Yay you did the work! You figured out your skill. 🎉 Now what? Here's the truth nobody tells you at this stage: knowing your skill isn't the finish line. It's the starting line. And a lot of people get stuck right here — not because they're missing a skill, but because they think they need more before they can actually start. More confidence. More proof. More "figuring it out." 🤔 You don't. So here's what I want you to do this week: 1️⃣ Turn your skill into an offer. Not "I'm good at Excel." Try "I help small business owners get their books organized so tax season stops being a nightmare." Same skill. Totally different energy. 2️⃣ Pick a rough price. It doesn't have to be right. It just has to exist. You can't get paid for an offer that's still floating around in your head. 3️⃣ Look at your existing circle first. Forget the portfolio and the perfect website for a second. Your first client is way more likely to come from someone who already knows you than from a stranger on a platform. 4️⃣ Send one message today. Something like: "Hey, I'm doing [skill] as a freelance service now — know anyone who might need that?" That's the whole ask. Your first client doesn't need to be your dream client. They just need to be real. Every actual client teaches you more than another week of "getting ready" ever will. 💬 Tell me below — what's your skill, and who's the first person you could send that message to today? Let's get specific in the comments.👇 To help with the next steps, check out the Freelance Jumpstart in the Classroom where you have a calculator to help you price your service or offer, and a pitch template to reach out to your first clients, along with a Quick Wins Checklist to keep you on track.

Mrs. Celeste, when finding clients on job boards whether part-time full-time or contract role, who did you say to reach out to again and what do you say again and how to position yourself?

Hey Freelancers, What if you didn't need a new skill to make an extra $1,000 a month?🤔 Most people think the path to freelance income requires learning something brand new — a certification, a course, a whole new field. It doesn't. There are services people are getting paid for right now using skills they already had sitting in their back pocket. 🎯Here are 6 freelance services that can realistically bring in $1,000/month working part-time from home: 1. Virtual Assistant — Inbox management, scheduling, and admin support. If you've ever kept a boss organized, you already know how to do this. This is how I started out finding clients through job boards and Facebook groups. 2. Social Media Management — Posting, scheduling, and engaging for small businesses who don't have the time or interest to do it themselves. 3. Bookkeeping — Tracking expenses and reconciling accounts for small business owners. You don't need to be an accountant — you need to be detail-oriented and willing to learn QuickBooks basics. 4. Freelance Writing — Blog posts, website copy, or email newsletters for businesses that need consistent content but don't have an in-house writer. 5. Proofreading and Editing — Businesses, authors, and students all need a second set of eyes. If grammar and detail come naturally to you, this is an easy entry point. 6. Online Tutoring — Teaching a subject you already know well, on your own schedule, for an hour or two a day. None of these require new certifications. None of these require quitting your job. They require you recognizing what you already know how to do — and packaging it as a service someone will pay for. 👇 Tell me — which one of these sounds the most "doable" to you right now? Or is there a skill you have that's not even on this list? Drop it below. I want to know what you're sitting on. And if you've already started one of these — share what's working. Someone scrolling this post needs to hear it from you, not just from me. 📌 P.S. — If you're still not sure which skill is actually yours to sell, check out the Skill Mapping Tool post pinned in the community. It's interactive and will help you map out exactly what you already have to offer — so you're not guessing, you're building from something real.

You landed a discovery call. Someone said yes to learning more about what you offer. That's huge. Seriously, take a second to acknowledge that. Now here's where most new freelancers get it wrong: they show up to the call ready to pitch. Ready to prove themselves. Ready to convince. And that energy kills the call before it starts. A discovery call is not a sales pitch. It's a conversation to find out if you're the right fit for each other. That shift alone will change how every call feels — for you and for them. 🎯 BEFORE THE CALL Know the answer to these three things before you dial in: 1. What problem do I solve and who do I solve it for? 2. What's my starting rate or package? 3. What does a yes look like at the end of this call — a follow-up, a proposal, or a start date? If you can't answer all three, spend 10 minutes getting clear before you get on. Confidence on a discovery call isn't about personality. It's about preparation. 🗣️ ON THE CALL Lead with questions, not your resume. The goal of the first half of the call is to understand their situation — not to talk about yourself. Try these: 👉 "What's been your biggest challenge with [the thing you help with] lately?" 👉 "What have you already tried? What worked and what didn't?" 👉 "What would success look like for you in the next 90 days?" Let them talk. The more they talk, the more you learn — and the easier it becomes to show them exactly how you help. 💰 TALKING ABOUT PRICE This is where most new freelancers go quiet. Don't. When price comes up, say it clearly and without apologizing for it. You can say: "My starting rate for this is [X]. That includes [what's covered]. Does that work within what you're looking to invest?" Then stop talking. Let them respond. Silence after a price is not rejection — it's thinking. ✅ CLOSING THE CALL Don't leave without a clear next step. Before you hang up, say: "Based on what you've shared, I think I can definitely help with [specific thing]. Here's what I'd suggest as a next step... [proposal / follow-up call / start date]. Does that work for you?"

When a potential client says something that stops you cold — do you know what to say next? Most new freelancers hear an objection and read it as a rejection. They apologize, they back down, or they go completely quiet. Here's the truth: an objection isn't a door closing. It's a question in disguise. And every question has an answer. 🚫 They say: "I already have someone who does that." ✅ You say: "That's great — what's working well for you, and is there anything you wish was different?" Most people already working with someone have a gap they haven't filled yet. Your job is to find it. 🚫 They say: "I don't have the budget for that right now." ✅ You say: "I completely understand. Can I ask — what would need to change for this to make sense? Is this something you'd want to revisit in 30, 60, or 90 days?" Then put it in your calendar and follow up. Most freelance clients close on the second or third touch — not the first. 🚫 They say: "I'm not sure I need this." ✅ You say: "That's fair — tell me what's taking up most of your time with [the thing you help with] right now?" Let them talk. The problem you solve is usually in the next two sentences. You're not convincing them — you're helping them see what they already know. 🚫 They say: "Send me some information and I'll think about it." ✅ You say: "Absolutely — before I do, can I ask what one thing would most help you decide? That way I can make sure I send something actually useful." This keeps the conversation alive and filters out the polite no's from the genuine maybe's. It's the objection most new freelancers fumble — and the easiest one to turn around with one good question. None of these responses are pushy. They're curious. And curiosity keeps a door open that a hard sell would close every time. The goal of handling an objection is never to win an argument. It's to find out whether there's still a real conversation to be had — and if there is, to have it. If there isn't? That's not failure. That's clarity. Move to the next one.