Doing It For The Kids – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Louise Jenkins who supports women with their transition into motherhood, and develops and facilitates workshops in partnership with organisations working to end violence against women and girls.

Louise says: 

“Hi Frankie & Steve,

With Wildling now at school, technically I have ‘more time’ available to me spread out over a full week.

*Chokes on tea because we all know ‘more time’ is bullsh*t — have you seen the amount of school-related admin there is?!*

Anyway. So far so good. But I need help managing this newfound time, and how to make the ‘best’ of it I suppose? I’m battling with setting boundaries, and how to approach and commit to new or potential partners/clients, as well as finding space for MYSELF too.

I’m slowly finding a groove. But would love to know how you and everybody in DIFTK found this shift?

Thanks! Louise”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.
 

•••

Louise Jenkins' website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from graphic designer Ange Lyons.

Ange says: 

“Hi Frankie & Steve!

Do you think it’s possible to market yourself as a freelancer in 2024 without using social media? Particularly if you *hate* showing your face?

Thanks! Ange”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.
 

•••

Ange Lyons' website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Emma Roberts, director at Social Qual.

Emma says:

“You know when you stumble upon someone fab, and your brain goes ‘ooh, collaboration potential’? 

Perhaps we meet on LinkedIn and then organise a cuppa or intro call. We chat, we laugh, we bond over work joys and woes... and then we part with that cheerful, 'let's collaborate soon' but then… often our busy lives take over. 

I'm on both sides of this — an instigator of these types of calls and also someone who people reach out to.    

So, I'm wondering...

How can we make these cuppa-time conversations transform into actual collabs? Or should we even bother with these sorts of meetings?

It feels like I need to be more strategic about which invites I accept and who I reach out to.  

The social side of me responds to new folk with a Pavlov-dog response of ‘let's arrange a call’ but I’m increasingly feeling a bit unsatisfied with that approach.  

Anyone else? How do I get more strategic about these calls without being a nob?”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community.
 

•••

Social Qual website
Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

Support DIFTK on Ko-Fi

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question submitted anonymously. Let's call the person... Gemma. She says:

"If I'd gone back to my librarian job, my M-I-L was going to babysit for a full day every week to ease the financial burden and get baby cuddles in. However, now that I am fully self-employed, she 'pops down to visit' for 2-5 hours every other week, of which 1 hour is lunch that I am expected to cook, and eat with her.

It's lovely of course, but it's hardly letting me get any work done.... It's obviously a favour so I struggle with the guilt of pushing it beyond being family time to being work time.”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

This episode is supported by the lovely people at IPSE, the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed.

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance*

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Rachel Brownlow Brown. Rachel is an illustrator and designer. She says:

“People I know think I'm doing really well with my business because they see me building the business online, but actually I'm not bringing in much money yet (I'm currently living off redundancy money from my old job).

I feel like they're really supportive with liking and sharing my stuff, but so many people I know have said they love it and want to buy something but never actually do (apart from my mum who probably has made up the majority of my sales!).

So I suppose my question is around how I translate those positive comments into sales? It feels more icky to "sell" to them when I know them, but they are the ones telling me they like it!”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance*

Rachel's website

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Nicky Raby. Nicky is an actor, business and life coach, writer, speaker and podcaster. She says:

“Something that’s coming up a lot with my clients at the moment is the idea of Dream Life vs Real Life.

How do you continue to expand and grow your business when real life circumstances change?

Like, you’ve had a baby (or another baby)?
Or you suddenly have to care for an elderly relative?
Or something happens in your relationship, and life takes a different turn?”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance*

Nicky's website

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Ben O'Brien. Ben is an illustrator, he says:

“HOLIDAYS! Have you got any tips on how to get work done through the school holidays. I work from home and my wife (although self-employed) works elsewhere so it comes down to me more often to be with our son.

2 years ago I just couldn't get through the summer holiday, I managed to work on commissions I had, but I had no time for self-promotion, maintaining client relationships, updating my portfolio etc so by the end of the holidays commissions were drying up. It felt like I ran my business into the ground a bit and it's been uphill ever since.

Every school holiday or half-term means another dip in my business. There's always a few playdates and summer camp days, plus my wife tries to take days off when possible, but it's never quite enough.

So, with the next Summer holiday coming up, do you have any tips at all on how to eek out as much time at my desk as possible?

By the way, I'm not trying to get away from my son! I love him to bits and have always been proud to spend so much time with him, but I just need to work and build my business to a more sustainable level.”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance*

Ben The Illustrator

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Lyndsey Yates. Lyndsey is a graphic designer and founder of Nine Dots Creative, she says:

“Today, after a crackers boombackers (my phrase, I just made that up) week, I have nothing to do. Well, nothing pressing anyway. So far I've spent 2 hours faffing about on my laptop (AKA browsing Facebook and looking on eBay).

Now the guilt is starting to set in that I'm not being productive enough.

I would actually LIKE to do something with my day — it's not all fuelled by guilt — but I think I’m actually now paralysed by possibility. All the things I've been meaning to get round to are just swimming around my head!

Tell me fellow DIFTKers, how do you deal with these days? I feel like I've been cycling down a hill really fast and I've stopped too quickly and gone over the handlebars.”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance*

Lyndsey's Behance
Nine Dots Creative

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Michelle Kondrich. Michelle is an illustrator and podcaster, she says:

“So many sick days!! Our girl was sick over the weekend... seemed better so she went to school on Monday... but we picked her up early so she could rest more. Then more vomit and home on Tuesday all day. And then picked up early on Wednesday after things moved south.

Here's a question for the podcast, what do you do with a sick kid when you have loads of work and your partner can't be home to help? Ours watched a lot of TV since she had zero energy but I felt terrible about it.

Oh yeah and a follow-up: isn't the guilt associated with parenting SO FUN?"

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance*

Michelle's website
Michelle's podcast Creative Playdate

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Ross Wintle. Ross is a software developer, he says:

“How do you cope with days where you have lots of 'context switches' and can't focus. Like my 'half day' which is:

• Get wife + pre-schooler out the house
• School run
• Off to co-working
• Collect pre-schooler
• School run (with pre-schooler in tow)
• Feed school-kid
• Hand pre-schooler to grandma
• Take school-kid to swim class
• Home for tea

It does my head in, and though I have half a day of work in there, I rarely get anything done. The changes drain me so much. I find it exhausting too.

Do you have days like that? Do you have tips for getting focus when your day is so fragmented? Do you just avoid planning in "deep work" for those days?”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

•••

Frankie Tortora's website
Steve Folland's website
Steve's podcast - Being Freelance*

Ross Wintle's website

Doing It For The Kids website
DIFTK Facebook Community
DIFTK Instagram
DIFTK Twitter