PANICKED VS. PREPARED

Spooky season or not, small business ownership has a way of providing the brain with endless scary hypotheticals. 

Some of them are pretty obviously overblown (I will fail as a freelancer and wind up in a van by the river), but some of them are unnervingly plausible. We all know someone who is struggling to replace a high-value client or cope with an unexpected industry change — it’s not unreasonable to worry you’ll be next. When the fear is coming from inside the house (business?), you have no choice but to confront it. 

The good news is, the energy that we’re all tempted to put towards rumination can be redirected into preparation. Anxiety that can’t be ignored can show you where to focus and how to build a contingency plan that will actually let you get some sleep at night. 

Let’s unpack some of the most common freelancer doom scenarios and find the useful calls to action hiding behind the fear. 

“I won’t make enough money.”

For freelancers, payouts don’t come in predictable monthly installments. Some seasons are busy, some are slow, and some make you question your life choices. 

Even though we know that business is cyclical, panic can still creep in anytime things get too quiet. If you’re experiencing a drought, a mindset shift can help reframe that “feast vs. famine” outlook. 

Think of slow periods as normal, necessary beats in your calendar. Use this time to organize your business, catch up on administrative tasks, put more leads in the pipeline, and get some rest. Allowing for them — and saving for them whenever you get a windfall — can prevent a slow month or two from feeling like a crisis. 

“My clients secretly hate me.”

Do the words “quick chat” fill you with instant dread?

If you’re always waiting to find out that you’re being replaced by someone cheaper or better suited to the project, here’s the ugly truth: One day, you’ll be right — and that’s ok. 

Professional relationships don’t last forever, and that’s as true for freelancers as it is for employees. Budgets and needs change, and sometimes, that means parting ways. Client turnover is a fundamental part of freelancing, so build a business that’s designed to survive when your roster changes. 

It’s easy to neglect lead generation when you’re busy, but steady attention to your pipeline will keep you from winding up high and dry if you lose an account. If you realize that a preponderance of your income depends on one or two clients, it may be wise to put your eggs in different baskets (or call in a subcontractor if you’re running out of eggs). 

Nurture relationships and stay on the lookout for ways to grow your network. Landing your next opportunity is, in part, a numbers game. Stop worrying about needing to look for work, and start looking. 

“I’m going to get replaced by AI.” 

Some clients are going to use AI to do work they previously paid freelancers to do, and there’s no use pretending otherwise.

However, behind this scary sci-fi reality is an opportunity to get more specific about what you're actually selling.

If your only value were producing a certain number of words, graphics, spreadsheets, or social posts, technological changes might be harbingers of doom — but nothing could be further from the truth. Discerning clients recognize that they’re actually paying for your judgement, creativity, industry experience, and problem solving skills. 

Tech can’t replace human intuition, but it can help freelancers offload some of the tedious parts of their workflows and automate repetitive tasks. The result could be more time to spend on the things that actually require you.

At the end of the day, you want to work with people who understand the value you provide. A client who is perfectly content with an AI generated logo may simply not be your client. Let that be ok, and focus on putting the tech to work for you. 

“Everyone has it figured out but me.” 

We love to celebrate our colleagues’ success stories, but sometimes they can invite anxiety-inducing comparisons.  

Someone just landed their dream client, announced their summer hiatus in Europe, or hit six figures… meanwhile, you're sitting at your desk wondering whether you should have answered an email differently.

Comparison is particularly dangerous when you view someone else's outcome as proof that you must be doing something wrong. Instead, try treating other people's success as information.

If there's a freelancer whose business you admire, ask yourself what you actually like about it. Is it their income? Their schedule? Their clients? Their creative work? Their ability to take time off? Chances are, you’re envious of a specific outcome, not someone else’s entire life. 

You don't have to copy another person’s definition of success, but you can be curious about their methods and inspired by their results. The vast majority of freelancers are more than happy to share strategies, tips, and even connections. Remind yourself that your colleagues aren’t your competition, and reach out. 

“My business will be this size forever.” 

Sometimes we take a break from worrying about complete collapse to worry about stagnation. 

If you’re in a comfortable place but freaked out by what may happen if you shift your focus from “survival” to “growth,” start by figuring out what “growth” means to you. 

Maybe you’re longing for inspiring projects, fewer hours, more creative control, or the ability to take a real vacation. Meaningful growth involves making the changes that give you what you really want. 

Pick a direction, then figure out how to make it happen. This may look like:

• Raising your rates
• Pitching a new service
• Pursuing a different kind of client
• Building a new referral network
• Taking a class
• Rethinking your positioning.

You don't need to know exactly where you'll be five years from now to take charge of your business destiny. 

“I’m terrible at what I do, actually.”

Sometimes it feels like you’re two nervous children inside a floor-length trenchcoat hoping no one notices you’re not a real business owner. 

The difference in a legitimate skill gap and imposter syndrome is that experience and education don’t make imposter syndrome go away. Instead of letting self-loathing take over, get specific about how, exactly, you think you’re failing. 

Conquering an unhelpful mindset doesn’t require you to ignore your flaws. If there is an area of your business that needs work, name the problem so you can do something about it. 

Find a mentor. Take a workshop. Invest in continuing education. Ask someone you trust for honest feedback. Take on a project that stretches your skills. You won’t turn into someone who never feels uncertain, but you can become someone who trusts themselves to figure things out.