HeyJaredFalse Start
A home for marketers questioning the traditional 9-5 and designing a career on their own terms.
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
- 13
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- Sep 30, 2026
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- Jul 8, 2026
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What my 'stable' freelance income actually looks like (opens the original)
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My freelance work and income have been stable since February. But that’s starting to change, and I’m trying to stay calm.In my last status update, I told you why I took on another client when I didn’t have the bandwidth. There were legitimate reasons to say yes (good money, new relationships, short-term project), but there was a more insidious energy driving my decision, too:“If I say no and have a slow period 6 months from now, won’t I have regrets? If I take it and have a lull in work around t
Pretty please take down your “open to work” banner (opens the original)
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A few weeks ago, I was feeling silly and posted this on Substack Notes:<img alt="" class="sizing-normal" height="331" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IXoi!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-me
I fired four clients in the last year and only one was about bandwidth (opens the original)
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If you’ve been reading False Start for a minute, you know I write a lot about how to find clients. Duh, it’s one of the most obvious challenges of self-employment.Today, I’m writing about one of the least obvious challenges of self-employment: how to get rid of a client.I’ve “fired” four in the last year, and only one was because I no longer had the bandwidth. There are many valid reasons to cut ties, and I’ve approached each situation differently based on the circumsta
What I actually do all day as a freelance marketer (part two) (opens the original)
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Now that I know you all are just as voyeuristic as I am, I’m back with a second installment of What I Actually Do All Day As A Freelance Marketer. Henceforth to be known as WIADADAFM?In early July, I published a very average week in my life, and it’s been my most-viewed newsletter this summer. Since then, I’ve moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn, wrapped up two projects, signed on a new but short-term larger client, and am in active conversations for additional gigs.I̵
When you love marketing, but not the life around it (opens the original)
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In my networking frenzy earlier this year, one name kept coming up. Again and again, I was asked, “Have you met Joanna Lord?”The last time it came up was from one of her former team members. She offered to intro me, but never needed to because the next day Joanna sent me a cold note on LinkedIn. Kismet.Joanna is warm and smart and sweet — like the kind of manager you could only dream of (but I know it’s real because I’ve talked to a former employee of hers!). She’s held CMO roles at ClassPass an
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