities as it subtly promotes your unique value effectively and generates a positive buzz that results in Word-of-Mouth referrals. See below to find possibilities to expand your visibility to customers and colleagues who can become your brand cheerleaders and reward you with Word-of-Mouth referrals.

  • Social media and online review sites and communities.  Social networks are ubiquitous and enable participants to make many business and social connections. Invite your happy customers to share their enthusiasm for your product or service by posting user generated content that explains how your product or service made their life easier, enabled the company to achieve an important goal and what factors motivated them to choose your company instead of a competitor.
  • Case studies. Particularly if your service or product resolved a particularly vexing pain point for a customer, invite him/her to tell the story in a written or video format case study. A good case study allows prospects who are making final selections to envision the problem-solving capacity of your product or service and demonstrate thought leadership.
  • Webinars and podcasts. Laying the Groundwork for Word-of-Mouth Success for your webinar or podcast appearance by developing content that listeners will consider to be valuable. Address and offer effective solutions to problems that your listeners are likely to encounter—identify themes that your audience already has problems with and is searching for better ways to solve them. If you are the program host, your speakers should be someone who has proven credentials in developing valuable content. Finally, like an email subject line, create a catchy title for your webinar or podcast, it’s important to both communicate the benefit while creating curiosity.
  • Speaking engagements. Getting involved with local business associations such as the chamber of commerce, is a great resource to help you build your way to thought leader status and receiving Word-of-Mouth endorsements. If you haven’t done so already, get to know the leadership and membership by volunteering to manage programs. Volunteering to introduce a featured speaker or moderating a panel are pathways to an invitation to present a workshop that you’ve developed. An incubator for testing the reaction to a topic you’ve developed, or to polish your public speaking ability, is to explore speaking opportunities at your local library (where you may find a less demanding audience).

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Deposit Photos

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Spice It Up In September and Beyond

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Happy August! I hope you are enjoying summer, whether the season is a busy or slow one for your business entity. If taking a vacation is on your wish list, I hope that it has, or will, achieve its purpose, and allow you to see new sights or return to familiar places, have fun, recharge your energy, and lower your stress level. I also hope that you’re finding time to read at least one business book that’s helping you to sharpen your business acumen.

September and the fourth quarter will soon arrive and now is the time to consider how you can successfully position your organization to achieve a strong year-end finish. Selling a product or service is usually a challenge, especially for Freelance professionals and small business owners. B2B marketplaces are nearly always crowded, typically consisting of a handful of market leaders that are trailed by a passel of “me, too” offerings. Unless your company has a sizeable marketing budget, it can be a struggle to build and sustain marketing or branding campaigns that will heighten the perception of your value and make your product or service appear more appealing to prospects. In short, today you can begin thinking about how to identify for your business a new competitive advantage.

The time is now to assess potential strategies that can position your entity to generate higher sales revenue in the coming months and it’s entirely possible that your preferred strategy can be carried out at a comparatively modest expense. Listed below are strategy possibilities that are accessible to Freelancers and SMB owners. Keep in mind that your promotional messaging must address urgent buyer pain points. You must do more than merely being clever as a way to get attention. The purpose of whatever new strategy you implement now is to leverage the competitive advantages you plan to highlight will result in customer roster that has a higher value, increased sales revenue and an enhanced customer lifetime value.

Read on and consider what you might have the means to do to fulfill the important goal of optimizing your brand visibility and image and maximizing sales revenue and profit as we look forward to the waning days of 2026.

I. Dare to be different

How can you clearly communicate to current and potential customers that your product or service will effectively address worrisome pain points and solve problems, enable them to achieve mission-critical goals without expressing those very important strengths in boring and predictable text? Useful information should not be ignored but…brands that are competing for the same target customer group can all sound alike. Target eyeballs cannot help but glaze over. The curse of commodification can creep in as prospects wade through sound-alike sales funnels that echo chamber repeat the same sales pitch. Isn’t it time for you to dare to be different and take a brave step forward?

Caution must be exercised and controversy is to be avoided for sure. You cannot afford to turn off the potential or current customers. But by choosing the right product attribute to showcase and then creating a cheeky tagline—or short video, or catchy image—that cleverly and succinctly describes your lead attribute, you can steal the thunder of competitors and propel your brand to the head of the class. If the Boston Red Sox can win 15 games in a row during July and escape an early death that had fans and sports announcers talking about “next year” sometime around Memorial Day, you can claim the spotlight for your brand and leap to the front of the pack. The suggestions below can stir up your creativity. Just do it.

  • Use humor to reframe the perception of your offering and your entity and escape the constraints of commodification
  • Align with a cause, such as climate change or animal rights (but avoid getting preach-y)  
  • Choose a unique visual branding style. Think 1950s retro, or find inspiration in the work of well-known artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Peter Max, or Yayoi Kusama.

II. B2B influencer marketing

Another strategy that has the potential to help you separate your entity from the congested marketplace is to align with a B2B Influencer. While originally a strategy used by your B2C counterparts, competition for billable hours in the B2B sector has stimulated the acceptance of influencer marketing by those in the B2B sector, including Freelancers.

B2B influencer marketing is not a means to showcase your services or products—that’s a B2C strategy. Freelancers and SMB owners work with B2B influencer marketing specialists to increase the stature of their brand and use that professional capital to build credibility that facilitates trust and relationship-building with potential customers who, if all goes according to plan, will become paying customers. The goal of B2B influencer marketing strategies is to align your organization with recognized and respected industry thought leaders—the influencers— whose industry knowledge, reputation and loyal followers can be leveraged in your target market sectors.

The most effective B2B influencers are well-known and respected experts and regarded as thought leaders in their field. B2B influencers aren’t celebrities, but they are trusted members of influential online communities. They are also respected speakers who are regularly on podiums at industry conferences and other business events. The knowledge and experience they’ve acquired gives the influencers great authority and credibility that’s enabled them to build a sizeable, loyal and often activist following.

Based on that authority and credibility, the best B2B influencers are able to build trust and enthusiasm for brands within their community of followers. They are also known to make endorsements that can stimulate purchases made by decision-makers within the community. A brand endorsement can result in a significant number of positive reviews posted on social media platforms that are capable of creating a word-of-mouth campaign that can spread to the general public and stimulate still more purchases of your brand’s services or products.

The influencer phenomenon is a growing trend in B2B marketing. Apparently fueled by the entry of Millennial and Generation Z into stakeholder and decision-making positions, prospective buyers are increasingly more trusting of the recommendations of independent thought leaders, that is, influencers, than in the marketing content you provide. Millennials and Gen-Z are comfortable with influencers and that preference is starting to impact purchasing.

  • Increase brand awareness. By aligning with a B2B influencer with a large following in your target market, your brand will have access to a new audience of highly-engaged prospects.
  • Enhance credibility. B2B decision-makers increasingly trust industry thought leaders, sometimes more than marketing content. This trend is becoming more common as Millennial and Gen Z buyers move into stakeholder and decision-maker positions that impact purchases. Millennial and Gen-Z stakeholders and decision committee members are comfortable with influencers
  • Increase leadgen and sales. Selecting an influencer who is closely aligned with your brand values can help you reach specific groups of prospects who are highly likely to become your customers.

III. Get strategic about social media

You may not have the bandwidth to undertake a major overhaul of your presence on social media platforms, but if you take just three steps, your social media ROI will become more significant for your business.

  •  Define prospects: Successful B2B social media speaks to specific customer personae and post content that addresses their specific pain points and how your service or product will solve the problem or help achieve the goals. Enhance your leadgen and site engagement by posting content that helps decision-makers for your service or product. Make your marketing content speak to their pain points, goals
  • Meaningful messages: Create content that speaks to the value that prospective customers are looking for. Clarify your understanding of why prospects feel they need your product or service? How does your offering make their life easier?
  • .Create a content calendar. This will solve two problems for you: 1.) If there are specific times of the year that you want to post, you’ll remember to do so; and 2.) You will post consistently and give your audience fresh content that drives engagement.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: Stock AI image

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Why They Aren’t Your Customers

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A business owner is always on a mission to attract potential new customers, to introduce them to the company’s products and/or services and pique their interest by helping them to envision how using one (or more) of your offerings will make some aspect of their life or work better—-solve a problem, save time or money, achieve a goal, or enhance the company brand, for example.

You are aware that the answer to most sales appeals is “no;” but have you ever unpacked the deal-breakers that cause prospects to turn you down? Respectfully, I suggest that you explore this uncomfortable question. What you learn may surprise you, but I’ll wager that it will not discourage you, even if you discover a lapse that you should have anticipated. Being all things to all potential buyers is not a goal for the vast majority of business entities. If you’ve made a couple of mistakes, you’ll have a chance to fix things. As for non-customers, they can be grouped into four categories that describe their relationship with your brand:

  • Prospects who are unaware of your company, service, or product and may also be unaware of your product or service category.
  • Prospects who are aware of your company and its offerings, but they are uncertain that your service or product is an effective solution for their needs.
  • Prospects who are aware of the category of services or products that you provide, but your company is unknown to them.
  • Prospects who are satisfied with the services or products provided by a competitor company and they are not motivated to change.

Every now and again, fortune will smile and a non-customer will decide to investigate your online marketing funnel and become an active prospect. This individual could enter into active engagement and request information that leads to a chat with you. As you answer questions and position your solution as a preferable alternative to what s/he uses now, you may spark a level of trust and confidence that convinces the prospect that there is something better—and that better mousetrap could be your product or service. Make the most of what could be a good opportunity and listen for cues that subtly reveal a prospect’s niggling dissatisfaction that, with skillful handling, could blow up to become the motivation to abandon ship and buy from you.

Engagement

The most immediate way to assess a prospect’s feelings is by noting the level of engagement s/he demonstrates. A serious prospect will actively participate in discussions with you, either directly in conversation or by way of interactions with your online sales funnel. S/he will make comments, ask questions and solicit recommendations for how to use the product or service in specific situations. Serious prospects want to understand how your product or service will perform; will the results and outcomes justify the purchase? Will your product or service address specific pain points, solve a formidable challenge, or help to achieve an important goal? These prospects will be engaged with you every step of the way. Their responsiveness is typically swift; they are happy to follow-up on emails or to take meetings.

By contrast, prospects who are merely browsing are not prepared to become a paying customer anytime soon. They may need to obtain the support of higher-ups in their organization; they might be waiting for budget confirmation and timing. Prospects who are just looking around are inclined to be casual about their communication with you or your team. They might be motivated by curiosity to comparison shop; or maybe there’s a missing element in what they’re using now, something that was not a deal-breaker when they bought from your competitor. So, your commitment phobic prospect will occasionally search for a product or service that could become a potential replacement and mentally entertain a comparison. But will the prospect change horses?

For this prospect, there is no rush; s/he might take days or weeks to respond to your follow-up attempt. Casual prospects may postpone meetings without requesting a reschedule date; the feedback they give is likely to be vague and noncommittal. If you’re chasing someone for a response, or repeatedly trying to reestablish contact, it’s almost certainly indication that s/he isn’t fully invested in the conversation—or, worse, they’re simply not that interested. Ask yourself: which prospects make an effort to stay engaged with you and which respond only when you reach out—if that? When it’s the latter, you may find that the prospect is even more unreliable than they let on.

Urgency

Prospects with an immediate need for your product or service are usually far more likely to convert. They’ll have a specific problem that requires timely attention and they’ll make that clear early on in your interactions. Whether they’re on a tight timeline or under pressure to resolve a pressing business issue, serious prospects will express a desire to move quickly. You might get questions such as, “How soon can we start?” or “We’d like to get a solution in place by X date.” These statements indicate that the prospect is motivated and ready to move forward and make a purchase.

By contrast, a prospect who is merely browsing will not exhibit urgency. S/he might express interest, but when it’s time to take the next step, there will be hesitation. Commitment phobic prospects push timelines into the future or claim that they need more time to think things over. The lack of urgency may signal that the prospect isn’t prioritizing the purchase or, worse, that there is no plan to move forward. As a rule, when prospects are serious, their enthusiastic and consistent engagement communicates that they are eager to do the deal. If you detect only lukewarm interest, expect that prospect to disappoint you.

Decision-maker

One of the most frustrating experiences in sales is trying to mid-wife a buyer’s journey with a prospect whom you discover doesn’t have the authority to make purchasing decisions. Serious prospects usually have the power to buy, or they’re closely connected to the one who does. If your prospect must refer decisions to higher-ups, or is unclear about who will make the final call, this could be a red flag.

Early in your conversations, smart Freelancers ask the prospect questions about their decision-making process, such as “Who else will be involved in the decision?” or “What steps do we need to go through for final approval?” It’s critical to know if the person with whom you’re communicating has sole authority to make the buy, or if s/he has one vote on a decision team of five people, for example. Or maybe your prospect is doing the legwork for the sale because the person(s) who can green light the sale don’t like getting directly involved in sales (it happens). Whatever the protocol the prospect’s company follows, if s/he is serious, that person will give you accurate info about the purchase approval process and will fill you in on the internal steps and timelines needed to make a decision.

Uncommitted prospects, on the other hand, tend to be ambiguous, if not evasive, about who holds the decision-making power. If the prospect repeatedly tells you s/he needs to consult someone else about the sale, but never seems to move the process forward, that individual is most likely wasting your time. Without clear authority or a transparent decision-making process, it will be difficult to determine when, or if, the sale will be approved.

Moving forward

A serious prospect will move through your sales funnel with consistency and purpose. S/he will ask questions, including those intended to obtain information on the service or product delivery and implementation timelines and pricing specifics. Even if discussions and negotiations take time, there will be clear forward momentum.

Commitment phobic prospects, as you might guess, tend to stall. It’s possible that what appears to be genuine interest is demonstrated early on as the prospect engages in preliminary discussions. But when it’s time to progress to more concrete steps—such as proposing a delivery and implementation timeline, or reviewing a proposal—you find that communication becomes opaque and slows down, it does not bode well for the possibility of consummating the sale. This stalling tactic is manipulative as it traps you in uncertainty and denies you from good faith business practice. Such prospects may be unable to guarantee an adequate budget, or they may be in serious negotiation with another vendor and merely using you as a bargaining chip or a Plan B option. You are advised to be circumspect.

It’s important to recognize the potential significance of persistent delays and face up to the possibility that the prospect may not be willing and able to make a decision. If the prospect habitually postpones meetings, this could surely indicate that this individual is unreliable, probably because the authority to make the purchase is not in hand. Do yourself a favor and monitor how quickly and smoothly prospects move from one step to the next in your sales funnel; any unusual delays are worth questioning.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © MoustacheGirl for Getty Images

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Predictions: Which Freelance Skills Will Be Most Valued In 2027?

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As we enter Fiscal Year 2027, demand for the expertise, experience, energy and enthusiasm that Freelance professionals bring to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations around the world continues on an upward trend. Hiring rates of Freelance professionals climbed 44% above the average demand predicted by leading Freelance labor platforms. The market is projected to grow from $8.9 billion in 2026 to $21.97 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.32%.

To state the obvious, the steady growth of Freelance labor has largely been fueled by the digital revolution, that has touched all aspects of how we live and work. Artificial Intelligence is the center of the universe now, generating a big demand for Freelance talent. In fact, there is a shortage of talent that possesses the necessary capability to evaluate AI readiness assessment, has a command of AI development expertise or machine learning engineering, or owns the desired fluency in prompt engineering. Other technology sectors that remain a magnet for Freelance talent are programming, from mobile app to software and web development, plus user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) specialists, cybersecurity and sustainability experts. These lucrative niches are predicted by leading Freelance labor sources to reach a CAGR of 16.32% during 2026 – 2031.

Niche to watch: supply chain and logistics

Another industry that has the potential to provide a strong demand for Freelance talent is the supply chain sector, which is expected to play a prominent role in hiring rates of independent labor in FY 2027. The global supply chain industry is entering a period of growth in FY 2027. After several years of sluggish hiring, companies are again expanding their capabilities across logistics, procurement, planning and manufacturing. Hiring managers are especially interested in Freelance professionals who have strong data analytics proficiency and environmental sustainability skills, along with sustainability and logistics experience that includes cross-functional expertise.45% of supply chain and logistics companies currently work with Freelance talent.

The quick acceptance and implementation of AI powered digital tools have enabled the use of robotics and workflow streamlining, for example, but there is an AI talent gap in the supply chain work force. These urgencies have compelled industry decision-makers to take advantage of the global, scalable, agile workforce available by way of the Freelance talent pool, which also delivers a cost-savings of 30% – 40% vs. full-time employees. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 11% growth in supply chain management jobs through 2030 .

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © The New York Times/ Federico Rios Escobar. The container ship ZIM Newark (Germany) sails through the Panama Canal in July 2024

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10 Titles: Good Business Reads for Summer 2026

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The U. S. Chamber of Commerce highly recommends that owners of businesses of any size, from single owner /employee entities to chief executives of global enterprises that employees thousands, should regularly undertake the professional development activity known as reading. In particular, how-to entrepreneurial business books contain a wealth of knowledge and actionable advice that’s supported by the author’s examples of hands-on business leadership experience, along with encouragement and guidance to inspire you. Reading presents opportunities to learn from others’ successes and disappointments; however, in the age of information overload, it can be difficult to make time for reading while simultaneously juggling the demands of operating a business—sometimes on your own.

To make it easier for Freelancers and other business leaders to find books that grab your interest, I’ve curated a list of business reading possibilities. The books have been well-received in the business sector but they are only suggestions, and intended to encourage you to consider subjects that you’d like to explore. Below are recommendations for curating a reading list that will support your knowledge building objectives:

  • Choose topics that interest you. You may need to address a challenge for which you’d like to obtain some insight. A subject or author may pique your interest. There are many books to choose from within the business category; the prospect of taking a deep dive into a topic that tempts you will supply ample motivation to start reading.
  • Schedule time to read.  Similar to reserving a block of time that will be devoted to an important task, dedicating time for reading reinforces its value. Your reading sessions can be longer or shorter; for instance, you can allot mini-blocks of time to give yourself brief but focused reading sessions at the beginning and end of your day. You can create a reading habit that quickly becomes part of your routine and motivates you to find more books to read.
  • Incorporate audiobooks and podcasts. Listening to podcasts and audiobooks allows you to learn while working out, commuting, doing laundry, or tackling other routine tasks.
  • Abandon books that aren’t resonating. If the author’s message or writing style leave you flat, move on to one that captures your attention as it provides the lessons you’re looking for.
  1. Real Time Leadership (David Noble and Carol Kauffman, February 2023)

The best leaders are able to assess pivotal, potentially game-changing situations when the outcome matters most and respond in the most effective way possible to move forward—or not. Authors David Noble and Carol Kauffman are best-in-class leadership coaches; they advise that the most difficult aspect of leadership occurs when you must control the inevitable high-risk, high stakes challenge. Whether you’re faced with a split-second decision, when your business is reeling, or could be soon, and your mind is racing to determine the best strategy to navigate business-critical long-term circumstances. An effective leader must be able to step up, seize the reins and guide the organization to a successful landing. Noble and Kauffman show you how their innovative leadership development framework trains you to excel at tactics that slow down high-stakes situations before they speed you up and pull you under like a rip tide. Instead, you’ll learn to confront and master the moment, so that you can calmly generate response options and quickly evaluate those options before acting.

2. The Science of Scaling (Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Blake Erickson, July 2025)

Are you generating only modest annual growth in your business, frustrated and wondering why a pathway to scale your entity seems out of reach? Authors Blake Erickson and Dr. Benjamin Hardy deliver the outrageous truth—lackluster growth isn’t just slow, it’s a sign your business is sliding toward stagnation. Research shows that businesses that are unable to scale quickly usually fail. But why? Because most leaders are focused on the wrong priorities, operating from the wrong assumptions and setting the wrong goals.

In The Science of Scaling, organizational psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Blake Erickson, co-founders of Scaling .com, reveal a revolutionary framework that helps companies scale bigger and faster than they ever thought possible. In fact, companies that apply this framework routinely grow 10–100x within just three years.

If you’re satisfied with small wins and incremental gains, this book isn’t for you. But if you’re ready to stop optimizing what shouldn’t exist―and finally build a business that scales―this is your playbook. When you read this book, you’ll experience a paradigm shift that will cause you to change your perspective on how to operate a business entity. You’ll realize that you’ve been playing small and trapped by fear. Now, you’ll finally understand how to scale the right way: with bold, ambitious goals, extreme honesty and the true “focus”― defined as filtering for only the people and paths that align directly with your highest vision.

3. The Mom Test: How to Talk to Customers (Rob Fitzpatrick, September 2013)

When you decide to learn something about your customers—what you’re on a mission to figure out what they like and would like to see more of, or get the details of what isn’t working for them and why—the standard advice given to every marketing or sales leader, Freelancer or business owner, is to ask them. Talking to those who buy your services or products is considered a foundational skill of sales and marketing. We all know we’re supposed to do it, but no one wants to admit that it’s not so easy to do it right and make your customer feel comfortable enough to give you the info you need, but it can be all too easy to screw up and say the wrong thing—-or say the right thing in the wrong way.

The Mom Test: How to Talk to Customers by Rob Fitzpatrick is a practical guide that helps entrepreneurs navigate the crucial task of talking to customers in order to confirm a business idea, or ask questions about an existing service or product. Fitzpatrick illustrates how sensitive conversations can go wrong and shows you how to keep them on track, so that you’ll get the info that you need to move forward. Now you can reduce the risk of building products nobody wants and make informed decisions based on real customer behavior rather than on polite feedback.

The author is an entrepreneur who co-founded the education agency Founder Centric, taught at top universities including Harvard, MIT and University College of London (UK), co-wrote the book Workshop Survival Guide, which describes how to design and run effective and engaging workshops. He also managed to learn enterprise sales, skill that fuels his current vocation of gathering unbiased customer learning and taking an idea from nothing through to its first dozen or so paying customers.

4. Financial Intelligence: A Manager’s Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean (Karen Berman and Joe Knight, February 2013)

This is an excellent book for anyone who doesn’t have a traditional business administration background. Financial Intelligence is a comprehensive guide that’s meant to help managers at all levels understand the often intimidating world of finance and shows you how to make sense of financial data and use that knowledge to make better decisions and develop more confidence.

One of the best things about the book is how clearly authors Karen Berman and Joe Knight simplify and present complicated financial ideas into terms that are easy to understand and to the point. Even those who have never studied business before can understand the core ideas and use them in real life. Berman and Knight stress how important financial knowledge is for all managers, no matter what area they work in. The fact that financial information can be used in any situation is very interesting. It changes the way we think about financial knowledge so that it is no longer a special skill but a core skill that is essential to good management.  The book isn’t just about figuring out what the numbers mean; it’s also about how to use that knowledge to make good business choices. It is a must-read for any boss who wants to make their company successful financially.

5. Inside the Box (David Epstein, April 2026)

We live in a world that gives us seemingly infinite choices and values freedom above all else. We have an unprecedented number of options regarding what to do, who to be, and how to spend our time. All that choice is wonderful; it is also overwhelming. The irony is that total freedom can be paralyzing, and unlimited resources don’t necessarily lead to the biggest breakthroughs. In fact, overvaluing complete freedom can be disastrous for everything from starting a company to harnessing creativity to finding personal satisfaction.

Author David Epstein argues that all of us—individuals, businesses, institutions, even societies—can benefit from narrowing our options. He dives into the science and practice of constraints, exploring exactly when and how guardrails can be beneficial, whether we’re working with limited resources or using self-imposed boundaries to tap unexpected wells of focus and innovation.

6. Build Your Dream Network (J. Kelly Hoey, January 2018)

Acclaimed business columnist and networking expert J. Kelly Hoey offers a fresh new approach to mastering this timeworn skill in a world where everyone is posting, liking and friending fast and furiously, but are mostly failing to leverage their connections successfully—because they’re not really connections. Hoey’s book presents innovative strategies for developing strong and healthy relationships–the genuine, mutually beneficial, long-lasting kind–by using all of the social tools at your disposal. She also reveals creative and surprisingly simple ways to harness the power of your network to accomplish any ambition, from landing your dream job, to signing a coveted account or client, to successfully crowdfunding a new business venture.

J. Kelly Hoey cuts through the noise of traditional networking and provides strategies for creating authentic, mutually satisfying relationships. She emphasizes that real networking is not about attending dull cocktail parties or gaining a large number of connections online. The book is packed with innovative strategies to help you make the most of both in-person and digital networking opportunities. One of the standout aspects of Build Your Dream Network is its focus on turning “closed-door” conversations into solid business opportunities and personal relationships. Hoey provides advice on how to approach and follow up with contacts in an authentic and strategic way.

 7. Atomic Habits (James Clear, October 2018)

 Are you struggling to build some useful new habits that you will actually incorporate into your life? Atomic Habits by James Clear breaks down the process of developing a useful new habit and serves it up in four simple steps: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy and make it satisfying. If you truly want to live a “successful” life (placed in quotation marks here as success is subjective and its definition is up to you), then you need to put in the time and effort daily to build healthy habits that support your goals and productivity. James Clear shows us that habit-building can be easy and fun. It’s not as boring or arduous as you might think.

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving—every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. 

The book will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits–whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.

8. Rework (Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, March 2010)

Most business books give you the same old advice: Write a business plan, study the competition, seek investors, ad nauseum.
But for many aspiring entrepreneurs, you’ll be better off if you stop talking and start working; authors Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson show you how its done. You’ll learn why a multi-page business plan will not necessarily help your mission, why you probably don’t need outside investors and why you could do better by ignoring the competition.

The truth is, to build a successful business entity, less than can be more. You don’t need to be a workaholic. You don’t always need to hire staff (especially not with artificial intelligence powered tools). You definitely don’t need to waste time on paperwork or meetings. You don’t even need an office. Those are all just excuses that block you from seizing the moment.

You’ll learn how to be more productive, how to get exposure without breaking the bank and the value of more counterintuitive ideas that will inspire you. It’s Keep It Simple Strategies make Rework the perfect guide for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own. Hardcore entrepreneurs, small-business owners, people stuck in day jobs they hate, victims of downsizing—Freelancers!—will all find valuable guidance and inspiration in these pages.

9. Future Fit: How to Stay Relevant and Competitive in the Future of Work (Andrea Clarke, March 2019)

The future of work is about talent, not technology, says Andrea Clarke, author of ‘Future Fit: How to Stay Relevant and Competitive in the Future of Work. Clarke points out that if we want to outrun the algorithm to stay secure in the future of work, we need to upgrade our own capability in ways we may not have considered. As artificial intelligence is adopted into the workplace and traditional employee arrangements transform, we’re heading into a far less structured era of work.

For organizations, it means re-imagining talent models, re-skilling the workforce and re-defining business practices for a digital age. For individuals, it means the responsibility for finding, securing and delivering work lies with us more than ever before with the individual. That sounds like the Freelance sector to me! The book will equip you with eight critical human skills we’ll need to invest in for a new working environment. From Reputation Capital, Communication, Adaptability and Creativity to Networking, Leadership, Problem-Solving and Continuous Learning.

10. Start With Yourself (Emma Grede, April 2026)

Start with Yourself is a game-changing, no-nonsense guide for seeking meaningful success on your own terms. It’s an essential framework that will give you the tools and mindset to unlock your full potential in life and business—straight from a woman who defied all the odds to become a serial entrepreneur, most famously as a founding partner of SKIMS with Kim Kardashian and co-founder of Good American, a maker of denim clothing for women, with Khloe Kardashian. Ultimately, this is a book for everyone tired of feeling like a bystander or passenger in your own life. Author Emma Grede offers tangible and applicable-right-now solutions to create a mindset, an overall system of thought to manage emotions, clarify ideas and illuminate the right next step—while always staying positive.

Above all, Grede offers a new vision for work and life that encourages readers everywhere to take responsibility for their own thinking in order to achieve personal and professional success at the highest levels. It’s about gathering yourself after failure. It’s about being accountable but also forgiving yourself. It’s about not expecting shortcuts while never being bashful about grabbing them when they appear. It’s about pushing hard for wins and never apologizing for your dreams.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Walther Firle (Germany, 1859-1929) Three Girls Reading, circa 1900

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7 AI Tools Take Your Freelance Entity To The Top

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If striking out on your own to launch a solo Freelance entity has progressed from interesting idea status to a Pinterest goal in development, you may be ready to explore a few specifics that will help you prepare to advance your plan from the Pinterest board to a functioning business entity. It is almost certain that you’ve considered how Artificial Intelligence-powered software and other digital tools can optimize your business operations. You’ll be happy to know that numerous AI-powered technological resources are readily available to help Freelance solopreneurs operate their one-person enterprise with an efficiency and impact that rivals larger organizations.

A 2026 report published by Upwork, the Freelance talent marketplace that serves both companies in search of knowledge economy workers and independent professionals whose business is to provide it and the digital communications provider Zoom, 91% of Freelance single owner business entities say that AI has reduced their routine administrative work and enabled 74% of respondents to scale without hiring full-time employees. In fact, many Freelance business owners view operating a single-person entity as an advantage that bakes in operational flexibility and strategic agility. When necessary, a Freelance solopreneur can turn to software-as-a-service AI agents and/or assistants, or hire a Freelance colleague whose expertise can be contracted on a per-project basis, to expertly manage whatever aspects of the project are outside of his/her wheelhouse. The Rise of the Solopreneur report, which surveyed nearly 3,000 respondents located in 48 states and participating in 12 industries, provides a window into how this entrepreneurial segment is building success and expanding its impact in the global labor force. For workers and companies alike, the rise of Freelance solopreneurs who strategically implement AI-powered tech resources demonstrates that the future of work may no longer be defined by the number of workers a company employs, but rather by the founder’s expertise.

The challenges once inherent in operating a business alone have steadily declined since the advent of tech advances that have become commonplace—cloud computing, e-commerce infrastructure, including secure online payment options, social media platforms and other marketing activities that promote the company and build the brand. Moreover, there are now Freelance marketplace platforms that facilitate the building of a vital client list. That’s all good, but life as a Freelance on-your-own business owner requires significant confidence and discipline, along with expertise in your field.

Being able to manage stress and stay motivated are a couple more must-have characteristics. You’ll also have to be ready to wear many hats, for example marketing, sales, customer service, accounting/finance and operations. Oh, yes, and as CEO, you are the face of the company. There’s no one else to delegate tasks to, so being incredibly resourceful, strategic in managing their time and all-around resilient are other qualities Freelance solopreneurs must live up to.

It can be successfully done if that is the way you want it! Below are a few technological resources that will help you stay on top of things and maintain a positive mindset while you do.

1. Financial Reporting and Analysis: AI-powered financial tools are foundational for sound decision-making that is informed by your company’s key performance metrics. AI powered financial tools can deliver timely, relevant perspectives to financial analysis and give eye-opening insights into what drives revenue and profit. However, AI financial tools are not one-size-fits-all and the service you choose must align with the your reporting and analysis needs. Predictive analytics for financial forecasting might be a priority.

2. Customer Relations Management: CRM integrates your marketing strategies with AI-powered technology and brings highly useful capabilities by using advanced analytics, market research and automation to deliver personalized customer experiences that increase sales conversions, increase customer loyalty, encourage repeat business and reduce churn. AI can enhance customer acquisition by facilitating targeted marketing campaigns, improving conversion through predictive analytics and making recommendations that help you optimize sales strategies. As well, CRM will ensure comprehensive customer service and a pleasantly memorable customer experience, by tracking and managing all customer touch points—for example, purchases and inquiries—to deliver consistent support.

3. Operations and Workflow Management: AI software systems are powerful tools that can, among other capabilities, streamline work processes and improve operational efficiency by mapping, automating and tracking your workflows to monitor your output and progress. An AI agent can also provide actionable recommendations to address critical operational issues and even augment or correct incomplete or inconsistent data, to help you obtain accurate insights and achieve informed decision-making. By training on historical data, AI models can quickly identify unusual patterns and outliers that might signal quality control issues. 

4. Sales/Marketing Funnel & Leadgen: AI-driven leadgen marketing/sales funnels are able to adjust timing, marketing or sales channels and personalized messages that respond to the behavior of prospective buyers In Real Time. Responsiveness is valuable to you because a lost lead is lost revenue. According to research by Mc Kinsey, adaptive AI-powered marketing/sales funnels reduce prospect drop-off and make a sale more likely. AI can manage customer relations management entries, qualify leads and even handle initial sales interactions via your AI-powered chatbot. AI lead qualification can ask the initial questions, score intent, tag high-quality leads and push the most promising prospects into your pipeline automatically.

Be sure to add a Follow-Up Agent, a software tool that automates the process of staying in touch so that promising leads are not lost due to insufficient follow-up. Instead of relying on manual reminders sent by you, the follow-up agent uses AI to “read” ongoing conversations and determine when and how to reach out, adapting the timing of follow-up and conversational tone depending on how the lead interacts. The system is designed to track engagement signals such as email opens, clicks, or unanswered messages. Based on this information, the follow-up agent does exactly that by composing personalized messages that reflect the context of the conversation and even the role of the recipient.

5. Content Strategy and Creation: AI can draft newsletters, blog posts, social media updates, marketing emails for campaigns and advertising copy, all tailored to specific audience segments and optimized for Search Engine Optimization. AI software can also analyze customer data to segment audiences and automate personalized marketing messages. A Content Repurposing Agent– will transform long-form content (blogs, YouTube, newsletters) into short clips that enable you to extract the full value of your strategies and messages and reinforce their impact by recycling it to the other platforms. Now you can produce social media posts, marketing emails—or even videos that feature you discussing key points of your message and what it means to customers—and using a script that’s inspired by the repurposing agent.

6. Graphic Design: AI is revolutionizing the design industry, making it possible for those who are not design professionals to produce credible graphic designs for your marketing materials that enhance personalization and improve engagement that promotes sales conversations. In a recent McKinsey Global Survey, 65% of participants noted their company regularly use generative AI—nearly double the percentage recorded 10 months before and 69% of marketing and other creative professionals believe AI-enhanced tools boost their team’s creativity. AI can generate numerous ideas and variations based on initial input, helping graphic designers break through creative blocks and explore directions they might not have considered otherwise. AI is also lowering the barrier to entry for non-designers who need to produce visual content. User-friendly design assistants can guide novices through the creative process, offering suggestions and automating complex tasks. Take a look at some highly favored design software.

7. Cybersecurity & Data Privacy: Managing a primarily AI-driven business presents significant cybersecurity precautions. Small and medium-sized businesses, a category that includes Freelance solopreneurs, are more frequent targets of cybercrime than larger companies, industry research shows. The good news is agentic AI and AI agents are beefing up cybersecurity by automating decision-making. Not only will an AI-powered cybersecurity system enable dynamic access management by adjusting user access based on behavior and risk, in that way aligning with zero trust principles, but also agentic AI will continuously monitor activities, and reveal atypical patterns to identify and mitigate insider threats before they escalate.  Furthermore, agentic AI enhances workflow efficiency by automating tasks like alert triage and incident response, with applications in cybersecurity for autonomous threat detection and response (Lisowski, 2024). Organizations adopting agentic AI for security and governance are reporting significant benefits, including faster decision-making and improved risk management (Chiodi, 2025).

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: Freepik

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Three Actions To Boost Business Revenue Right Now

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Welcome to Entrepreneur World! Owning and operating a business is an impressive achievement and those who can make it happen deserve a big round of applause. However, not all will be rosy. Becoming the steward of a business entity can be overwhelming and sometimes, even frightening. You are sure to be confronted with enough unanticipated events to make you feel as if only the strategic savvy of Hannibal could help you navigate either the obstacles or opportunities. Launching a business entity that you can build into a sustainable success demands that you figure out and put into motion a series of actions that will enable the enterprise to predictably generate sufficient revenue to become profitable (as you define it). On that note, you will be pleased to know that credible business advice is available to lead you through the obstacles and uncertainty that can block your path to success.

Whether you entertain thoughts of creating a company that will hire numerous employees and produce annual profits of seven figures or more, or your vision of entrepreneurship is a more personal reflection that will employ only you, but will nevertheless consistently generate a robust annual profit, know that there is a dependably effective formula that promotes entrepreneurial success. Trustworthy experts in the theory and practice of business entrepreneurship agree that the following activities are recognized as the pillars of a business entity and in tandem will develop a pathway that leads to a thriving and profitable company:

  • Marketing/ Sales, which can also be called business development, facilitates the introduction of prospective customers who have the money and motive to purchase the products and/or services offered
  • Operations, to facilitate back-office administrative functions and fulfill after-sale expectations; such as quality control, packaging, shipping, customer service and the customer experience
  • Finance, to ensure that there is enough money available to enable business development and operational activities

When aligned, these foundational actions—you recognize them as business strategies—have the capability to cultivate vigorous business growth that drives long-term and sustainable success. In anticipation of purchases, the marketing/sales pillar keeps the business owner focused on getting the service or product in front of the right prospects, articulating the right message to the most promising prospects and strengthening client relationships—actions that drive sales revenue and profit and support business development. Back-office administrative functions that can involve professional development and training for yourself and any employees, along with consistent quality control for products and/or services and after-sale follow-up that supports a memorably pleasant and efficiently delivered customer experience are within the realm of operations. Astute financial management, from appropriate record-keeping and analysis to financial forecasting, ensure that optimal funding of all essential business activities is available.

1.Marketing/ Sales

Marketing and sales, which collectively are the core of business development, positions you to promote consistent revenue growth, develop the dependability and trust that cultivates a strong and appealing brand and also foster beneficial client relationships that inspire repeat business, referrals of new clients and limits churn. Business development sets the stage for business growth by introducing your service and/or product to prospective clients; it is the art of identifying and encouraging sales revenue and related growth opportunities. An important objective of business development is to create a repeatable process that you can use to find new business opportunities and turn them into additional income.

Central to the development of marketing strategies will be market research, which brings data and other insights that show you the environment your product or service will enter. A client demographic info provides, for example, geographic distribution, age range, annual income range, or education level. That information will form the basis of a client persona.

To obtain credible, often actionable, boots-on-the-ground marketing and sales insights, consider investing in social listening so that you can tap into real-time conversations that take place across social media, online forums and review sites like Yelp and Trip Advisor. You can sharpen your marketing strategies and campaigns when you discover what really matters to users of your solutions (and competitors’ solutions). Unlike traditional marketing research, social listening delivers continuous, authentic, in real time user feedback that reveals customer sentiment. You might also get a heads-up on emerging trends and other developments in your industry that help you identify market opportunities. Guided by social listening info, you can refine, adjust, or discontinue certain marketing strategies, as you monitor your closest competitors—and boost the effectiveness of marketing strategies, campaigns and messaging.

The activities discussed above will also inform your development of an efficient and effective method for qualifying leads, communicating with prospects and educating prospective clients to give them the confidence to close deals. This includes implementing a follow-up structure through CRMs, ensuring that no leads fall through the cracks while providing the opportunity for timely follow-ups, which can make or break deal negotiations. Also, identify opportunities to offer additional services by upselling and cross-selling existing clients, unlocking additional revenue streams. getphyllo.com/post/social-listening-strategies-business-impact

2. Operations

While business development, supported by sales and marketing strategies and campaigns, is about obtaining clients, operations is about keeping clients happy once they agree to do business with you. Efficient operations processes ensure that an organization functions seamlessly, delivers a consistently memorable customer experience and maintains the high standards that keep clients coming back.

Operations include everything from client onboarding, employee training, customer service, quality control and compliance. Packaging and shipping don’t exist just to deliver a product or service—these services contribute to the goal of ensuring a pleasantly memorable experience that meets or exceeds their expectations of all of your clients.

Quality control is another critical part of operations. Whether it’s a restaurant ensuring that every meal is prepared to the same standard or a service-based business following strict protocols, consistency is what builds trust and loyalty. Clients return because they know what to expect and familiarity is reassuring.

3. Finance

It’s no surprise that chief among a business leader’s responsibility is protecting the financial health of the entity. One important duty of a business owner is to you maintain good financial records, whose primary purpose is to keep yourself apprised of the financial condition of the business and also steer you into making wise business decisions. Three financial statements—Cash-flow, Profit & Loss (Income) and Balance Sheet will be your guiding star for smart planning. Timely filing of your entity’s quarterly and annual taxes are also necessary to comply with legal requirements.

Fast-track growth

Growth is the goal of every business and there are several pathways to the destination—for example, merger and acquisition, where you, business owner and leader, will negotiate a buy-out payment that could mean you either merge with or acquire another company, or agree to sell your business to another entity and allow your company to be acquired. The buy-out or merger will result in a larger client base, expanded product or service and more plentiful working capital and other financial resources that represent business growth for both parties. The merger or acquisition might result in a new management role for you in the newly configured entity; conversely, you may become “silent” and limit your post-sale commitment to accepting the sale price.

Organic business growth is the most common growth strategy. Freelancers who achieve organic growth typically do so by winning more and/or more lucrative clients. Developing additional services or products to add to your portfolio of offerings is another method of achieving organic growth for single-person Freelance entities and small or medium-sized businesses. Organic growth is a solid business growth strategy that can ultimately position a business entity for long-term future success. 

Thanks for reading,

Kim 

Image: N. Hitchcock Collection. Kaparoko, Papua New Guinea (1962)

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Newsletters Are Back

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Marketing mavens have rediscovered the newsletter. After a period of what could be called benign neglect, when this once standard marketing tool fell out of favor and was sidelined, the reappearance of newsletters represents a long overdue acknowledgement of data-verified performance results. Without question, the newsletter has for several decades been among the most effective promotional and relationship-building resources in a marketer’s arsenal.

Some of you reading now may have once looked forward to receiving a favorite newsletter that was delivered by your postal service. Then, in the early 2000s, your humble newsletter demonstrated its agility and responded to the new technology known as email, and seamlessly adapted from hard-copy to digital format. In fact, it can be successfully argued that the multi-faceted, hard-working newsletter was the original email marketing content. The format has again demonstrated that it is an effective, and therefore valuable, component of well-conceived marketing strategies and campaigns. Marketing thought leaders have joined the cheering section, calling digitally distributed (i.e., email) content marketing as foundational to long-term business growth.

Newsletters by definition are communication tools that facilitate engagement and relationship development with readers—that is, current clients, past clients, prospects and also colleagues and peers who’d like to familiarize themselves with your business—and you. According to a 2026 report published by Newsletter Industry Statistics, 78% of B2B marketers use newsletters to generate leads and 60% say newsletters are their top driver of customer retention—which, BTW, invites repeat business. A well-composed newsletter can showcase your entity, and you, in many ways:

  • A platform for you to tell your brand story
  • Cultivate client relationships, inspire trust in prospects, re-engage past clients
  • Demonstrate your thought leader expertise
  • Nurture brand loyalty
  • Make announcements and updates
  • Present product or service spotlights
  • Generate website traffic and sales

Because your newsletter is capable of influencing more people than you may realize, and in more ways than you might imagine, it is imperative that you make it a good read. You have a story to tell; ensure that the information you share is relevant, timely and compelling. Spice up the text with a splash of appealing visuals that aligns with your narrative, using both still images and (short) video clips. Be sensitive to reader attention spans as you compose your newsletter: three pages, or about 500-600 words, is probably suitable for most but still images will expand the page count. Furthermore, your newsletter (and all of your marketing emails) should adhere to mobile device specs, because 60% will be opened on mobile. As for scheduling your newsletter, monthly is an acceptable frequency known to build and maintain reader engagement.

Make it relevant, visually interesting and personal

Before you commit to producing a newsletter for your Freelance entity, decide what you’d like your newsletter to do for your business? Would you like to increase brand awareness, generate leads, nurture relationships, or boost sales? In most cases it’s all of the above, but it makes sense to know your destination before you set off on a journey.

When you’ve clarified the purpose, you can confidently choose topics for articles and other content that will guide your creation of an effective marketing tool. Your customer relations management data will reveal what your clients want to know and, even better, can segment clients into groups based on relevant distinguishing criteria, such as for-profit or not-for-profit designation, pain points or goals that motivate clients to seek out your solution, purchase history, or frequency. By segmenting your audience, you can then tailor certain elements of your newsletter content to each group and in that way enhance the relevance, personalization, engagement and, ultimately, sales revenue generated. Artificial Intelligence software will optimize the insights provided by your CRM data, that can accurately pinpoint client preferences, priorities, behaviors and challenges. Moreover, AI software such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, Ideamap, or Microsoft Copilot, for example, can facilitate the brainstorming and idea generation process and present to you potentially dozens of interesting newsletter topics that would address the focus of your target newsletter reader groups.

According to data reported by Exploding Topics, approximately 72% of newsletter subscribers are motivated by a desire to either stay up-to-date with company happenings or learn about a topic of interest when they choose to subscribe to a newsletter. Surprisingly, when given the option of receiving updates about your brand by way of social media or an email newsletter that slips into their inbox, 90% of readers choose to receive your newsletter.

So there is your mission—identify headline topics that will be segmented by personalized interests and priorities and made available to readers based on what resonates most, as a way to encourage relevance and value that readers will associate with your newsletter, as well as your company. With assistance from your CRM and AI resources, you will learn which topics that a critical mass of readers would like to take a deep-dive exploration into, and also topics for which they’ll be pleased to receive just basic info. Lastly, readers will appreciate quick and visible access to links that announce upcoming events, perhaps some in which you’ll have a featured presence, such as a podcast, webinar, or teaching assignment. Ideally, your newsletter will function as a portal for conversation with your clients and prospects. Make it interactive by including a mix of content that they’ll anticipate reading every month, such as:

  • Links to your blog or other useful articles
  • One deep-dive article
  • Poll or survey
  • Product or service spotlights
  • Call-to-action
  • Special events—your speaking or teaching engagements, participation in charity events

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: courtesy of the Louvre Museum, Paris, France. Muse Reading Greek (Boeotia) circa 435-425 BC

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Rainy Day Strategies to Cushion Financial Uncertainty

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There’s been lots of talk about the U.S. economy over the past year or two and bad news has dominated the narrative. Rounds of lay-offs continue at enterprise companies: Nike announced plans to shed 1,400 jobs in April; Dell cut 10% of its workforce in March (11,000 employees), for the third year in a row; on May 5, the cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase announced a planned lay-off of 14% of its staff, or about 700 employees. Even the popular building contractor rating platform Angie’s List announced in January that 350 jobs would be cut this year.

Your one-person Freelance empire may be holding up despite lay-offs and rising gasoline and grocery prices but even those of you who hold the working capital needed to maintain normal business operations, pay living expenses and continue to fund your retirement account may nevertheless have a gut feeling that warns you to spend cautiously and trim expenses to bolster your savings cushion. An analysis of your financial position is how you begin your resiliency campaign.

Assess business financial condition

The road to financial resilience begins with examining the business’ financial position by conducting a cash-flow analysis. The process will reconfirm the sources of your earnings and how much you pay to keep the business rolling. The cash-flow analysis will illustrate how and when revenue streams bring money into the business (receivables) and the timing and costs of operating and other expenses (payables) that take money out of the business. You’ll take the measure of how and from which sources business revenue is derived, as well as your spend for fixed and variable expenses. You’ll also confront the business top line earnings (gross sales) and bottom line (net) earnings. Your mission is to analyze cash-flow over 12 months, and making note of seasonal variations, so that you’ll obtain a big-picture understanding of your entity’s financial rhythms.

The cash-flow analysis invites your business to “tell” you where you’re making money and where you spend perhaps too much and should consider a less-costly alternative. Identifying areas where spending has you leaking cash is especially helpful if local or national economic conditions make clients inclined to limit the billable hours that feed your revenue. Fewer billable hours will magnify those pesky financial gaps and escalate the impact of a cash crunch crisis, should it occur. Ask your accountant or bookkeeper to run the numbers, or contact your local Small Business Association SCORE to make an appointment and obtain some (probably) free and trustworthy business finance management assistance.

Build a budget that reflects financial reality

Kick-off your fat-trimming budget project by reviewing variable and fixed expenses and verifying how each one contributes to maintaining operations, supporting business growth, supporting customer service and the customer experience, or enabling professional development that reinforces your standing as a thought leader and expert in your field. Whatever expenditures do not at least indirectly support the business or your professional position may need to either be funded at a more modest level or eliminated. Developing your revised budgetary focus does not, however, mean that you must slash as many expenses as possible. Your new budgeting approach should be strategic and guided by business goals and economic reality. Here are useful guide posts:

  • Cut expenses that do not support revenue generation, business operations, or the customer experience.
  • Protect spending on marketing and sales functions to encourage revenue, e.g. client acquisition and retention.
  • Build a cash reserve that can float three to six months of business operating expenses.

Use scenario planning to forecast a worse-case possibility and use that perspective to forecast the next 12 – 18 months of operations. What might your finances look like if revenue drops 10%? Next, consider a more disturbing future and forecast the financial challenges you would likely encounter if, heaven forbid, revenue drops by 25%? It doesn’t feel good, but the scenario planning component of your financial defense plan will force you to anticipate how you might manage and inspire you to think of how to cushion those harsh and stressful circumstances with some savvy advance planning. It’s always easier and more effective when difficult decisions are evaluated and potential remedies are devised when you are calm and not in a panic.

Before any storms arrive, remember that your best defense is a good offense. If at all possible, delay major capital purchases, but remind yourself to avoid severely slashing your marketing budget. You may decide to shrink it, but do not lose sight of the power of consistent marketing and its place as one of the three pillars of a healthy business. Companies that maintain their marketing presence during business downturns consistently outperform businesses that sharply limit marketing activities when the recovery arrives.

In fact, refocused marketing strategies and campaigns could surpass the effectiveness of your current, perhaps more costly, activities. Stepping back from certain paid advertisement and instead doubling down on publishing marketing content—which will cost time, that other valuable resource—could yield excellent results. To the best of your ability, and in accordance with what aligns with your business solutions and customer personae and preferences, consider one or more of the following:

  • Invite a client to participate in a written or video case study. It’s a highly persuasive tool that guides prospects to envision how your solution could resolve their challenge or help a mission-critical goal to be reached.
  • Look for opportunities to portray yourself as a thought leader; that could include moderating or appearing on a panel, speaking at a local business or industry conference or other meeting, teaching a credit or noncredit course in a subject that is aligned with the solutions your company provides, or obtaining an invitation to speak in a webinar or podcast.
  • Look for public relations opportunities that will enhance your visibility and strengthen your brand image. If you are teaching or speaking at a venue that’s open to the public, send a press release to a community newspaper or event listing sites. Also, post your speaking or teaching engagement on your website and social media platforms.

Diversify revenue streams

If your Freelance entity offers just one product or service, you are potentially quite vulnerable to the winds of economic instability. A shift in the competitive landscape, or a new tech product, for instance, can threaten your ability to make a living. Especially in a solo earner household, if revenue earning opportunities become scarce, the outcome could be difficult.

You might not see a quick fix for your problem, but you could create one by asking a question. That is, it could be worth your while to ask clients with whom you are currently engaged if they might be interested in expanding the work you do for them? Frame your proposal in a way that illustrates a desirable and tangible competitive advantage that the client’s company would obtain when your expanded work is implemented. Your clients may help you make lemonade of the lemons and provide you with a new income stream that you hadn’t considered. A complementary service that can be delivered as an add-on or upgrade might also inspire a client to envision how you might bring more value to his/her organization. Similarly, tiered pricing that offers a lower cost basic option as well as a higher-priced premium alternative that provides more extensive service, could bring a new revenue source to your organization.

Then again, it may be more feasible to develop an external revenue stream and explore the possibility of a side hustle. You may have noticed that most mentions of side hustles involve an entrepreneurial angle but that does not have to be the case. Traditionally, a side hustle was an under the radar job that wasn’t discussed with your colleagues. Just 10 years ago, a side hustle could have found you plowing snow in winter, clearing out dead leaves in autumn and performing basic yardwork such as weeding, mowing lawns and pruning forsythia and rose bushes in spring and summer.

BTW, independently or traditionally employed workers who take on a side hustle are for the most part not in financial distress. In fact, those who earn $150K annually are more likely to have a side hustle than those who earn $25K – $50K per year. But regardless of your financial circumstances, a side hustle is a way to future proof your financial position and build a cushion against financial uncertainty.

Leverage external financial resources

Grants, SBA loans and alternative lending programs are created to support business leaders as they plan to scale or aim to increase working capital that’s intended to protect viability during difficult business conditions. If rumors of possible economic uncertainty reach your ears, envisioning what a survival plan for your entity might look like is smart thinking. Sooner rather than later, make it a point to research your options, so that you are apprised of eligibility requirements and timelines that will allow you to prepare and survive.

If your business is carrying significant debt, understanding the landscape of small business debt relief options, including what’s available through programs like those outlined by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, can be the difference between survival and losing your beloved business. Also, revisit external financing strategies that match your repayment timeline to your cash-flow cycle.

In closing, be aware that economic instability that periodically occurs in your marketplace is not unusual. Every independently employed professional, traditional business owner and even employees will experience financial challenges at least once. Business leaders who consider financial resilience a given for which they consistently prepare, instead of an emergency response that’s cobbled together in a panic not only survive financial fluctuations, but often emerge stronger once “normal” business conditions return.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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