Indie business club with Barfield and McKinney

Hi, Mel here, Today’s episode is all about audio branding. And so, we’ve brought in the expert! Of course, it’s sound guy (and sound guy) our producer and theme composer Ant Henderson *insert big cheering noises here - it’s what he’d want* Subscribe now [%%checkout_url%%] We talk about why audio branding works how to insert a little audio magic into your business our favourite jingles (maybe we mentioned yours?) though sadly Ant was reluctant to sing despite being a literal rockstar (we’ll link to that story another day if he lets us) some random jingle facts We had an incredible response to my request for jingle suggestions on LinkedIn. Sadly, we couldn’t possibly run through the whole lot (the episode is already way longer than normal!) and you’ll have to listen to see if we got to yours ;) George Levens and Emma Pritchard sent in some jingle voicenotes and a special thank you to the incredible Stefanie Mellano for her rendition of… well, you’ll have to hear it yourself. Paul Burgess sent in some punk band covers of jingles: Voicenoted Today’s voicenote comes from our pal Jack Chambers-Ward [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlwchambers/]. Jack is Marketing and Partnerships manager at Candour search agency, and he hosts the Search With Candour podcast [https://withcandour.co.uk/podcast] and Sequalisers [https://open.spotify.com/show/29faExVdSeuvztH54vB1n7?si=e095c05124ff4709], a podcast about fixing bad film sequels. He’s already a friend of the show (episode 12) and he’s the first listener I ever met in the wild who we didn’t already know. Hopefully we’ll be able to do a podcast crossover with Jack some time. As predicted in the show, we have not included all the links in the shownotes because there were frankly way too many to keep track of. But that’s okay because Google exists ;) I will remember to put this in though - Molly Scanlan’s newsletter (for excellent facts and info on how to be less evil) is at www.mollygetsitdone.com [https://www.mollygetsitdone.com/] Catch the replay We spoke to Joe Glover all about freelancing at The Marketing Meetup webinar. Please watch it so the view count gets nice and high. Coz we’d love a part two 😉 Thank yoooooou, Mel [https://substack.com/redirect/29269051-4a36-4fab-bdb8-72d016954ab6?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] & Ben [https://substack.com/redirect/877cba3c-e4c1-42e6-a28f-a2a6b3152137?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4]Find our producer, theme composer and special VIP guest star Ant Henderson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/antphenderson/] and you can watch older episodes of the show on YouTube here [https://www.youtube.com/@indiebusinessclubpod]. If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs with a £3 contribution at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub [http://www.ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub] please and thank you 💖 🎙️ Spotify [https://substack.com/redirect/2863e896-cbe5-4d79-8ea2-09835aa734e9?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] / Apple podcasts [https://substack.com/redirect/093c5e99-cf99-4009-8e1d-5455269aca03?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] / Amazon Music [https://substack.com/redirect/f009f55b-92d7-4eb8-ba9c-186672b357ff?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] and Audible [https://substack.com/redirect/13b873d1-c0b5-40b0-89ed-7381271c4c06?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit indiebusinessclub.substack.com [https://indiebusinessclub.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Today’s episode is all about outsourcing. Are you an outsourcer? Or an outsourceee? Or both? Did I just make up those words? At least one of them. Either way, to keep it easy we’re using “outsourcing” to cover any projects that are done by someone who’s not on the payroll. We discuss the pros and cons, what to watch out for if you’re outsourcing, how to be a good outsourceee (we should use more triple-Es in made-up words) and highlight how outsourcing can help you scale your business both up and down, depending on how things are going. BTW, this episode is supported by Freelancer Magazine [https://freelancermagazine.co.uk/shop/quarterly-subscription/], the quarterly magazine for freelancers, founders, and the freelance-curious. Along with the mag (which is printed or digital) your subscription gives you a whole heap of other benefits including three virtual coworking sessions every week. You can subscribe here [https://freelancermagazine.co.uk/shop/quarterly-subscription/] or find it on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/freelancer-magazine]and on “instantgram” @freelancermag [https://www.instagram.com/freelancermag]. Ben and I are both in the upcoming issue on client processes and getting new clients. Look! Ben’s the COVER GIRL! Voicenoted Our lovely pal Jo Marshall is today’s voicenoter. Jo runs All Things Words, the copywriting agency for higher education providers. Jo and her team provide copy audits, course copy and content. Shout out to Louis and Ivy too! You can find Jo on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-marshall-copywriter/] and at allthingswords.co.uk [https://allthingswords.co.uk/]. Your friends and mine A double bill this time and first up is VA to creative types like us, Erin Buck. Erin is a firm supporter of the show and knows a thing or two about podcasts herself, having hosted Women In Business [https://open.spotify.com/show/4CZQzF6IpN1wnVfCRLjHUS?si=db0e345e42ae4f82] podcast for multiple series. Find her at her website [https://www.bizzybeebolly.com/] and on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bizzybeebolly/]. We also want give a shout out to friend of the show and past voicenoter (episode 13) Rishi Dastidar who has a new book which is out now. A Hobby Of Mine [https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page/rishi-dastidar-a-hobby-of-mine] is published by Broken Sleep Books, and is described as “an unrelenting catalogue of cultural observations which becomes an absurd and profound portrait of modern life” Buy it from brokensleepbooks.com [https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page/rishi-dastidar-a-hobby-of-mine] and all good bookshops. And can you do us a favour? We’re speaking on The Marketing Meetup webinar this coming Tuesday 17th June at 2pm. Please come along and watch us get quizzed by Joe/James from TMM so we don’t have to talk to an empty room. Okay, so it’s virtual and there’s no real room… and you aren’t on camera anyway, but you know what we mean. Sign up is here [https://themarketingmeetup.com/events/how-to-grow-a-marketing-freelancer-consultancy-business-in-2025/]. Thank yoooooou, Mel [https://substack.com/redirect/29269051-4a36-4fab-bdb8-72d016954ab6?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] & Ben [https://substack.com/redirect/877cba3c-e4c1-42e6-a28f-a2a6b3152137?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4]Find our producer, theme composer and apprentice roofer Ant Henderson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/antphenderson/] and you can watch older episodes of the show on YouTube here [https://www.youtube.com/@indiebusinessclubpod]. If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs with a £3 contribution at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub [http://www.ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub] please and thank you 💖 🎙️ Spotify [https://substack.com/redirect/2863e896-cbe5-4d79-8ea2-09835aa734e9?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] / Apple podcasts [https://substack.com/redirect/093c5e99-cf99-4009-8e1d-5455269aca03?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] / Amazon Music [https://substack.com/redirect/f009f55b-92d7-4eb8-ba9c-186672b357ff?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] and Audible [https://substack.com/redirect/13b873d1-c0b5-40b0-89ed-7381271c4c06?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit indiebusinessclub.substack.com [https://indiebusinessclub.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Today’s episode is all about testimonials. But just before we get into it… we’re incredibly excited about this 👇 We’re doing a Marketing Meetup webinar [https://themarketingmeetup.com/events/how-to-grow-a-marketing-freelancer-consultancy-business-in-2025/] with Michelle L P Boland all about how to grow your marketing freelance / consultancy business in 2025. Doing a TMM webinar is major #Goals so please help us make it a success by coming along [https://themarketingmeetup.com/events/how-to-grow-a-marketing-freelancer-consultancy-business-in-2025/]! 😄 We’ll talk all about how we’ve each built our businesses and give allll the indie business intel and tips. It’s not until 17th June but you can sign up here [https://themarketingmeetup.com/events/how-to-grow-a-marketing-freelancer-consultancy-business-in-2025/] to get it in your calendar :) Testimonials Now. Onto the episode. It’s all about testimonials, which seem to be a sore point for lots of people. Do you…ask for them? get them? use them? Full disclosure, we’re not exactly great at asking clients for them. This is one of our “do as we say, not as we do” situations..! It sometimes feels a bit icky. And then time just dribbles by and before you know it, two years have gone by. Bit late by then. I asked people’s opinions on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/melaniebarfield_feedback-form-mel-barfield-activity-7324420953021505536-Ng0p?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAANzZTABz56wvLh6eSvX4wKvsWeUmNYqayw] and got some great tips. Several people noted how it’s useful to be ultra specific about what you’re asking for. So if you want to highlight your organisation skills / communication / professionalism / slick onboarding process etc. (delete as appropriate) then tell your client that when you ask for a testimonial. Others try and grab natural comments as they go along. There’s a “Wall of Remembrance” on the Copy Or Die homepage [https://copyordie.co.uk/] (scroll down a bit to see it) thanks to a plug-in called testimonial.to [https://testimonial.to/] (I think we might have said i o on the episode sorryyyyy). Voicenoted Luckily, we have the Peter Pan of graphic design Dave Officer as today’s voicenoter to give us a steer. He made us ponder why it feels gross to ask for testimonials and talks about how he approaches asking for them. It was an epic feature-length voicenote, so we’ve had our sound guy (and sound guy) Ant weave Dave in and out of the whole episode. Your friends and mine The YFAMs from this episode are everyone we mention in this episode!Gemma Strang, Jodie Newman, Leigh James, Jo Shock, Stacey Eleczko (find her helpful article here [https://stacy-eleczko.kit.com/posts/the-hill-i-ll-die-on?_gl=1*qwn5zh*_gcl_au*MTEwMTgxNDc4MS4xNzQyODEzODEw]), Eddie Shleyner, Dave Harland (again!), Adrian Elton, Amy Hawthorne, Jeremy Freeman, Gemma Champ, Lou Major, Erin Buck, Samantha Harman and Ruth Sedar. We didn’t have time to cover everyone’s testimonials tips so we will revisit the topic in future. Email us on show@indiebusinessclub.com [show@indiebusinessclub.com] if you have any comments and we’ll try and include them in our testies part two. One last wang Okay, it probably won’t be the absolute last time I wang on about this but we’re so proud of our live episode. We’d love you to listen to it if you haven’t already. We had a jolly old time making it, as you can see. Please give it a listen [https://indiebusinessclub.substack.com/p/24-lets-go-surfing-live-q-and-a-episode] 😉 Thanks again to Mark Masters and the team at FOUNDRY Poole. And one last ask While we’re on the topic of asking for testimonials, can you leave us one please? 🙏 You email us (show@indiebusinessclub.com [show@indiebusinessclub.com]) or leave one on our individual LinkedIn pages here for Mel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniebarfield/details/recommendations/] and here for Ben [https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmckinney/details/recommendations/]. Or you can leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Thank yooou! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit indiebusinessclub.substack.com [https://indiebusinessclub.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

This earlier-than-expected episode is called Let’s Go Surfing* and it’s a LIVE Q&A episode recorded at FOUNDRY Poole as part of Creator Day 2025. Extra special thanks to Mark Masters at You Are The Media for organising the space and inviting us to record our first live episode *TV announcement voice* recorded in front of a live studio audience. Thank you to the team at FOUNDRY as well for taking such great care of us. BTW the video version of the live recording won’t go up for a little while yet - I’m still wrangling with the massive file size :) Q’s got A’d (mostly…we’re okay admitting when we don’t know stuff) We had a range of questions submitted on LinkedIn: Robyn Santa Maria on when to burn it all down and start againSeyam Hamed on how to rest without the guiltFelicity Wild on what clients really wantGrace Hall on how to get a retainerRaymond Manzor on where to focus your efforts when there are 29 things you could do right now We also had questions live in the room: Mark Masters on how to switch offChristine Gritmon on when to work for freeRachel Extance on how to do market research Photo credit: Steve Folland of Being Freelance Thank you to everyone who came, especially Becky Greaves for sending me this link to a LinkedIn post Ben mentions on the show when talking about how engaging a freelancer on retainer is more cost effective than having an employee. [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/givernyharman_i-charge-1500-per-month-for-social-media-activity-7325768905220661249-StXA?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAANzZTABz56wvLh6eSvX4wKvsWeUmNYqayw] Creator Day Friday’s recording closed out Creator Day. On Thursday, I spoke on stage** at the main conference day about how to be lucky. I talked about how chance events impact careers, and the three things you can do to harness luck: 1) get over yourself and post - put yourself out there online2) network, network, network - meet people, with the goal of friendship first3) go brain-to fingers - don’t over sanitise your content to the point it doesn’t sound like you anymore It’s thanks to doing those three things that I ended up meeting Ben. And it’s how we’ve approached building an audience for indie business club podcast too. We don’t make promises about how you can hack your way to six figures, or sugar-coat freelance life to make it sound all sunshine and lollipops. We don’t have fake personas or masks we put on to record. We certainly don’t try and polish our episodes too much. And we try and get out there to events to meet people and turn online connections into real-life relationships. Creator Day is one of those special events where you walk into the room and feel like you’re surrounded by friends. You might not have met all of them yet, but they’re future friends at least. If you want to get in on the action next year, earlywirly bird tickets are on sale now [https://www.creatorday.uk/book-your-place/]. Your friends and mine Thank you so much to everyone who came along to watch the live recording. We really appreciate you sticking around a little longer after Creator Day to join us in our first studio recording. It’ll be weird going back to recording remotely on Riverside! Check out what friend of the show Amy Nolan created to showcase the day. What a legend. You can buy Amy’s doodles as postcards and pngs at her shop here. [https://ko-fi.com/inkypix4u/shop] We’re hoping to make it back again next year. What a blast. Cheers, Mel [https://substack.com/redirect/29269051-4a36-4fab-bdb8-72d016954ab6?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] & Ben [https://substack.com/redirect/877cba3c-e4c1-42e6-a28f-a2a6b3152137?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4]* (if you’re not sure if you know the song, you probably do [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkQrJ3SVXko])**if you were at Creator Day, I’d love to know what you thought of my talk. Please can you spare 3-5mins to fill in this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCkoO826iEyPe_v2c3cYOrbTPwFlCd3vk_23QNzAu4XnoNgQ/viewform?usp=header]?Find our producer, theme composer and speedy splicer Ant Henderson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/antphenderson/] and you can watch older episodes of the show on YouTube here [https://www.youtube.com/@indiebusinessclubpod]. If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs with a £3 contribution at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub [http://www.ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub] please and thank you 💖 🎙️ Spotify [https://substack.com/redirect/2863e896-cbe5-4d79-8ea2-09835aa734e9?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] / Apple podcasts [https://substack.com/redirect/093c5e99-cf99-4009-8e1d-5455269aca03?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] / Amazon Music [https://substack.com/redirect/f009f55b-92d7-4eb8-ba9c-186672b357ff?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] and Audible [https://substack.com/redirect/13b873d1-c0b5-40b0-89ed-7381271c4c06?j=eyJ1IjoiMjRxeHBmIn0.JY0nXOBjbWqDF3FgzKtTN_4ED2cYpv7i43iBoRKY8t4] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit indiebusinessclub.substack.com [https://indiebusinessclub.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

This episode is called Separated by Motorways and it's all about working with your friends. We’re at Creator Day today. So the YouTube video will be up in the next week or so. Here we are at last year’s event, which was only the second time we’d met in person. This photo was taken at FOUNDRY, where we’re recording a live podcast Q&A episode tomorrow morning. Let us know your indie business/freelancer questions on show@indiebusinessclub.com and we’ll answer as many as we can. Could you work with your friends? Have you? On the face of it, it seems like an easy decision to work with people you're friends with. But doing so comes with its own unique challenges and rewards. On this episode, we’ll talk about: How to make a success of it (i.e. stay friends) Making sure you're on the same page when working with your pals Putting in place boundaries so it all works out Voicenoted We’ve got long-term friend of the show Bonnie Harrington on to talk about working with friends. Bonnie is a Bristol based copywriter specialising in writing for independent businesses and brands with a conscience. We've both worked with her and can verify she's ace. Find Bonnie on Instagram @wordsbybonnie and at wordsbybonnie.com Your friend and mine Today’s YFAM is Paul Smart, a business counsellor who fixes the “you” in your business. A bespoke mixture of counselling, coaching, mentoring and good old practical advice can get you where you want to go. Paul also runs a regular Friday music collective on LinkedIn which I love to get involved with. CopyCon Discount Save 10% on all tickets to CopyCon, the conference for professional writers. This October, we’re heading to Manchester for the main conference day on Friday 3rd. Get your tickets here. Email the show Get in touch on show@indiebusinessclub.com with any questions you have about indie business life, or share your freelance/founder challenges. We may well feature you in a future episode. Cheers, Ben & Mel Find our producer, theme composer and Sainsbury’s superfan Ant Henderson on LinkedIn and you can watch the show on YouTube here. A like and a subscribe goes a long way 😉 If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs with a £3 contribution at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub please and thank you 💖 🎙️ Spotify / Apple podcasts / Amazon Music and Audible The back catalogue 21 Got Your Money: pricing projects 20 Joy Division: work-life balance 19 Daytripper: conferences part deux 18 The Day We Caught The Train: conferences ft Nick Crawford and Lorna Smart 17 Hanging On The Telephone: ghosting ft Will Slater and Heather Pownall16 Heart Shaped Box: niching ft Ayo Abbas and Raymond Manzor15 The Masterplan: goal setting ft Janine Coombes and friends b-side Word of the yearb-side LinkedIn revisited14 Handbags and Gladrags: Industry Awards ft Charles Commins and Fab Giovannetti13 You’re The Voice: Tone Of Voice ft Nick Parker, Rishi Dastidar and Amy Nolan12 Plug In Baby: Software ft Jo Shock and Jack Chambers-Ward11 Somebody Told Me: Referrals ft Bob Burg and Penni and Jo Pickering10 Paranoid Android: AI vs creativity ft Tom Albrighton and Molly Scanlan09 Shiny Happy People: Personal brands ft Lea Turner and Steve Folland08 Chasing Rainbows: Business planning ft. Alastair Thomson and Melanie Johnson07 A Design For Life: Creating for yourself with guest co-host Dan Nelken ft. Penny Brazier and The McKinneys06 I Bet You Look Good On The Timeline ft. Dave Harland and Jonathan Wilcock05 Flaming Lips: Public Speaking ft. Pascalle Bergmans, Becki Wilson and Nikki Pilkington04 A Little Respect: Client Relationships ft. Jodie Newman and Sophie Cross03 All Together Now: Communities ft. Mark Masters and Ant Henderson02 It’s Oh So Quiet: Finding Clients ft. John Lyons and Bonnie Harrington01 Fools Gold: Pricing your projects ft. Tom Garfield and Ange Lyons00 What’s The Story? Podcast origins This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit indiebusinessclub.substack.com [https://indiebusinessclub.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]