The Independent Life

National Freelancers Day: An interview with Esther Stanhope

Thursday June 9th is National Freelancers Day in the UK – a great event that has become well established within the freelance community over the last few years. It centres around an annual conference – this year taking place at the Hospital Club in Covent Garden – that includes speaker events, workshops and a rather prestigious awards ceremony. […]

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Going freelance: what it’s like to take the plunge

There’s not denying that going freelance, or becoming an independent contractor, is incredibly exciting. However, like most things that get the pulse racing, the excitement can come with a massive side-order of nervousness. As freelance writers ourselves, here at The Life Hub we know that taking the plunge is never an easy decision. That’s why we thought we’d start up this […]

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Startup stories: AppAttic and the Belfast tech scene

Think tech startups in the UK, and it’s likely that you’ve already got a mental geo-tag placed somewhere around Shoreditch. As London grows ever-more expensive, however, an increasing number of these companies are looking elsewhere, often to one of the Big Bs – Birmingham, Bristol or Belfast. At MAF, we’re always keen to hear stories from our friends […]

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Fitness for freelancers: don’t use your work as an excuse!

Continuing in our guest blog series, featuring interviews, thoughts and tidbits from our very own ‘Mafter’ freelance community, this week we have a great piece from Meisha Piggott – a fitness guru, personal trainer and blogger over at The Editt. If you’re anything like us, you’re probably a bit of a workaholic, and exercise – […]

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Freelance contracts: what are you signing up for?

Full-time freelancing might sound like it’s all coffee-shop work days and writing emails in your pyjamas. Obviously there’s some of that (OK, a lot), however, donning your serious specs and drawing up a sturdy business contract can save you time and hassle in the long run. While writing freelance contracts may not be the most exciting […]

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Hired at a job interview - shaking hands

A freelancer’s guide to getting hired

This week’s guest blog post comes from Mapit Accountancy, a company after our own hearts, specialising in teaching accounting to newcomers in the most efficient and effective way possible – online. Making the move away from employment to being a freelancer is an exciting experience, at least in the early days, anyway. But soon the […]

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Why choose an online accountant?

What’s the difference between a traditional accountancy firm and an online accountant? Nope, this isn’t a joke. It’s a genuine question that we get asked a lot here at My Accountant Friend. So we thought we’d chat to some of our customers and find out the difference having on-demand accountancy makes to their business lives. […]

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The habits of successful freelancers and contractors

Staying on top as a freelancer can sometimes feel like an endless game of snakes and ladders. However many hours you put in, there’s always more that could be done. Use your time wisely, however, and you’ll find that eight hours a day is plenty. Take heed of these habits and you’ll be leading the […]

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Reasons to be free: why do we choose self-employment?

Picture the scene. It’s a cold, gray, office morning and the same old people are bickering about the same old things. You’d get involved if you thought it was worth the effort, but instead you’re asking yourself that recurring question: wouldn’t I be better off on my own? For many people, especially those with an […]

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