freelancing – The Freelance Blueprint

The Freelance Blueprint

Keep Investing in your Hard and Soft Skills to Grow as a Freelancer
There’s one thing I LOVE about freelancing 🤩 It’s that you’re your own boss 👩🏻‍💼

But the down side is… you’re your own boss 🫠

Photo by Thirdman on Pexels.com

The reason why this is both good and bad, is because you can do whatever you want. But you don’t have anyone who holds you accountable other than yourself.

It’s your fault when you don’t make sales, it’s your fault when you forget to pay your taxes on time, it’s all on you.

Sometimes, it’s difficult to be your own boss. You have to choose which compromises you have to make.

And the problem with that is: If there is no manager whose job it is that we continuously improve, we often forget to set time aside to upskill.

So today, we’re going to learn how to keep learning.

Find a skill to learn/improve

This can be a skill that you already have but maybe you want to become better at it. For example, if you’re a good UX Designer, maybe you want to focus on how to do better user research.

But this can also be a skill that you know nothing about, like marketing or sales. Find a skill that will complement your business and make time for it.

Let me show you how ⬇️

What skill is worth investing in?

As a fellow freelancer, one piece of advice I can give you is that people book you for a specific skill. For me, it’s UX Design. People hire me because they want a new website or app or want to improve an existing piece of software.

It’s important to stay up to date with the main skill you offer as a freelancer. But often, it’s not the people who are best at their skill but the ones who are the best communicator and sales person. So it’s very important to be good at that when you want to be a successful freelancer.

Find what it is that you want to learn and improve on.

Currently, I’m investing in my communication skills. The main reason for that was the Freelance Blueprint Podcast. When I edited the first episode I noticed how rarely I finish my sentences and um and er. And only when I listened to my voice without watching the video to it I realised how important it is to communicate better.

Set a budget aside

It’s always good to have some money to re-invest in your business aka yourself. At the beginning, while you’re still building your shit happens-fund, you might not have budget to upskill. But overtime, your budget will increase.

For reference: At the beginning of my freelance career, I’ve not invested in myself at all. But currently, i’m spending 2k+ on coaching. I’m a strong believer that what you invest in yourself will come back to you.

What if I don’t have a budget?

If you don’t have any money you can invest right now, you’re lucky. Today, there are so many free resources out there. You can google anything and there’ll be a video tutorial for it.

The advantage of courses is that you get a structure. Modules are built on one another and as Eli has said in the latest Freelance Blueprint episode: It’s the fastest way to get you from where you are now to where you want to be.

You can also follow people on social media who offer great advice. Check out my stories today to see who I consider share great insights on UX and freelancing.

How to pick a course?

Personally, I tend to choose courses that are hosted life. Because otherwise, I won’t make time to watch them in my own time. It’ll have to be a set time and date.

But find a course that works around you. If the time zone doesn’t work for you, find one to watch in your own time or where you can watch the recordings.

And ideally, you’d pick a course that also offers a community access. The other people on the course will be in similar situations as you. It’s a great way to expand your network and find support.

Why do I need to invest in a new skill?

The world is constantly changing. 5 years ago, we wouldn’t have imagined that ChatGPT will write social media posts. Or that Midjourney will come up with designs. Especially when you work in tech, it’s important to stay up to date.

TLDR
1. Pick a skill to invest in
2. Define your upskilling budget
3. 😩 If you have no budget: find a podcast or Youtube Channel💰 If you have a budget: browse for a course for your desired skill set
4. 😩 If you have no budget: Schedule time to upskill, otherwise you’ll never do it
  💰 If you have a budget: Buy that course 💪
If you decide that you want to upskill your financial knowledge, you can sign up to my Financial Freedom for Freelancers Programme.

Scroll down to see how educating yourself on finances can help you ⏬

Financial Freedom for Freelancers

Want to learn more about freelance finances?

Making the most of your money doesn’t just mean to earn more. It’s also about making the best out of the money you already have.

Maybe you could save some money? Maybe you can pay yourself in a more tax-efficient way?

If you want to learn how to make the most of your money, join the waitlist of the next cohort of my programme Financial Freedom for Freelancers

Here’s what some of the previous cohort have said ⬇️

Money doesn’t have to be complicated

Learn everything I know about money as a freelancer in the next cohort.

Join the waitlist

That’s all for today 🙌

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.
January 27, 2026
What to do when Shit hits the Fan in your Freelance Business
I wrote these blog posts with the aim to prepare you for your freelance career.

But no matter how well you plan ahead, there will be things that you can’t control which might take you off the path.

Photo by Tim Gouw on Pexels.com

Maybe your client has issues with investors? Maybe they don’t pay their invoice on time? And after 2020 we probably all learned that there are things outside our control.

That doesn’t mean you won’t be a successful freelancer. It just means that we have to prepare for things.

Build a shit happens fund

I used to call it a “back up” pillow, but one of my friends calls it the “Shit happens” fund and I prefer that name. Whatever you want to call it, it’s basically a stack of savings that you can fall back on in case shit hits the fan.

If you already have one in place: Amazing!

If you still need to build a shit happens fund: follow the steps below ⬇️

Figure out how much you need to put aside

First of all, you need to figure out what you need right now. And this can be different for everyone. How much are you spending every month to cover your bare minimum? This includes
1. Your rent
2. Your electricity/water/heating bills
3. Wifi bills and anything to keep your business afloat
4. Food (this means groceries, eating out isn’t an essential)
Figure out how much you’re currently spending on your essentials each month. If worse comes to worst: Is there anything you can cut back on? Like your Netflix subscription?

Then multiply this by at least 3. But even better: 6.

This is how I’d calculate my worst case scenario

I’m a digital nomad. How much I need in a month varies. And my options for when shit hits the fan also vary massively.

Scenario 1

So for example, I’m currently in Chiang Mai. If for whatever reason I don’t have any money coming in, I can drive to my grandma’s place in Lampang where I could live rent free. But I’d have to cover my drive there, any food we consume, and wifi costs. Thailand is pretty cheap, so all of this will not total more than £200/month. So that means my shit happens fund should have at least £600 in it.

Scenario 2

In a few months I’ll be in Japan. Japan is an expensive place! I don’t know anyone there, so I’d have to continue paying the airbnb. Food is also more expensive than in Thailand. So per month, I’m likely going to have to pay around £1,800. That’d mean my shit happens fund should be at least £5,400 or even better £10,800 💸

So depending on your personal cirumstances, how much you need to survive will look different for everyone. Figure out what the minimum is you need and multiply it by at least 3 to cover your costs for 3 months.

It’s unlikely going to take you more than 3 months to find some sort of income. But if you want to stick to freelancing, I recommend you prepare for the worst case scenario and save up 6 months of your essential spending.

Why do I need a shit happens fund?

There will be things out of our control and I want to make sure that you make the decisions for your freelance career from a healthy perspective, not from panic mode.

You shouldn’t take on low paying gigs with horrible clients because you need the money. I’d rather you say no to gigs that don’t fit your life-balance and make space for a gig that suits you and pays you fairly.

If you’re in a situation where you try to make money fast, it’ll burn you out. Knowing that you have a pillow to fall on will allow you to make better business decisions.

How to build a shit happens fund

The best way to build a shit happens fund is to automate it. You just set it up once and then won’t have to think about it. If you’re based in the UK, I highly recommend Monzo, they do this quite well. You can create “pots” and automate weekly or monthly payments into one of the pots. You just set your savings goal, how much to transfer and how regularly and wait for your pot to fill up.

Here’s a little affiliate link which will give both of us £5 if you sign up with Monzo. Wohoo, free money! 🙌

Of course, you don’t have to use Monzo, they’re not the only ones who offer automated transfers into a pot. Find a bank that fits your needs. Maybe you already have a bank account that you’re happy with.

☝️ NOTE

Make sure the money is easily accessible at all times. You don’t want to have to wait 3+ months to be able to access your funds.

I highly recommend that you learn more about money as a freelancer. Scroll down to see how educating yourself on finances can help you ⏬

Financial Freedom for Freelancers

Want to learn more about freelance finances?

Making the most of your money doesn’t just mean to earn more. It’s also about making the best out of the money you already have.

Maybe you could save some money? Maybe you can pay yourself in a more tax-efficient way?

If you want to learn how to make the most of your money, join the waitlist of the next cohort of my programme Financial Freedom for Freelancers

Here’s what some of the previous cohort have said ⬇️

Money doesn’t have to be complicated

Learn everything I know about money as a freelancer in the next cohort.

Join the waitlist

That’s all for today 🙌

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.
January 26, 2026
Expand your networth by growing your network of Freelancers
As you know from this earlier blog: Your network is your net worth. So today we’re going to exploit everyone’s generous Holiday mood to connect, collaborate and expand that network 🤫

Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA production on Pexels.com

Ok, “exploit” is not the nicest word. But when it comes to asking people for help, it’s always good to consider timing.

You’re not going to invite a friend to your wedding after they’ve just ended a relationship with their partner. You’ll wait a little.

And you’re not going to ask for a salary raise after your company just lost their biggest client.

So we’ll take advantage of people’s “good mood” during the holiday season where everyone is trying to get a good deed in before the end of the year.

But we don’t just take, we also give! 🎁

Find people to collaborate with

Collaboration isn’t one sided, you’ll need both parties to participate. But this is where the magic happens.

Let me show you how ⬇️

What do you need?

First of all, you need to figure out what you need right now. And this can be different for everyone.

Are you working on your portfolio but procrastinate with other tasks?

👉 Find an accountability buddy

Are you having your portfolio and CV in place but haven’t gotten that first client yet?

👉 Find another freelancer with a complementing skill (more about that below)

Are you suffering from imposter syndrome or are you overwhelmed?

👉 Find a mentor or coach

Collaborate with other freelancers

One of the best ways to get a new client is via referrals. As mentioned in the recommendation blog, having someone refer you is great. But if you don’t have a previous client to refer you, you can also have other freelancers refer you.

So how does it work?

If you’re a UX Designer, you’ll work with developers. If you’re a graphic designer, you’ll work with copywriters. Your network isn’t just people up or down the hierarchy, it’s also the people on the same level as you.

When I work on a new app or website, I often get asked if I know copywriters. And I often refer those who I worked on previous projects, because I know they’re good at what they’re doing. And sometimes they refer me if one of their clients is looking to hire a UX Designer.

But where do I find other freelancers?

You can find them on Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter (or X, still not gotten used to call it that) and yes, Facebook is still a thing.

Use their search function to find other freelancers. Create a rapport with them, hop on a call, show each other your work. And then see if you both click and are willing to refer each other.

I’ve gotten messages in the past where people offered me a percentage of their rate if I recommended them.

Personally, I don’t recommend anyone who I haven’t worked with before. And that’s also what I tell the people who ask me to refer them. Because it’s also my reputation that’s on the line: If your current client asks you to refer a developer and it turns out that developer isn’t good, they’ll trust you less.

Your referral is strong, don’t misuse it. But because it’s so powerful, it can go a long way for fellow freelancers.

Ok, but we all have to start somewhere

If you’re hesitant to cold outreach to other freelancers, maybe you’ll find this post useful.

It can be tough to find freelancers in specific niches if you don’t have them in your current network. Hopefully, this post will help you find fellow freelancers who are also looking for you.

Just leave a comment below this post with
1. Who you are
2. Your offer
3. What you need help with
4. What you can help with
5. Who you want to connect with
This could look something like:

I’m Lisi, a UX Designer who wants to help startups turn their ideas into reality. I need help with finding my first client and can help others by being an accountability buddy. I’m looking to connect with other UX Designers and Developers.

For me, it looks like this:

I’m Lisi, a freelance UX Designer who wants to help people who are frustrated with their jobs create a work life that works for them. I need help with my podcast and can help others with coaching and mentoring. I’m looking to connect with other UX Designers, freelancers, mentors and coaches.

Heads up: Be patient! This won’t get you a client instantly. But it’ll plant a seed. I once had a collaboration call with a developer who was looking for UX Designers to refer him if their clients are looking for devs. In the end, it was him who referred me to a freelance gig 5 months later. You never know where things might take you.

Who knows, adding a little comment to the post might get you a gig in the future. Or as my friend Rachel calls it: build an opportunity creation system.

Go plant a seed 🌱

If you don’t find a referral partner through this post, you might find yourself a cheerleader or accountability buddy. You never know where things might lead to.

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.
January 23, 2026
What do I need to include in my freelance invoice?
Remember when we talked about getting you paid? Well, today we’re going to work on letting your clients know how much and by when they should pay you.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

Find a way to invoice your clients

You can either send invoices manually or automate them.

Let me show you how ⬇️

Manual vs automated invoices

When it comes to chose whether you do something manually or automate it, I usually suggest automating it: It’ll safe you time and you won’t have to think about it.

But: When it comes to invoices, I haven’t found a platform yet that works for me. Because each month, I invoice different rates. I don’t have retainer clients and there’s one client who never pays on time. They pay, but often weeks and sometimes even months late 🫠 So I send a new invoice with a late payment fee. And so far, I’ve not found an invoicing tool that automatically adds late payment fees. And it makes an automated system more exhausting and I’d still have to do things manually.

But if you mostly charge the same rate at the same time to the same clients: Definitely automate your invoices. If that is you, scroll down to the “Automate your invoices” section.

If you prefer sending invoices manually, keep reading.

How I send manual invoices

One reason why I started doing my invoices manually was because I wanted a clear visual identity across everything I send to my clients. Looking back at it, that was the wrong priority, once you’ve invoiced, you already convinced the client to work with you and invoices don’t have to be pretty.

If you want, you can work on creating an on brand invoice. But it’s not important to make them look nice, as long as the important information is displayed.

To give you a head start, here’s a default google sheets template that I’ve tweaked slightly so you can use it for your purposes. Feel free to change it to your preferred font and colours.

So what I do is:
1. Create a copy of the invoice template
2. Tweak the invoice to your day rate/work
3. Send an email with the invoice attached to the client
4. If needed: send an email with a reminder 2 days before due dateBest case scenario: They pay the invoice before the due date and that’s it, you got cash in the bank for the work you delivered 🙌Bad case scenario: They pay late (follow steps 4+ onwards for that)
  Worst case scenario: They don’t pay ever. So far, I was lucky that this hasn’t happened. But there’s legal steps you can take in case this happens to you.
5. Send an “Action required” email once they’re past the due date
6. Depending on the relationship I have with the client, I might let them off with the late payment fee. If it’s been several times that they’ve missed the payment, I send them an updated invoice with an additional late payment fee.
Get the google sheets template

Automate your invoices

In case you want to automate things, which I highly recommend, here’s a few platforms I’m currently looking into. They all offer free trials but I’ve still not figured out yet which one to use. ☝️ On that note: set yourself reminders for when the trials end so you don’t end up paying in case you don’t use it.

Heads up: Some of them have affiliate links, so if you choose to sign up with one of them, I might get a few cents 🤫

Bloom.io

I’ve signed up to trial this one and forgot to cancel before the free trial ended 🤦🏻‍♀️ but it was only about $150/year so it’s not a crazy investment. But remember to make sure you set up reminders to cancel your free trials! It’s a bit exhausting to set everything up but once it’s up and running it’s not too difficult to use.

Client Manager

This is a project from Kyle Prinsloo. Maybe you’ve come across him online, if not, he’s a good person to follow for freelance advice. You can also check out the podcast episode I’ve recorded with him. Client Manager is still in the Beta phase but I’m observing the tool and so far it looks very promising.

Full Scope Freelancer

Still trialling this one, but it also looks quite promising. One thing I quite like is the “Opportunity Value” chart on the dashboard to keep your eye on the goal. You normally get a 14-day free trial but with this link you’ll get a whole month to play around with it. Check it out for yourself.

Stripe & Paypal

If you’ve decided to use Stripe or Paypal in this blog, it’ll probably be easiest to use their invoicing systems to get you paid.

If you’re already using a platform that you recommend to use for invoices, please let me know what you use. I’m still looking for my ideal invoicing tool.

No matter if you decide to automate your invoices or do them manually, it’s about finding a way that works for you.

Sending invoices can be tricky if you have a sensitive relationship with your clients. Just like reading this blog’s subject line: You might have felt a bit unsettled (again, sorry 🙈) – but imagine your client receiving an invoice with a wrong amount or a service they didn’t book. So always communicate with your clients, send invoices on time and reminders if needed.

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.
January 22, 2026
Why are Freelancers so scared to talk about their achievements?

This might be hard for you. Or very easy. Depending on your confidence level. But when it comes to freelancing, you have to let other people know about your achievements.

It can come across like boasting, but in reality, you’re letting people know what you’re capable of, so that more people can benefit from your services.

Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.com

As a freelancer, it’s important to reflect on one’s achievements. It feels like we’re always working and not getting anywhere. But by doing something everyday you’ll eventually get somewhere. And it’s only through reflecting on where we started and our achievements, that’s when we realise that the hard work pays off 💪

Just look at yourself

Think of where you are now compared to when you started your freelance journey?

What are your achievements? What are the results you’ve created for your clients? This can be something like: “I’ve increased my client’s sales by 20% just by changing this one thing on their website” or “I’ve learned how to design in Framer within a week”

Share something you’re proud of

No matter how big or small your achievement might have been, it’s time to let other people know what you’re capable of.

How to toot your own horn

It’s a good time to reflect on the things you’ve done in the past quarter. Post and boast about it on social media. You can end the post with “In the next 3 months, I’m aiming to… “ and write down your goals. Ask your network if they can help you make those things become reality.

Here’s the post I’ve done on Linkedin in case you need a little inspiration.

I know it feels awkward and posting about my achievements feels very much out of my comfort zone. But if I can do it, you can do it too 🙌

Not feeling ready?

If you haven’t been active on Linkedin, writing a post can feel very out of your comfort zone. But maybe I can get you to comment on my post with your goals? Maybe my network can help you for your 2026 goals.

No matter if you decide to create your own post, comment on mine or skip this task completely, write down one achievement you’re proud of this year.

I know there’ll be something. And take a moment to genuinely be proud of it ☝️ It’s been a long year, and for many, it’s been a tough one. And you’re still here, which in itself is great 😌

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.

January 21, 2026
How to expand your network and find your peers
The whole point of freelancing is that you’re in control. If you feel like working, go for it. If you want to rest, you can. It’s up to you to create the work life balance that works for you.

Photo by Liliana Drew on Pexels.com

But once you start the freelance lifestyle…

It can become very lonely. When I started freelancing, none of my close friends had their own business. None of them understood why I decided to work on my portfolio while I could’ve joined them for brunch. Or why I was surfing the whole morning when everyone else was working (well, you can’t control the waves, can you?)

Becoming a freelancer can feel lonely. But you’re not alone in this!

Join a community

I highly recommend that you join IRL communities in your city. If there are non, you can even create your own meet ups. But in today’s world, you can very easily find a community online.

Depending on your niche and offer, there’ll be plenty of online communities you can join. Here are some of the communities I’m in:
Not all of these communities are very active. But every now and then someone posts a job offer or asks for help with a problem. And it’s nice to see you’re not alone.

What you need to do

Simply google “{your services} online community” eg. “UX Designers online community” and see what comes up. Join a couple of those groups because not many are very active.

Do you want to join my community?

When I launched my first course for freelancers, I communicated with the cohort via a Whatsapp group. I mentioned that in the future, I’d love to have a community platform with several freelancers where people can exchange tips and projects.

You can now join this group through this link. It’s a free Discord channel. I’m not heavily promoting it much yet and at the moment my focus is on the Freelance Blueprint Podcast. But once I wrap up season 5 I will focus on the Discord community, so make sure you’re ready to join.

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.
January 16, 2026
Stop finding clients: Find A Client instead
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

How do you find clients?

This is probably the question I get asked the most. And it’s the same with almost anything you do: The longer you do it, the easier it gets.

But here’s the thing:

☝️ You don’t have to find clients. You just have to find one client!

Let’s get started with one, and then build from there 💪

But how do I get a client?

When you start your freelance career, getting that first client feels like climbing Mount Everest when you don’t even know how to go for a walk.

But did you apply for jobs before and got a permanent job? Did you apply for internships before and got one? Finding clients is pretty much the same and the best part: If it’s a nightmare client, you can easily find another one 🤫

Baby steps

But before applying for gigs, let’s see where people are looking for your services.

Set up a Job Alert

Just like with permanent jobs, there are several platforms online where you can look for freelance gigs.

Today, we’re just looking into setting up job alerts so you see how much demand there is for your service. It also helps with getting an idea of what type of projects there are (duration, payment, team sizes) and what type of companies hire your services.

Set up your first alert

If you follow the blog, you probably already know that I got my first freelance gig through Linkedin.

For UX Design, I still find it one of the best platforms to find high quality clients and projects.

Of course, you don’t have to use Linkedin. Depending on where in the world you are and what services you offer, you might find better opportunities on other platforms.

But one way to get started is to set up a filter for the jobs you’re interested in. This will show you how much demand there is for your services and how many potential next clients there are.

Just follow these steps:
1. Go to the “jobs” section on Linkedin
2. Enter the role you’re looking for (UX Designer, Web Developer, Motion Graphic Designer… whatever it is that you offer)
3. Filter by “Contract” to only see freelance gigs
4. and then the most important step: Switch the “Set alert” toggle on 🙌
Brownie points

You don’t have to use Linkedin. You can also set up a job filter at other job platforms like indeed.

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.
January 15, 2026
How to get paid as a freelancer

Find a way to get paid

Money isn’t everything. The reason to go freelance is the freedom to choose where and when to work. But we also have to pay our bills, so let’s make sure you have a way to receive money.

Photo by energepic.com on Pexels.com

Here’s what I’ve used to get paid 👇

Disclaimer: Some of these have referral links, but I wouldn’t recommend anything that I’ve not personally used myself.

PayPal

(international)

This is an easy way to send and receive money. Almost everyone has a PayPal account. But they charge quite a lot of fees! But they only deduct those once a transfer is made. If you want to make it easy for your customers to pay you, this can be a good option. But be aware that they’ll take quite a chunk.

Stripe

(international)

Stripe is similar to PayPal but much easier to use and it takes a smaller cut of each sale you make.

Wise

(international)

If you’re planning to trade with businesses in different currencies, this one is for you. I’ve only used Wise for my private finances, not for my business. But if it’s as good for business as it is for private purposes, it’s definitely worth looking into it.

Starling

(UK only)

I’ve used Starling since I started freelancing in 2019 and never had an issue with it. I’m quite happy with how their app is set up. You don’t have to go to a bank branch to open a business account. Actually, it took me only a few minutes to set up an account and I was able to use the card online instantly.

Here’s a referral link, you won’t get much out of it other than a day pass to a National Trust venue.

Monzo

(UK only)

When I launched my freelance UX business, I couldn’t open a Monzo business account. Maybe because I registered as a Ltd.

But I’ve managed to open a business account as a sole trader for the Freelance Blueprint brand to make sure mentees won’t have to pay VAT.

So far, I’ve not used it much for the business because most payments are through my UX account where I use my Starling account.

But if you’re interested in opening a bank account with Monzo, here’s a referral link that will give you £5 to get started (Wohoo! Free money 🙌)

Why you need a separate bank account

When you start to work for yourself, it’s good to separate your personal finances from your business finances. And the easiest way to do that is to have a separate bank account for your freelance business.

Find an account that works for you

Depending on where you are in the world or which companies you’re planning to get into business with (just within your country or international), there might be other accounts that work better for you.

Just because I gave a list of accounts that worked for me doesn’t mean that it’ll be the best for your circumstances. So find a payment method that you trust, that protects you in case there are any scams and where you have a fast customer service if you have any doubts about payments.

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.

January 14, 2026
Which business structure is the best for your freelance journey?
Do you know what business structure you’ll have? In the UK, there are 3 types
- 👩🏻‍💻 Sole trader
- 🏢 Limited company (PSC = Personal service company)
- ☂️ Umbrella
Depending on where you (or your limited company) are tax resident, you might have different options than the ones mentioned above. But if you’re based in the UK, these are your options.

Photo by Scott Webb on Pexels.com

If you’re a tax resident outside the UK, I’m sorry, I can’t know everything. So you’ll have to do a little more research. But today, we’ll find out which business structure is best for you.

Define your business structure

If you’re a tax resident in the UK

Have a look at the pros and cons of each business structure below 👇

If you’re a tax resident elsewhere

Your task today is to find out what options you have and choose one that works best for you to get started.

What is a business structure?

The business structure of your freelance business will define the legal stuff of your company. This includes things like liability, taxes, legal requirements etc.

If you’re a tax resident in the UK, I normally recommend people to open a Limited Company.

☝️ BUT only do this if you know that freelancing will be your main source of income AND if you’re earning more than £30k/year.

Disclaimer: Before you go and open your limited company, always talk to a financial adviser. Your circumstances might be different. I’m not a financial adviser, I can only give you recommendations based on the knowledge I accumulated as someone who has been freelancing for 5 years.

Also, laws are constantly changing. I highly recommend to get an accountant to make sure you’re finding what’s best for you.

UK Business structures

A little more information about each of the business structures:

👩🏻‍💻 Sole trader

This is a common choice for many freelancers, especially those who just start freelancing on the side. As a sole trader, you have full liability if something goes wrong. But it’s very easy to set yourself up as a sole-trader.

Pros: easy to set up

Cons: not the most tax-efficient, full liability (get insurance!)

☂️ Umbrella

An umbrella company is basically a “middle-man”. It’s a company that hires you while you’re freelancing elsewhere and works as an employer for you.

If your freelance contract is inside IR35* you will not have a choice but you’ll likely have to go with an umbrella company. It’s not the best option when it comes to taxes. But when you just get started as a freelancer, this might be a good choice for you if you want to save time on the admin and accounting side of things.

Pros: you’re basically an “employee” and don’t have to worry about paying the right amount of taxes – the umbrella company will sort it out for you. It’s a good choice when you want to freelance full time but still figure out if freelancing is for you.

Cons: can’t claim expenses, not tax-efficient

🏢 Limited company

It’s pretty easy to set up a limited company in the UK. I was quite shocked, because in Austria (where I’m from) you need at least €30,000 in the bank to be able to open a Ltd. But in the UK, all you need is around £13 to register on companies house and congrats: your a company director 🥳

Pros: can claim expenses, pay yourself a salary and draw dividends; most tax efficient

Cons: more admin, you need to have a registered accountant.

*IR35 is a legislation for the UK only. If you’re outside the UK and aren’t planning to work with UK clients, you can forget about it. If you’re in the UK, this can be a complex topic to wrap your head around. But for now, don’t spend too much time reading into it. You can worry about it once you’ll have your first inside IR35 contract.

Online course – Freelance Blueprint

How to manage your finances as a freelancer

When it comes to tax efficiency and finances, it takes way more than a 5 minute task to learn what you need to know as a freelancer.

If you’re unsure how a business structure affects your taxes, then this course is made for you.

Join the next cohort for the Freelance Blueprint – How to manage your finances as a freelancer course. This course is designed to teach you everything you need to know about finances without hour-long googling.

Sign up to the waitlist to get more information.

Let’s get into business

Hopefully, this information about business structures helped you decide which one is right for you. If you’re still unsure which one to pick, Freelancer, just send me an email and I will try my best to help.

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.
January 13, 2026
How to manage your tasks as a Freelancer

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Find a way to keep track of your tasks

As a freelancer, you need to be able to deliver work for your clients. And to do that, you need to keep track and prioritise your tasks, especially when you work on several clients at once.

Let me show you how 👇

What tasks do I need to do?

There’s so many tasks that you might not even think about yet. But don’t worry, these blogs are designed so everything is a baby step. Let’s not think about 20 steps ahead, just look at the tiny one in front of you 👶

If you see all the different tasks together, it can be very overwhelming. So ideally, you’ll list your 3 most important tasks and prioritise them. Only do the next one once you finished the one with the highest priority.

If you’re anything like me, you might find this difficult. I’m a “productive procrastinator” as I’d call it 😩 I tend to do all the non-important tasks first but the one task I should be doing always feels like the most daunting one.

So I do everything else, but the main thing and then do it last minute under time pressure and not at the best of my ability.

And I’ve tried many different things to help me manage those tasks.

Disclaimer: Just because something has worked for me, doesn’t mean it’ll work for you. The ideal way to manage your tasks will be different to what I’ve tried. Find a way that works for you 🫡

What are the options?

Nowadays, there are so many different tools to help you organise your tasks.

TickTick

This is a free tool and after Wunderlist discontinued (an amazing task management tool), this was the best alternative I could find.

TickTick allows you to create subtasks, add a deadline to your tasks and categorise them into different buckets. You can also tag them with hashtags and put them into different client folders.

It’s a great tool if you like things simple.

Trello

When it comes to organising client tasks, this one helped me a lot. It’s like TickTick but you can organise your tasks on a Kanban board.

Notion

You can create more or less the same type of boards you have on trello on Notion. But notion has – in my opinion – a nicer User experience.

Basically, I love notion 😍 I’m having a kanban board for the podcast, a spreadsheet for all the content I want to create for freelancers like you and also manage private tasks like upcoming flights and holidays.

Google Calendar

Yes, I’ve tried time blocking. It doesn’t work – at least not for me. But once I tried google tasks, it has helped a lot. Putting a task visibly in my calendar where I can clearly see it and tick it off is very satisfying 😌

Momentum

This Chrome extension has only come on my radar in the last month and it’s helped me a lot 🤯

It’s doing the same thing as the Google Calendar tasks, but the difference is that you enter your main focus for the day and it’s always visible when you open a new Chrome tab. So far, this one has been the biggest help when it comes to my productivity

We’re all different

Just because something has worked for me, doesn’t mean it’ll work for you. It might be that the ideal way to manage your tasks will be different to what I’ve tried. Find a way that works for you.

Right now, momentum and notion are the tools that help me to be the most productive.

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.

If you found this useful, follow for more content on instagram @elisabethmayr or buy me a coffee.

January 12, 2026