“It’s the fusion of skill, dedication, and motivation that sets me apart.”

My journey in digital marketing has been a testament to this ethos, from crafting meticulously targeted PPC campaigns to executing comprehensive SEO strategies, each project serves as a canvas to showcase not only my technical proficiency but also my dedication to driving success.

Juggling priorities

Navigating the demands of juggling working for clients not just across cities, but across different countries and time zones can be challenging. Yet, it’s precisely these challenges that fuel my passion and drive me to surpass expectations, and push my own limits. Also, like many working parents, my wife and I do our best to balance work with family life. My spouse has a demanding career as an investment banker, commuting between Rugby and London a couple of times a week, and with two young children, it takes meticulous planning and teamwork from both of us. It’s in these moments of juggling priorities that I find my motivation strengthened. The pressure is always on, and (especially as a freelancer and my own boss) I need to make it work!

I spend my Sunday evening planning out my schedule for the week ahead, blocking out time for the essentials, whether that be dedicated client time to focus, calls already scheduled, me time or family time. Everything has to be in balance. If I’m not well, everything else suffers. Client work is project managed in Asana, so every task and deadline has its place, and my availability is always visible on Calendly. When you book a call, it goes straight into the week as a priority.

So what’s had to give most evenings? TV, which I scarcely watch anyway, other than the occasional Man Utd match, domestically or in Europe. Friday evenings, though, are always out of office, kept free for a date night with my wife.

The joy of freelancing. No two days are the same. Longer working days, broken up around family life, work best for me. Sometimes that’s by choice, sometimes by necessity, but having the flexibility to balance both is what makes freelancing so worthwhile for me.

I log on early, before getting the kids ready for the school run, to take care of scheduling, project management and arranging items for the day ahead or the next day, and I’m back at work after the afternoon pick-up. After family time, I’m often back at my desk in the evening too, sometimes for calls with US based clients. I work weekends on occasion, and when I’m on annual leave I take my laptop away with me to manage client accounts. Flexibility and long days suit me best.

Scheduling and organisation

In the realm of freelance digital marketing work, effective scheduling and organisation are critical. Leveraging digital tools and technologies, I’ve honed a disciplined approach to time management, ensuring no detail is overlooked and no deadline missed. This meticulous planning not only enhances productivity but also fosters a harmonious balance between professional obligations, family commitments, and personal pursuits.

In simple form, I like to use Notes on my Mac and iCloud Calendar; I also use paid-for products such as Asana and Semrush for project management and support, and Slack, Google Meet, Zoom and Calendly, alongside Google Workspace products, for messaging, calls, scheduling and emails.

• Notes
• iCloud Calendar
• Asana
• Semrush
• Slack
• Google Meet
• Zoom
• Calendly
• Google Workspace

A third space to work from

When I’m not working from home, I like to work from a third space, such as David Lloyd, which has a great, quiet workspace and coffee shop during the daytime. Its coworking space gives me the flexibility that freelance work needs, and the company of people around me, rather than the solitude of having no one around.

Bureau Club, Greenwich: my base when I’m in London to meet clients.

Wellbeing

Beyond the digital realm lies another pillar of my success, my unwavering dedication to personal well-being. Recognising the profound link between physical health, mental resilience, and professional growth, I prioritise regular exercise, recreational activities, and moments of mindfulness amidst the daily hustle.

Most mornings, after the school run, or after an early morning client call should there be one, I boost my mindset, get the blood flowing and give my brain a boost. Whether it’s an invigorating game of padel or traditional tennis, a rejuvenating run through the countryside, or a session at the gym, these moments of respite serve as catalysts for inspiration, rejuvenation, and creative energy.

• Padel or tennis
• Countryside runs
• The gym

Personal goals: my first half marathon

Earlier this year, in May 2026, I ran the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run half marathon, my first ever half marathon. It was also a test for an Achilles issue I’ve been battling: Achilles tendinopathy, which has resulted in a steroid injection, followed by multiple rounds of shockwave therapy and physiotherapy at the Meriden Hospital in Coventry, by the brilliant senior physiotherapist Lauren Okeife (who deserves a mention).

The sub-2 hour target

2:00:53

Sub 2:00

Just 53 seconds short. Next time.

Such is my spirit and determination (some might say stupidity), I heavily strapped my left Achilles and ran, and only just, frustratingly, came up short of a sub two hour time, finishing in 2:00:53. At 41 years of age, I’m going to go again, and post-half I’m now working to strengthen my Achilles and do what I can with my ongoing condition. Despite my love of pushing myself to the max, it’s an ongoing battle with my Achilles, but I refuse to slow down. I bring the same effort, drive and determination to client accounts.

It’s nice to have these personal battles and challenges, especially as a freelancer, where you are your own boss. There’s no applause, award or pat on the back from colleagues or a boss. Client praise is lovely and invaluable, but I also need personal goals to complement my professional goals, and to drive my professional mentality and motivation.

Experience, without the agency premium

I keep my rates as competitive as possible at £80 per hour, considerably below many established London digital agencies, where experienced specialists can command £130–£185 per hour or more.

Having spent several years at Tangent, one of London’s leading digital agencies, and at Decibel, a leading SaaS business, I know the industry from the inside. Clients often pay agency premiums, sometimes for accounts managed by less experienced specialists or recent graduates.

Whilst income is naturally important, client satisfaction and retention are equally so. I value building long-term relationships, and if I can offer over 15 years of hands-on experience at a more favourable rate, without agency overheads, that’s a genuine USP and better value for my clients.

Ultimately, my journey in digital marketing is more than just a job; it’s my career and my bread and butter. Without my clients, there’s no managing director to assign me another project if one client leaves, as there would be at a digital agency. Each client is exponentially more valuable to me, because their fees pay all my professional bills and my share of the household ones, rather than going mostly to an agency, with a little reaching the person doing the work. The worth of every client, to me personally, is far greater than it would be to a digital marketing professional with not as much at stake, who can just wait for the next project to be handed to them. The graft that has to go into winning new business behind the scenes as a freelancer can often go unnoticed.

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, it’s not merely just about what we know that matters, but having the motivation to create a successful working partnership with clients, and deliver key results for them, that brings me happiness in my professional capacity.