Every month we run through a series of questions to help you run your freelance business like a bigger business—“self-coaching” your way to better results and a better life. 

Hey!

Instability is the constant for a lot of us these days…which means it’s a great time to rethink our niche.

One of the drawbacks of employment is being in a position where it’s incredibly hard to adapt when industries get rocky. But as freelancers, we have agility—agility that allows us to move to safety and take advantage of opportunities more quickly than we can in employment relationships. (Remember, the steps you take here can even feed employment decisions…freelancing and employment aren’t mutually exclusive.)

We have the option of rethinking our niche and responding with options like niching down, niching up or laterally, or even expanding into new territory. (Check out BF Niche Resources here)

That’s why this month, we’re going to go over four questions you should be asking about your niche to maintain stability and even growth in your freelance business. 

Where is my info coming from?

Answering this question will pay off for years to come in your freelance business. 

When things started to turn in the wrong direction for me in 2023, I immediately thought I was doing something wrong or that I was just really unlucky…until I talked to some people. 

One of my prospects told me business was the worst he’d seen it in 30 years. I found out that multiple deals I had in process went silent because of layoffs. One of my partners said the silence was worrying her. People started contacting me, asking if I was hiring. This aligned with what was going on in the bigger picture of US healthcare. 

I couldn’t have gotten a reliable picture of what was going on (and how I should respond) if I hadn’t been tapping multiple sources. 

If you aren’t having good conversations with multiple connections in your niche (including professional orgs, partners, and other freelancers…even consider using a research-strong AI in deep thinking/deep research/high temperature mode), now is a great time to reach out, introduce yourself, and start talking. 

Questions about how to find good places to connect for your niche? Stop by the BlackFreelance Mastermind Discord.

Megan