Show cover of Out of Office Podcast

Out of Office Podcast

The podcast for people who want to go freelance or are already doing it. Hosted by freelance writer and author of 'Out of Office: Ditch the 9-5 and Be Your Own Boss' - Fiona Thomas. Whether you're starting a side hustle or looking for a career change, tune in to learn how to make self-employment work for you.

Tracks

Now anyone who has read Out of Office will know that I’ve written about how to raise your prices, I have successfully raised my prices repeatedly throughout the years but this year it’s felt much harder and I was trying to unpick why that might be and I realised that being diagnosed with a chronic illness has had a major impact on my confidence as a business owner. Today I'm talking to Ruth Poundwhite about the work she does with clients around pricing and chronic illness as well as her own personal experience. Learn more about Ruth Poundwhite Follow Fiona Thomas on Instagram

11/17/21 • 45:45

All of the hard work, success, and achievement aren’t actually satisfying...You know you’re here for more. You might have tried therapy, coaching, self-help books, retreats, and personal development programs... You’ve made progress. But you’re still not where you want to be. You’ve got tons of insight… but the way you FEEL doesn’t change at the core. Leaving you wondering: What’s wrong with me? And the Answer is — Nothing. You’re brilliant. If you could have figured it out — you would have figured it out long ago. The problem is misdiagnosed. It’s not you, It’s Patriarchy Stress Disorder ( PSD ). Learn more about Dr Valerie Rein Patriarchy Stress Disorder: The Invisible Inner Barrier to Women's Happiness and Fulfillment - Buy now Follow Dr Valerie on Instagram Out of Office: Ditch the 9-5 and Be Your Own Boss - Buy now Follow Fiona Thomas on Instagram

11/10/21 • 38:09

Alison Powell is a freelance writer and creativity coach. She facilitates workshops and courses as part of Write Club, which I've taken part in recently and found invaluable as I write the first draft of my novel. In this episode we talk about: Why building a club for writers is important to Alison Why she pivoted from working for IBM to teaching English to facilitate workshops Alison's secret mission 🤫 Learn more about Write Club Sign up for my writing workshop: Stop Procrastinating, Start Writing

10/13/21 • 45:38

EDIT: Jo's book will now be published on Nov 4th 2021 Let me introduce you to Jo Love. She is a Trainee Psychotherapist, award-winning Mental Health Advocate, Artist and Author of Therapy is… Magic.  In this episode we cover: Jo’s squiggly career journey from lawyer to business owner to trainee psychotherapist  Why self-employment isn’t always the key to a healthy relationship with work What therapy really is (and isn’t) Things to consider when you think about getting therapy  Follow Jo on Instagram Fiona’s books Get free journal prompts here: https://fionalikestoblog.com/resources/ About Therapy is Magic: In this part memoir, part mental health resource and how-to guide, Jo Love throws opens the door of her therapist’s office and shines a light on what exactly goes on in the therapy room. With the help of experts, including her very own therapist, Jo opens a rare window into the real world of therapy, unpicking the magical powers that enabled her to re-find her own voice, restored her resilience through the cloudiest days and ultimately saved her from her own mind.

10/6/21 • 43:33

In this episode we cover How I discovered I wanted to be a writer My journey through employment and how it all, abruptly came to a halt Facing challenges with confidence and overcoming external expectations set on us by society How social media has helped me create a community and build real human connections The impact of talking openly about mental health Find out more about Lorna here Fiona's links are here.

9/15/21 • 50:25

This week Jenna from The Bloglancer is sharing 5 steps to make money from your blog. This episode is perfect for anyone who has a blog as a hobby and is wondering how to monetise. Jenna shares her mindset tips, a simple way to make money as an affiliate and how to optimise your blog to work with brands.   Follow Jenna on Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennafarmeruksocial Sign up for Jenna’s free blogging newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5ec3f91b13c6b500267d8493 Blogging course sign-up: https://jenna-s-school-f673.thinkific.com/courses/thebloglancer   Fiona’s links: https://fionalikestoblog.com/click-me/  

9/8/21 • 22:21

Oh lordy it's been a bad spell for me and my mental health. But a girl gotta eat. And pay the mortgage. So we continue to self-promote. Here are my tips on how to make it work when you don't feel good about self-promotion. For mental health support call 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258 Learn more about Inspire Write Repeat here. Buy Out of Office Follow me on Instagram

8/25/21 • 21:33

Do you ever feel like you're an imposter waiting to be found out? Like all your successes are just good timing? That you've got no right to be thinking about running a business? Today I'm sharing how I cope with imposter syndrome and push on without letting it get in the way.   Learn more about Inspire Write Repeat here Follow me on Instagram Buy Out of Office

8/18/21 • 17:35

Corporate hangovers are more common than you think. Here are 5 habits that might be ruining your freelance life. Sign up to the Inspire Write Repeat waitlist here. All the other links you need are here.

8/11/21 • 34:04

I want to introduce you to Jo Hooper, my freelance pal and mental health mentor. She's an absolute rock and voice of reason when it comes to building a business that supports your wellbeing, and in this conversation, we cover a lot of ground. From my dwindling mental health and corporate hangovers, to why we need to set boundaries to create sustainable careers. Kick back and enjoy our chat and prepare for more mental health check-ins with Jo in the coming months. Learn more about Jo Hooper. All my links are here.

8/4/21 • 57:59

In this week’s episode, I’m talking to Jess from the Coworking Club about how to make the leap into freelancing. We discuss: Why side hustles are on the rise post-pandemic Blogging - is it dead in the water? How to manage your mental health when you go solo Where to find your first clients Fiona's links are here Learn more about The Coworking Club  

7/28/21 • 47:36

  Do you dream of seeing your name in print? But not got a clue where to start? The good news is that I've been there and spent years pitching successfully to publications, with my work printed in Grazia, Huffington Post, Happiful and Metro to name a few. Also, I offer 1-1 mentoring calls as well, where I can run over pitches with you, answer your specific questions in detail and have a good old chinwag about the freelance writer life.  Anyway, here goes - here are your FAQs answered on how to pitch to publications. Blog post on pitching All my other links  

7/21/21 • 27:59

Do you dream of seeing your name in print? But not got a clue where to start? The good news is that I've been there and spent years pitching successfully to publications, with my work printed in Grazia, Huffington Post, Happiful and Metro to name a few. Also, I offer 1-1 mentoring calls as well, where I can run over pitches with you, answer your specific questions in detail and have a good old chinwag about the freelance writer life.  Anyway, here goes - here are your FAQs answered on how to pitch to publications. Blog post on pitching All my other links

7/14/21 • 29:02

I'm all for offering practical advice on the podcast, but sometimes it's just as important to share the reality of running a freelance writing business. And I have been feeling a lot of fear and anxiety recently, but I haven't let it get on top of me. Here are my 3 biggest business fears and what I'm doing about them. All the links you need are here.

7/7/21 • 35:50

Too often, our dreams are put on hold because life gets in the way. We end up binge-watching The Office all weekend or looking after those around us, never make time for our own passion projects. In this episode, I'm sharing how I have managed to make time for my passion projects over the years. From my first foray into blogging when I was still working in hospitality, to more recently, when I've been laser-focused on writing my first novel. All the links you need are here.

6/30/21 • 30:25

Instagram reels are here to stay, but how can you use them to promote and ultimately sell more of your freelance services? I too was reluctant in the beginning, SO not up for learning dance routines and pointing at floating text. But once I found out how to use reels in my own way, to fit with my own personal brand... it all became much easier AND effective. All the links you need are here

6/23/21 • 25:58

There's an ongoing joke in the freelancing community that you can't pay your rent/feed your kids with 'exposure'. We all deserve to be paid fairly for our work... but is it ever OK to work for free? All the links you need are here Video on how to set your rates

6/16/21 • 23:44

Freelancing can offer so many positives. But what about when you have depression? How can you factor that into your schedule and make sure you still get work done, keep clients happy and grow your business? In this episode I share some practical tips that you can implement in your freelance life to manage sadness when it comes. All links mentioned can be found here.

6/8/21 • 29:51

Do you struggle with confidence? Do you remember all the negative feedback and blatantly ignore the positive? Are you plagued with self-doubt whenever you dare to introduce yourself as a freelancer? I've been there! This episode takes you through a few practical ways that you can begin to nurture your confidence and banish self-doubt. From collecting evidence to focusing on your achievements, there are so many ways you can become a more confident freelancer. Find all the links you need here

6/2/21 • 25:01

OK this a proper deep dive! I've been hosting regular online events for a year now and have learned so much. In this episode, I talk you through the technical steps to setting up your online event as well as other important things to consider such as promotion, pricing, writing your sales page, picking the right topic and so much more! Buy my book Out of Office - https://uk.bookshop.org/books/out-of-office-ditch-the-9-5-and-be-your-own-boss/9781789561241 Buy tickets to How To Make Money As a Freelance Writer

5/26/21 • 47:19

Ahh the money worries are real! In this episode, I'm sharing some tips that will give you the confidence to make the leap without fearing the financial hardships that come with it. Buy my book Out of Office - https://uk.bookshop.org/books/out-of-office-ditch-the-9-5-and-be-your-own-boss/9781789561241 Buy tickets to How To Make Money As a Freelance Writer

5/19/21 • 22:37

Here is the second part of a series that takes you behind the scenes of the marketing strategy that I used to promote my writing program and sell it out in 36 hours! In this episode, I get into the details of how I created the content, how I spread it evenly over grid posts, reels, stories, and lives. I also explain how I keep track of all my content with a visual aid and what tools I use to schedule the content itself. Buy my book Out of Office - https://uk.bookshop.org/books/out-of-office-ditch-the-9-5-and-be-your-own-boss/9781789561241 My upcoming event is all about how to make money as a freelance writer. Learn more here Follow me on Instagram

5/12/21 • 41:49

Ola! Welcome to this highly requested two-part podcast all about how I sold out my most recent program launch in less than 36 hours! In this part, I'll talk through my overall strategy, timescales, who I learned all my tricks from, how I figured out what platforms to use and how I brainstormed general content ideas. Alice Benham - https://www.alicebenham.co.uk/ Chloe Slade - https://vibeandflow.com/ Maddie Bourne - https://www.madeleinemae.co.uk/ Michelle Gately - https://theunfinishedbookshelf.com/ Jo Hooper - https://madandsadclub.co.uk/ Buy my book Out of Office - https://uk.bookshop.org/books/out-of-office-ditch-the-9-5-and-be-your-own-boss/9781789561241 My upcoming event is all about how to make money as a freelance writer. Learn more here Watch my live with Lorna Scully about email marketing

5/5/21 • 43:03

Today I'm sharing tried and tested ways to grow your platform online to boost your freelance business. Grab a notebook and get ready to create content that attracts more clients! My book Out of Office is out now

4/28/21 • 18:44

Blogging is what started my freelance career so I felt it only made sense to share my thoughts on how it can help you in your business journey. You can use your blog as a place to talk about subjects that you’re scared to post about on social media as well as a tool to demonstrate your abilities as a freelancer. If you want to make time for blogging, you might enjoy my new writing program Inspire, Write, Repeat. My book Out of Office is available now.

4/21/21 • 26:23

I've had periods in my life as a freelancer where I've felt a bit stuck and I've questioned if I was really on the right path. Last year, when I lost my biggest client, I was forced to reevaluate what I wanted out of my business and it changed my entire approach. Let me tell you the 5 things that helped me fall back in love with my business again. In this episode, I mention Jo Hooper of Mad and Sad Club and also ON IT which is hosted by Alice Benham. My new writing program goes on sale at the end of April, you can find out more here. My book Out of Office is on sale now      

4/14/21 • 42:48

Pandemic life has well and truly impacted my mental health so I wanted to do another mental health episode to share with you what I've been doing to manage the symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety recently. If you need urgent support call the Samaritans for free on 116 123 24 anytime or for less urgent support email jo@samaritains.org and they will respond within 24 hours My book Out of Office Follow me on Instagram What to expect from my new writing program Inspire Write Repeat: Inspiring welcome session – a 90-minute guided writing workshop to figure out how you feel about writing and what you want to achieve from the program 10 x weekly virtual writing sessions – Every Wednesday night 19:00 – 21:00 GMT where you can show up and write about whatever you want Additional writing prompts and exercises – perfect for when inspiration runs dry or if your goal is simply to build a regular writing habit Live Q&A session – held halfway through the program, giving you a valuable opportunity to talk through any ideas or creative stumbling blocks you’re facing The writers’ wall – track your progress and celebrate milestones along the way Join the waitlist  

4/7/21 • 32:23

These are my tried and tested systems for ending the month on a high and feeling prepared for the one ahead. Out of Office is available now!
 My book My website Follow me on Instagram

3/31/21 • 18:31

Freelancers are more at risk of social isolation than regular workers, but in 2021 it's a widespread issue for so many people. I've found some simple steps that can help ease the loneliness. Out of Office is available now!
 My book My website Follow me on Instagram

3/24/21 • 18:32

I know how hard it can be to get going in the early days of freelancing, when every penny counts. That's why I've put together a list of free resources that you can access to make your life easier. Out of Office is available now!
 My book My website Follow me on Instagram Access my freebies on Membervault

3/17/21 • 27:08