Freelancing continues to grow like crazy.

More and more professionals are choosing to leave traditional employment for a more flexible work arrangement.

And platforms like Upwork have enabled millions to offer their talents to anyone around the globe.

So you have to wonder...

Is this influx of new freelancers making it harder to command professional-level fees?

The short answer: yes. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re doomed to work for less.

The key to maintaining and growing your income as a freelancer is to be very deliberate about how you differentiate yourself. And that’s the topic of this week’s episode.

My guest is freelance copywriter and business coach Steve Roller. Steve is the author of the upcoming book The Freelancer Manifesto: 11 Big Ideas to Stand Out and Thrive in the New Economy.

And in this interview he shares several smart ways you can sustainably differentiate yourself in this increasingly competitive marketplace.

All of us are born with a great sense of wonder, courage and boldness. 

As toddlers, we have tremendous curiosity. And we’re not afraid to explore and to express our creative spirit.

But somewhere along the way, fear begins to rule our lives.

Fear of looking stupid. Fear of rejection. Fear of criticism. Fear of failing.

We begin to lose our confidence. We stop taking chances. We start playing small.

At times, we may even start to feel like a fraud.

Fortunately, there are many things we can do to turn this tide and regain our confidence. And one of them is to get into the habit of doing more of what scares us.

In this podcast episode, you’ll hear from writer and copywriter Leilani Haywood.

Leilani explains how she deliberately does things that scare her in order to grow personally and professionally. And she talks about how this practice has enabled her to launch and grow a thriving freelance business.