Dispensing Freelance Insights
The concept for Dr. Freelance came about in 2009, during a 3,100-mile cross-country drive, as Jake Poinier trekked home to Phoenix from an expatriate year in New Brunswick, Canada.
There’s nothing like 50-plus hours of windshield time, with no one to talk to but a chocolate Lab, to let the mind wander.
At the time, Jake had been freelancing for a bit over 10 years—just about the same amount of time he’d spent in the corporate world of magazine publishing, sales, and marketing. In addition to doing work for his freelance clients, he’d played around with blogging for a few years, but found himself compelled to create content focused on the business of freelancing…drawing on lessons he’d learned, strategies he or his peers had used effectively, and, of course, mistakes he’d made along the way. As a frequent sounding board for new freelancers as well as veteran colleagues, Jake realized that Dr. Freelance would be the perfect venue to share his experiences and insights with a broader audience. (Plus, his parents always wanted him to be a doctor.)
The Dr. Freelance Philosophy
Dr. Freelance takes the perspective that success in freelancing means understanding business from a client’s or editor’s point of view as well as being skilled at your craft: No matter how terrific a writer, editor, or designer you are, you ignore the importance of relationships at your peril. Moreover, your portfolio doesn’t sell anything on its own—you have to market your services and yourself, and you need to make yourself an essential part of the creative ecosystem in order to thrive.
At the same time, Dr. Freelance also strives to assist clients in getting the most out of their freelance creatives. Experienced creative directors or editors can always find new ways to maximize productivity; novices at working with freelancers may not even know where to start. Dr. Freelance seeks to bridge that gap.
“Healthy Business Prescriptions for Freelance Creatives” isn’t just a slogan, it’s a mission. Through his blog posts and books, consulting and publishing services, and webinars, Dr. Freelance can help you diagnose what’s ailing your business—and more important, provide sound professional advice on how to make it healthier than ever.