Freelancer takeover: Swakara Atwell-Bennett on best and worst freelancing moments!

Swakara is a Creative Business Consultant and Founder of Better Shared which is a platform that supports visual artists from the African diaspora.

ALWAYS CREATE: What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten about freelancing?

SWAKARA: It may sound cliché but find your niche. It can be a game changer. Here’s a few different ways to think about it:

1. Think about what you’re really great at and if it’s a few things look at your client testimonials and you’ll start to see a common theme.

2. Which kind of projects do you enjoy working on and be as specific as possible, it feels scary to say no, but it clears the way for the right projects to come your way.

3. Who do you want to help? Be really honest with yourself, maybe you resonate with this audience because you share similar values or the same purpose. When you are authentic clients will see that.

As someone who has been on both sides (freelancer and client) I can say that as a client I look for freelancers for specific tasks that have experience with similar brands to mine – so it really does help to be focused!

Also, don’t burn bridges, forging relationships and a good reputation is everything in this business.

Even if a project goes horribly wrong learn from it and move on. Don’t be like that person who is still posting memes about their ex from a decade ago.

ALWAYS CREATE: What’s your favourite book and why?

SWAKARA: That’s a hard one as I have a few. A book I’m currently reading that’s useful for freelancers / small businesses is Lucy Werner’s ‘Hype Yourself’ which is a DIY guide to PR. PR has stayed a mystery for what feels like forever but people like Lucy and platforms like PR Dispatch have demystified and democratised the process.

I’ve also just started reading ’The Black Market; A Guide to Art Collecting’ by Charles Moore. It’s vital to keep up to date with your industry and you can always learn something new from others.

AC: What has been the hardest experience you’ve had as a freelancer and what did you learn from it?

S: In one of my earliest freelance jobs a second contract for a huge project wasn’t submitted and myself and a few other freelancers that were on the job had to wait 6 months to get paid! I’ll never forget it and it’s stayed as a reminder to ALWAYS have contracts in place.

AC: What’s your form of creative selfcare? (What you do to create for yourself and keep your creative juices going)

S: Two things; I come away from my desk and go outside when I can. Something as simple as going for a walk allows me to clear my head and that’s often when ideas come. I’ve generally got my phone nearby so I can record a quick voice note when an idea comes to mind. Also I love cooking (almost as much as I love eating!) I get to freely express my creativity in the kitchen as there is no brief or deadline, often experimenting with new dishes or reading a recipe for the basic ingredients, then, putting my own spin on it.

AC: What’s your favourite thing about Always Create?

The community aspect, freelancing can be super lonely and it’s great that you’ve created a place where people can connect with each other alongside gaining knowledge and opportunities. A lot of freelance platforms just focus on finding work but community is key, especially in this industry. Can’t wait till you can host IRL events again!

Let us know in the comments what resonated with you the most!

Thank you Swakara! You can keep up with her on her social media channels @swakara_shares and @bettershared