Attn: Advanced Freelancers looking for 1:1 Coaching

Freelance Business Coaching: Build the Life You Want

Create the business and lifestyle you want, faster, without the overthinking, overwhelm, and unnecessary detours.

If you’re anything like other freelancers I’ve worked with, you’re good at what you do. You’ve had business wins. You want to keep growing.

You’re smart and could figure things out on your own, but you’re curious about the possibility of accelerating your growth by working with a mentor and guide who can bring outside insights and proven processes to your situation.

I offer highly personalized 1:1 freelance business coaching to help you get from where you are to where you want to be.

We’ll get you some clarity on your next destination and define your niche, offers (aka, productized services), and pricing. If needed, we’ll also strengthen your positioning and messaging to help you stand out.

Then, we’ll put together a repeatable system for filling your pipeline with leads.

Or, we’ll do none of this because you have higher priorities. Like I said, my approach to coaching is highly personalized.

Take the first step today by booking a complimentary strategy call with me. →

Or, check out what my past client, copywriter and fCMO Josh Monen, said about his experience working with me.

How I Help?

If you’re reading this, you’ve moved past the questions that beginners ask: “Can I do this freelance thing? Do I have what it takes?”

Instead, you’re facing the challenges that advanced freelancers have: “How can I keep growing without burning out? How do I make this business more satisfying and truly sustainable?”

After freelancing for over 15 years, I’ve been there, done that, and I’m passionate about helping other freelancers and consultants solve problems and redesign their businesses:

  • "I'm happy with my business revenue, but I'm way too busy. I wanted to earn the same or more in less time, so I can do things that are not work-related.”
  • "I've hit a wall with my growth and am looking to change the type and quality of the clients I work with. My biggest hurdle is finding clients who value what I can provide."
  • “I’m not pleased with current offers. I feel that I have so much more to offer and want to move upstream and sell more strategy and planning.”
  • “My systems are what’s holding me back from my next income target. I know what needs to happen, but I haven’t built the infrastructure yet. I need better structure and systems.”
  • "Most of my jobs have been coming from referrals. I don't have the right marketing and sales process in place for the direction I want to go.”

A financial investment in a business coach for freelancers creates the right amount of friendly pressure (aka, accountability) to help you be more strategic, stay focused, and execute consistently.

My Freelance One on One Coaching Process

1. Get clear on the life you want and the business that can get you there.

Before we make the sawdust fly with growth strategy and before you take inspired action, we define your “Distant Mountain,” that is, what you want your life to look like in 3 years.

Performance coach Todd Herman summed up the problem freelancers, consultants, and solopreneurs have:

“The reason that many people would have levels of dissatisfaction or they aren’t maybe taking the inspired action that they’re supposed to be taking is because it’s not what they actually want.”

The solution? Define the life you want.

2. Create your custom business roadmap.‍

Once you get clear on what you want, you may realize that you have a business model taking you the wrong direction.

To remedy that, I’ll ask you certain questions: What type of work do you really want to be doing? For whom? What do they want to buy? What’s getting in the way?

We’ll turn the insights into a roadmap to keep you focused and keep overwhelm at bay.

3. Build strategic offers, processes, and prices.‍

Once you know your Distant Mountain, you’ll find it easier to assemble the pieces of a well-aligned business model and eliminate the stuff getting in the way.

With the help of my playbooks and guidance, you’ll position yourself as the obvious choice for dream clients. You’ll craft juicy offers tied to their desired outcomes. You’ll build the Growth system for getting project leads predictably.

You’ll also rework your Fulfillment system so that you’re giving clients what they want and need in less time.

Or, we’ll do none of those things because your higher priorities will have our attention.

4. Raid the library.‍

I’ve been a freelancer for 15+ years and have consistently made six figures. I’ve had a lean agency with subcontractors. I’ve had a regular agency with full-time staff. I’ve been a consultant, strategist, and fCMO.

So instead of recreating the wheel, you’ll use my playbooks, SOPs, contracts, proposals, checklists, and other templates to get better results, faster.

A shortcut isn’t a shortcut if it’s effective and ethical. It’s just smart.

5. Refresh your belief in the plan.‍

You won’t be successful with business coaching for freelancers if you stop believing in your own roadmap. You must maintain a strong emotional connection to it.

We will meet every two weeks so that you can stoke that fire, remember why you made this commitment in the first place, and identify your priorities for your next 2-week sprint.

By doing this 12 times during the coaching engagement, you ensure that you look back after 6 months and say, “Wow. Look at how far I’ve come.”

Why Work With Me?

When I became a freelance business coach in 2018, I chose a clean, direct focus on results. My goal was to help freelancers and consultants get what they want faster through the following:

  • Saving them time on trial and error
  • Providing timely feedback and advice
  • Increasing clarity by diagnosing problems
  • Reducing complexity and guesswork for them
  • Making recommendations for solutions and training

My first client, Robert, found me online. After buying a couple of my guides to get a sense of how I think, he paid me $6,000 up front.

He was making plenty of money as a freelance consultant in Portland, but he was cursed by his own competence. His clients piled on low-level projects and tasks that he didn’t enjoy.

Robert wanted out of that situation, so we reworked his 4 P’s:

  • Positioning
  • Packaging
  • Pricing
  • Pipeline

I never pretended that the results would be easy or automatic, and to his credit, Robert put in the work. Within 5 weeks of wrapping up our engagement, he had sold 6 of the $10,000 offer we created.

Robert wanted results. He chose to hire a business coach. He listened to my recommendations and stuck to the plan. He got results.

Since then, I’ve done 100s of coaching sessions and have helped dozens of freelance creatives and consultants make their businesses work for them.

“Working with Austin was key for me and my work. He is an incisive thinker - together, we were able to rework my products and pricing which was instrumental to the growth of my business. By shifting to productized services, I was able to generate $60,000 in new business in five weeks, effectively doubling my rate. That’s a big win in my book.” – Robert C., Business Strategy Consultant

To get started, book a complimentary strategy call with me. →

Note: I know you have questions, I've got answers. Be sure to check out the FAQs section below!

Real Success Stories

Here’s what some of my 1:1 business coaching clients said:
“When I was considering hiring a coach, my biggest obstacles were taking the emotional leap into the unknown and committing the finances to the program. Austin helped me elevate how I thought about myself as a freelancer and how I dealt with new client relationships. I left several unfulfilling client relationships, finally got my client agreement in order, refined my services and sales process, and changed how I view my value as a freelancer. I raised my prices on all my services and closed a $16,000 project. Austin understands the issues freelancers deal with everyday, and he has tons of frameworks for thinking about nearly everything. You should always hire someone who is where you'd like to be, and for me, the right person was Austin.”

Mike G., Copywriter

“Working with Austin as my business coach was easily the most sound business decision I've ever made - and one I should've made about a year earlier than I did. His treasure trove of real-world, been-there-done-that knowledge, actionable tools and advice, and healthy encouragement have helped transform me from a frustrated, burned-out freelancer into a more confident, process-driven business owner. If you're a freelancer of any kind looking for the right direction and mentorship, you must - not should, must - work with Austin.”

Shlomo G., Copywriter and Brand Strategist

“Austin was the first business coach I worked with (back in 2017), and I can confidently say one meeting with him changed the trajectory of my life."

Margaret R., Designer

“I hired Austin because I needed help with the consulting side of my business. Austin has an incredible talent for mining the gold out of normal conversations, and his straightforward approach and well-designed exercises cuts the fluff. Together, we zeroed in on my biggest differentiators, crafted a clear, solid value proposition, and defined my core service offerings. He helped me discover where my clients are truly coming from and figure out how I should be spending time and finding new project leads throughout the week. Austin’s experience and coaching around negotiation were incredibly beneficial as well. He was key in helping me land one 3-month retainer worth $25,500 and another 12-month retainer worth $165,000. He and I are already talking about the next project. Thanks again, Austin!”

Jacob M., Founder

“Austin’s advice has helped me as a freelancer in more ways than I can count. Since putting practical tips to work, I’ve broken up with troublesome clients, explored new fields, tripled in confidence, and nearly doubled my hourly rate.”

Elissa W., Freelance Writer

"I'd been working with Austin for three months when a prospect asked me to provide a 90-day plan before signing a retainer contract. Austin had recently coached me on productizing my services, so I told the prospect I would be willing to provide a plan for a fee. Not only did they agree to pay for strategy, but they also signed the retainer agreement before I even delivered the plan. As my biggest client retainer to date, I now almost have more freelance work than I can handle."

Kate J., Consultant

“My strategy retainer with Austin is really helpful. It brings order to the chaos of our e-commerce startup Canvas. We talk through everything. Well, I kind of vomit everything all over him. Ha. There are so many things in front of me, so it helps to have a sense of order and alignment. That’s what we achieve, and I always leave with the right actionable steps. I made at least $20,000 more after taking his advice and raising my rates. Thank you, Austin!”

Stuart J., Founder

"When I was thinking about hiring Austin, I definitely was hesitant. Would I get my investment back? Would the methods or advice actually help? I’m glad I ended up pulling the trigger. Austin took time to understand where my studio Typo was at and the direction we wanted to go. We started with business strategy and positioning, and Typo went from working on various types of projects—and having little to no experience with many of them—to becoming a known authority in one industry (physical therapy and sports recovery). I never felt pushed by Austin, only encouraged. He would ask what is working and what needed to be done to stay on track. His flexibility was critical for me as the studio grew significantly over 6 months. He gave me clear direction and kept me focused. He also helped me navigate the shifts in mindset from freelance to scalable studio. Using Austin’s system, we developed specific processes to push PT and sports recovery companies forward, and in 8 months Typo went from $30,000 to $180,000. A strategic partner asked to join forces with us, and now we’re thinking even bigger. Austin pairs all the mindset stuff with systems and relatable experience, and that combination helped us reach the next level of growth much sooner."

Tim R., Brand Designer

“The coaching has been a very, very good investment of my time and financial resources. Looking back to when we started, I can’t help but ask, ‘If I hadn’t done it, where would I be now?’ Probably still spinning my wheels, not really knowing what to do next, and maybe even saying, ‘Is this a viable path?’ Instead, I'm seeing the payoff from my decision. Doing the right things and applying the principles pays off. Austin taught me to think on a different level that's more strategic and to see ways to provide value that I didn't see before. Just last week, I reached out to a past client who hired me to write case studies and offered to pull the best quotes and turn them into social posts. That add-on wasn't in the original agreement, and it’s opportunities like that I would never have noticed or pursued before. I would have simply left the money on the table. This coaching has been a change-of-plane kind of experience, like, ‘Wow, here's all this stuff I didn't know was there before!’”

Benjamin C., Copywriter

“I was helping a few clients wherever I could, but I had no real direction or company identity. I needed to make the investment to take myself and the business seriously. After looking through websites of freelancers and consultants, I sought out Austin specifically. Coaching has helped me to identify the parts of my life and career that have gotten me to where I am and has given me the confidence to lean on that experience and know that I can earn a living teaching what I've learned. Austin has so much great material that gets to the heart of what I was trying to uncover. Also, the weekly meetings really helped me focus and realign my priorities. I'm not saying it's easy but I get up each morning knowing what I should be doing with my day. For example, I have created several offers that I can go out and sell and have already closed my first project doing exactly what I want to be doing. As my approach to my business and long-term goals continue to crystallize, I'm excited about using the clients I have now as case studies moving forward and making my first course.”

Greg S., Founder

“I now have writing clients in cities across the nation. My income tripled over the last month. You gave me everything I needed to get started, and your blog posts keep encouraging and inspiring me. Thank you!”

Amy N., Freelance Writer

"A client emailed me, after many months, with some report writing work. Armed with confidence from Austin’s advice about raising my rates, I did just that. Doubled my rate. The client didn't flinch. Major, major thanks."

Kieya K., Freelance Writer

Ready To Have a Record Year While Working Less?

Let’s make it happen.

When you’re ready to invest in yourself and make this year your best year yet, schedule a strategy session with me.

Any questions? Email hello@freelancecake.com.

Want My 10 Self-Coaching Questions?

Put in your email address, and I'll send you the download link.

Freelance Business Coaching FAQs

What’s your coaching philosophy?

My philosophy is straightforward:

  • I take a personalized, not generic, approach. Freelancers’ problems aren’t unique, but their situations and goals are.
  • I ask good questions to create space, facilitate a process of self-discovery, and help my clients gain new clarity and insight. My belief is that you already know most of what you need to know. We just need to uncover it.
  • I supplement what you already know with lessons, principles, and advice gleaned from a long, successful freelance career.
  • I provide accountability. Knowing that you’ll have to show up and talk to me about what you’ve done will motivate you to do it.
  • I provide asynchronous support. Send me your questions, ideas, and requests for feedback between our 1:1 freelance coaching sessions.
  • I provide tools and resources. Instead of trying to find or create what you need, just ask. Chances are, I already have it or know where to find it.

Finally, I proactively avoid creating “coaching dependence,” which is similar to therapy dependence. My goal is to build your confidence in yourself and your judgment, not me and mine.

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I’m feeling unsure whether I need a coach, consultant, mentor, advisor, or just a really great accountability buddy. Any chance you can point me in the right direction?

If you’re feeling stuck in your business or need to hone business skills, hire a coach. If you need to verbally process what’s going on in your life, find a mentor. If you have a well-defined problem or project that requires specific subject matter expertise, hire a consultant.

If you suspect that unhealthy patterns and emotions are driving your behavior and decisions, talk to a therapist.

That said, because freelancers’ work is so deeply connected with who they are, coaching can overlap with mentoring and consulting. Mindset work can bump up against therapy.

That’s not a problem as long as we keep you focused on achieving your desired outcomes.

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How can I get the most out of freelance 1:1 coaching?

To truly benefit from coaching, treat the engagement as if your life depended on it:

  • Action. Don’t just listen. Do. Coaching only works if you turn advice into action.
  • Consistency. Stick with the process, and the results will come.
  • Preparation. Come to sessions with “assignments” completed and questions written.
  • Flexibility. Adapt to changing circumstances and adjust your approach as we go.
  • Resourcefulness. Ask for help often. Raid my library. Use the playbooks and templates.

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Why hire a freelance business coach?

The freelance creatives and consultants I work with hire me to help them with clarity, focus, and speed.

You already know how time-consuming it is to wade through free content (or a premium course), separate the good from the bad, come up with a plan, and finally take action.

That’s the slower path, and you still have limited time and your blind spots to contend with.

By hiring me as your coach, you get a 1-on-1 coaching program customized to your specific situation. You get accountability, outside perspective, and access to my 15+ years of experience to help you identify blind spots, make better decisions, and avoid dead ends and detours.

With my help, you can build a more stable, satisfying, and profitable business more quickly.

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When is the best time to hire a business coach?

Yesterday? Most freelancers only start looking for a business coach after they’ve already come to the end of their own clarity and solutions.

That you’re here reading this signals that you’re ready for an expert’s objective point of view.

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Why is coaching so expensive?

“Expensive” versus cheap is a matter of perspective. If you think only about the initial expense, coaching may seem “expensive.” Yet, hiring a “cheap” coach is costly because cheap advice is so easy to ignore. Ignore the advice, and you don’t get the results.

Speaking of results, if our coaching engagement were to set you up to make $100,000, would my $10,000 fee seem expensive or reasonable?

It all comes down to ROI, and this question: How much is staying in the same place costing you?

The key with coaching is to make a financial investment that represents a point of no return. You put yourself in a position where you must focus. You must get results. When you pay a premium, you pay attention.

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Is there a refund policy?

I don’t offer refunds for coaching services rendered.

Coaching is a commitment, and your results depend on your commitment and effort. If you’re unsure, let’s start with a complimentary strategy call to see if this is the right fit for you.

And if we’re not a fit, I’ll be the first one to tell you.

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I can’t afford 1:1 coaching at this time. Do you have an option for me?

Aside from 1:1 coaching, I also run a group coaching program called Business Redesign a couple of times a year. It’s more affordable and you get to scale with other like-minded individuals just like you. Check out the Business Redesign details here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter here. Freelancers tell me all the time that it’s their must-read email of the week. Feel free to read my published essays here.

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Got more questions?

Reach out at hello@freelancecake.com—we’ll get you answers as fast as we can!

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Who the heck is Austin L. Church?

Austin is Freelance Cake’s founder. He has been freelancing over 15 years and has made six figures more years than not. That said, the revenue is less important than some of the other things he has experience with: 

  • Scaling up into a lead agency
  • Developing and selling a portfolio of 30 iOS and Android apps
  • Doing the tech startup thing (2013-2017)
  • Co-founding a branding and marketing studio
  • Serving as a fractional CMO (2018 - present)
  • Publishing several books, including Free Money, a pricing and money mindset guide for freelancers  

In 2018 Austin started coaching other freelancers and consultants and helping them get better results with less effort. 

The SOPs, templates, and other tools you get inside the Freelance Cake community took him 1000s of hours to create and refine. 

Helping advanced freelancers build their $300K Flywheel is something he’s very passionate about. In fact, his wife Megan would love to hear him talk about something else. 

Austin and Megan live with their three children in Knoxville, Tennessee, near the Great Smoky Mountains.