Ask For Better

If you’ve ever struggled with asking for more money or better terms from a client, this episode is for you. Jenni sits down with Jennifer Barton, a freelance writer, editor and copywriter from New York City. She currently lives in London and has contributed essays and features to a range of publications including The Telegraph magazines, The Independent, Stylist, HuffPost, Metro, Vogue Business, Parents, Mashable and Insider, among others. When she's not writing, you'll find her cuddling and/ or chasing her four children, rollerskating, hunting for treasure in thrift shops, dreaming of new electric hair colors and piercings and reading. She also pays tribute to her late mother through anecdotes and outfits in a visual grief diary of sorts on Instagram @jenbnyc. And you'll find a (much quieter) version of her on Twitter @jenbnyc. Jennifer is in the midst of what Jenni calls a "radical transformation" in her career. She knows she wants to step up and change her client base. She’s craving asking for more money and better terms, and wants to do work that excites her. But often, even if she knows what she wants, she struggles to ask her clients for it. (Girl, us too.) We talked about what makes that risk worth it (for her: creative challenge and enthusiasm) and what kind of work she’d really like to be doing. Jennifer has a few options for how to move forward. Some of her clients will fit in with her new business plan. But if she keeps them, she’ll probably want to ask them for something better. On the flip side, some of her other clients may not fit with her new direction, and that’s okay. Firing clients isn’t easy but it’s one of the only ways you can create space in your business for new direction and growth. To help Jennifer remember that she’s a badass, Jenni assigned her a confidence log (check out our confidence booster pack to get access to that resource and other confidence-building tools).  She also got a worksheet to help her figure out what she needs from current clients, plus a template to use when she decides to send those emails. You can find those resources in our online store as part of the “Ask for Better” Booster pack. Patreon members get those resources for free!  Have you had success firing a client, or asking for something new? If so, we want to hear about what worked for you, and how you convinced yourself to take the risk. Send us a DM or tweet @TWC_pod to share your story. Looking for coaching? Both Jenni and Wudan offer coaching through their own businesses and through TWC. You can also take a self-guided look at your business via our online courses. Listeners of this podcast may also enjoy the podcast Is This Working? Now in its fifth season, Is This Working? is the podcast where two best friends have honest conversations about money, careers and success. Listen wherever you podcast!