We recently hosted the incredible Alice Rowan in our WTS Community Slack for an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on freelancing.

For 1 hour, Alice answered questions from WTS members in the #path-freelance channel, covering everything from finding clients and setting boundaries to pricing, project scoping, and managing quieter periods.

Alice is a talented website copywriter and SEO consultant with over a decade of experience, helping businesses connect with their audiences one word at a time.

She’s worked across luxury B2C agencies, in-house B2B tech, and now helps small businesses and fellow freelancers thrive online!

She’s also the founder of Zero Bullshit Freelancing, a Substack where she shares practical advice, tips, and strategies for freelancers who want to cut through the noise and focus on what works.

Want to join our next AMA or see what else the WTS Community Slack has to offer? Head over here for more info.

Getting Started as a Freelancer

What do you do differently now compared to when you first started freelancing, and why?

It's all about boundaries, babbbyyy!

When I first started, I could handle the marketing, the editing process, etc.

But what I knew nothing about, was processes and boundaries.

Now, I'm very tight on contracts and having clear processes and expectations set up with my clients from the get go. It has saved me a lot of stress and also done a lot to stop late payments!

What are your must-haves versus nice-to-haves when starting out as a freelancer?

Ooh this is a good question!

It’s different for every freelancer.

A lot of my must-haves would be nice-to-haves for someone else, because I’m balancing multiple disabilities and chronic illnesses.

For me, the must-haves are:

• A clear website that shows off my best work
• Contracts in place with every client
• Clear written processes for each type of project (I used to constantly forget my own keyword research steps until I wrote them down!)
• One day off each week
• No working weekends
• Part-time hours (20–25 hours on average per week)

My nice-to-haves include:

• A consistent posting schedule on LinkedIn
• Fortnightly newsletters (but I’ll skip if I need to - no guilt)
• Speaking at events and on podcasts
• Coworking sessions for social time and accountability
• The occasional in-person networking event (but only if I can take the next day or two off to recover if I flare up)

That said, for other freelancers, things like hiring an accountant are non-negotiable.

I’m a sole trader and happy managing my own taxes, so it’s not a must-have for me.

But if I had to name the universal essentials, I’d say: contracts, a clear website, and a plan for tax (whether you do it yourself or outsource it).

How should someone approach the legal and tax side of freelancing, and what resources would you recommend for getting started?

Honestly, I’ve never been in the position of balancing both freelancing and employment. I’ve always done one or the other.

But here’s what I’d recommend:

• Book a consultation with an accountant:

Even just a Q&A session with no pressure to hire them. Tax is complicated enough, and even more so when you’re juggling multiple income streams.

• Use trusted experts:

When I was considering becoming a Ltd company, I spoke to Gold Stagg Accounts and they were incredibly helpful.

Finding and Working with Clients

What does your ideal client look like (company size, industry, growth stage)?

For me, the dream clients are usually small or maybe non-existent marketing teams who:

• Handle a lot in-house but need an expert to tackle their website
• Aren’t micromanagers (I can’t cope with people thinking they have all the same skills as me!)

I also love working 1:1 with other freelancers, whether that’s:

• Writing their websites for them
• Teaching them how to do it themselves

Enterprise businesses can be cool for SEO work, but I avoid them for websites because I need the right balance of structure and flexibility for my brain (hello, neurodivergent life!).

In terms of industry, I don’t have a strict focus, though I tend to work mostly in B2B tech. I especially enjoy clients who are ready for the next stage of their business, like:

• Changing key audiences
• Doing a vibe shift or rebrand
• Launching new products/services

Basically, anyone who has outgrown their current website and needs both analytical and creative input.

My biggest challenge is finding clients - any advice for attracting small business clients for SEO and website work?

I think it's important to look at your marketing.

I personally recommend creating an inbound content strategy, with some additional help from staying in touch with old employers/clients.

Some things to ask yourself:

• Does my website represent clearly and efficiently what I do and who I do it for?
• Do I regularly market my business in a way that shows my expertise?
• Do I have multiple marketing channels? If not, what is one I can add in the next month?
• Am I consistently present and engaging on sites like LinkedIn?
• Does my LinkedIn banner, profile, and headline help me to stand out? Or could it belong to anyone who does what I do?

Do you have a cautionary tale or red flags freelancers should watch out for?

Oh boy, do I? My first year of freelancing was full of them!

1. I had a client who made me rewrite a 10k word whitepaper I wasn’t briefed on properly for no extra pay!
2. I had another company in my second year try to tell me I hadn’t fulfilled the contract and tried to refuse payment.

At which point, I pulled the exact wording from the signed contract and explained I'd actually gone over and above. Needless to say, as soon as that final payment was made, we ended the working relationship and haven't spoken since.

Every cautionary tale becomes a new clause in my contract. Now, my contracts are tight, because:

• Dodgy people are scared off by strong contracts.
• Steep late fees and tight deadlines protect me, but they also give me space to negotiate. For example, if someone contests my terms, I can choose one clause to adjust while keeping everything else intact.

And if you want more on this: contracts, red flags, and how to handle them - I’ve got a whole deep dive coming up on Zero Bullshit Freelancing.

The article will cover red flags and client communication!

How do you decide which marketing strategies are worth your time, especially when referrals are the main source of leads?

I always recommend creating an inbound marketing strategy.

Referrals are amazing, but you don’t want to rely on them alone, you need a mix of ways for people to find you.

Here’s what my personal mix looks like (for when my health is good):

• 1–2 blog posts per month
• 1–2 newsletters per month that revolve around those blogs (websites & SEO focused)
• My new Zero Bullshit Freelancing newsletter twice per month, scheduled ahead of time
• 1–3 LinkedIn posts per week (also scheduled ahead of time)
• Instagram stories whenever I feel like it (not a big business driver, but I enjoy it)
• Commenting and adding to discussions in a meaningful way on social, especially LinkedIn
• Speaking at events 1–3 times per year

And then I’ve got my bare minimum marketing schedule for when I’m either really busy or I’m struggling with my health:

• 1 blog post per month (updating an old one if needed)
• 1 newsletter per month
• 1 LinkedIn post per week (and honestly, no one cares if I skip a week or two)

The way I make this manageable is by pre-scheduling whenever inspiration strikes.

I don’t stick to a rigid calendar. I trust that I know what I’m doing well enough to go with the flow. If things go wrong? I don’t punish myself.

In terms of results, my two biggest drivers of enquiries are organic search and LinkedIn, followed by referrals.

And usually once a year, I land one big project through speaking at events.

Fun fact: the people who come to me via LinkedIn have often been on my newsletter list for a while, they just finally take the plunge and message me there!

Pricing and Scoping Projects

I love project/value-based pricing, but I struggle to estimate scope, stay consistent, and hold my pricing. Any tips?

I don’t put pressure on myself to price everyone the same way, especially with project-based work.

Every client has different needs, expectations, and levels of involvement.

Here’s how I would approach it:

• Set a baseline

I list a “from” price on my website. That way I’ve got a floor I won’t go below, and clients know what to expect before they get in touch.

• Budget awareness:

Almost everyone understates their actual budget to get a better deal.

I’ll usually quote a bit higher and then either reduce the scope to fit, or provide two quotes - one smaller within budget, and one full-service at a higher price.

That way, we both win!

• Instinct and vibes:

Honestly, a lot of my quoting comes down to instinct.

If I really want to work with a client, I’ll sometimes lower my price.

For example, I recently reduced a website project by about £1k because it was for a company providing assistive tech for neurodivergent students - something I personally care about as a neurodivergent person.

• Difficult client tax:

On the flip side, if I can sense a client’s going to be high-maintenance, I’ll raise the quote to make sure the extra labour is worth it.

At the end of the day, my pricing reflects the work, the scope, and the fit with the client. Therefore, keeping it fair while protecting my time and energy.

Managing your Time & Workload

How do you manage your time as a freelancer?

I make sure to bookmark one day off each week (and if a full day feels impossible, I recommend starting with a half day).

I even put it in my email footer to hold myself accountable.

On that day, I don’t reply to emails, I don’t check Slack, and I definitely don’t talk to anyone from a business perspective.

You can set an out-of-office if that feels helpful, but honestly, I don’t find it necessary.

That dedicated day off means I always have time set aside for myself to do whatever I want.

The work always fits into the time I allow. If I reduce the time, I usually end up working more efficiently anyway.

And if I ever feel like it’s absolutely impossible to carve out that time, I know it’s a sign that something needs to shift.

That’s when I’ll either increase my prices and drop a client so my income stays stable, or choose to let go of a client who doesn’t align with my business goals or creative needs.

Navigating Challenges and Growth

How have you had to pivot as a freelancer, and how’s it going?

In terms of pivoting within my business, it's never a quick process.

For example, shifting from blog content to website copy took 6–9 months of consistent marketing before enquiries started leaning that way. People still sometimes see me as SEO first, copywriter second.

I’m also adding a new branch: 1:1 support for freelancers. Balancing that without fully shifting focus has my marketing in a bit of an identity crisis, but I’m figuring it out as I go!

Any tips for handling quieter periods or a thin client pipeline?

Ah, the dreaded freelancer quiet period. The answer here comes in 3 parts.

1. Marketing while you’re quiet

I’m not a fan of the “help me, I have no work” posts on social media.

A lot of people see that as a red flag (even though we know it’s not true).

Instead, I:

• Focus on creating high-quality marketing content
• Pitch to speak at events or guest on podcasts
• Write about my dream projects and shape my brand around them

It’s all about projecting confidence because people are more likely to trust you if you’re showing what you want to work on.

2. Financial prep & safety

When things are busy, I pay myself a consistent salary and save 2–3 months’ worth of salary as a buffer.

My business naturally has busy and quiet periods, so this prep means I don’t have to take on soul-destroying projects just to cover the bills.

3. Mental health and non-work things

When work slows down, I reduce my hours and focus on joy outside of freelancing. I like learning new skills, picking up hobbies or just spending more time outdoors.

Sitting at your desk stressing won’t bring projects in faster, and you’ll burn out before the busy season returns.

Parting words from Alice

I do deep dives into freelancing topics like these (and will probably do some more on these specific questions in the coming months) on my Substack Zero Bullshit Freelancing.

Topics will include:

• 5 LinkedIn post ideas for freelancers to get started
• Client red flags and communication
• Deep dive into freelance contracts with examples

You can find it here!

Key takeaways:

Multiple income streams matter:

SEO work, copywriting, and now 1:1 freelancer support show how diversification helps with industry volatility.

Contracts are non-negotiable

A tight contract protects you and scares off dodgy clients.

Quiet periods happen

Prepare financially, focus on marketing, and use downtime to protect your mental health.

Boundaries keep you sane

Block at least one day off per week and stick to it and you’ll work more efficiently within the time you have.

Inbound marketing

Blog posts, newsletters, LinkedIn, events, and SEO drive most of my leads, with referrals as a bonus.

Flex your schedule

Pre-schedule content when inspiration hits, keep a “bare minimum” plan for busy/low-energy times, and don’t punish yourself if things slip.

Protect your energy

Part-time hours and disability-friendly systems mean success doesn’t have to equal burnout!

Want to join our next AMA or check out what else the WTS Community Slack has to offer? Head over here for more info.