This episode is brought to you by Copy Or Die , the copywriting agency we work at, which Ben co-founded with Dave Harland. If you say you listen to the podcast we’ll probably give you I dunno, 0.05% off or something. Subscribe now Hi, Mel here, Today’s episode is all about starting a podcast. In our first attempt at recording our last episode (on starting something new), we rambled on and on about indie business club. It felt too self-indulgent (even for us) so we re-recorded that episode and ma...
Jul 24, 2025•53 min
This episode is brought to you in partnership with Nikki Pilkington - SEO expert, copywriter, legend, and friend of the show. You can get 20% off Nikki’s full SEO course and on-page SEO toolkit with our code IBC20 . Learn more at nonwankyseo.com Today’s episode is all about starting something new . It’s called Roll With It (we promise we aren’t just jumping on the Oasis bandwagon…) In the episode, we talk about- why you should follow your gut when something keeps “winking” at you- shiny object s...
Jul 10, 2025•40 min
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 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 anoth...
Jun 26, 2025•49 min
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...
Jun 12, 2025•35 min
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 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 ! 😄 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 u...
May 29, 2025•40 min
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...
May 19, 2025•44 min
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 w...
May 15, 2025•39 min
Episode 22 is called Bloc Party and it's all about celebrating your wins as a freelancer, founder, or indie business owner. Subscribe n Are you good at celebrating wins? Lots of freelancers, founders and indie business owners are rubbish at it. You hit a goal, you tick it off, you move on. Rinse, repeat. But if you don’t stop to enjoy the wins (however small) it can make everything feel like an endless slog. In this episode we discuss ways to mark the milestones, what we’re going to do to celebr...
May 01, 2025•33 min
Episode 21 is called Got Your Money and it's all about pricing work as a freelancer, founder, or indie business owner. 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 💖 Pricing was the first topic we ever covered way back in episode one, released 27th June 2024. No need to listen to that one. Our sound quality and (professional podcast conduct) has come a long way since. On this new episode, we discuss: wh...
Apr 17, 2025•45 min
Episode 20 (TWENTY! 🥳) is called Joy Division and it's all about work-life balance. If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub please and thank you 💖 We first discussed the topic way back on our LinkedIn lives (we should bring those back). At the time, I had a lot going on and found the subject quite triggering. On the show, we discuss: whether it’s actually possible to find balance as an indie business owner ways to switch off the “email fear...
Apr 03, 2025•36 min
Episode 19 of indie business club podcast is coming at you faster than usual. We recorded a second episode on conferences, called Daytripper, so we could include feedback we got from LinkedIn. If you missed our first conferences episode, The Day We Caught The Train is here . If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub please and thank you 💖 Voicenoted We’ve got a voicenote in from the inimitable Susie Palmer-Trew. Susie is a change consultant an...
Mar 20, 2025•21 min
Episode 18 of indie business club podcast is called The Day We Caught The Train and it’s all about going to conferences, networking, and events as an indie business owner. In it, we cover: the CPD benefits of attending industry conferences the other reasons it’s well worth going how to decide which events to attend If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub please and thank you 💖 Voicenoted We’ve got a voicenote in from lovely Nick Crawford , m...
Mar 06, 2025•37 min0
Episode 17 of indie business club podcast is called Hanging On The Telephone and it’s all about professional ghosting. In it, we cover: reasons why prospective clients might ghost you ways to try and prevent it happening what to do if you do get ghosted and if you’re ghosted on payment, this blog from FreeAgent might be useful If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub please and thank you 💖 Voicenoted We’ve got a voicenote in from cat-daddy Wi...
Feb 20, 2025•33 min
Hello, If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub please and thank you 💖 In episode 16 “Heart Shaped Box”, we talk about… how and why to niche ikigai (Mel had written it down wrong, no wonder she couldn’t say it) Voicenoted We’ve got a voicenote in from marketer Ayo Abbas, an award-winning strategic marketing consultant who specialises in working with construction and built environment firms. Ayo also has a podcast (podcast pals!) called The Bu...
Feb 06, 2025•22 min
Hello, and welcome to our first full-length podcast episode of 2025 🙌🏻 If you enjoy the show, you can chip in on our production costs at ko-fi.com/indiebusinessclub please and thank you 💖 In episode 15 “The Masterplan”, we talk about… how setting goals can help you to protect your boundaries the power of writing your goals down how setting a specific number as a target can have a limiting effect Mel’s knowledge of the phonetic alphabet (what a treat) how “vanity” goals can still influence you...
Jan 23, 2025•40 min
On this minisode we discuss the concept of having a "word of the year". In case you missed it, we’re speaking at the Alt Marketing School open day on Thursday 16th January. There are 14 speakers and we’re talking about tone of voice and why it’s important for your brand and your business. Click the pic for tickets . It’s an affiliate link so if you opt for the paid ticket for lifetime access to the talks, we get some cash which we’ll put towards the cost of making the podcast. See ya, Ben & ...
Jan 12, 2025•15 min
Hello, Mel here, We’re rounding off the year with a b-side to revisit LinkedIn. The b-sides are shorter chats than a normal episode, so if you've got any topics you'd like us to chew over for 10-15 minutes, let us know. A brief, unimportant disclaimer Turns out I got my Paul brothers mixed up in this b-side. Apologies to any boxing fans. Though, true boxing fans probably don't know their Jake from their Logan either. Ben's meme ban Since we covered all things LinkedIn in I Bet You Look Good On T...
Dec 30, 2024•9 min
Hello, Award-Winning-Copywriter Mel and Non-Award-Entering Ben here. Today’s episode is called Handbags And Gladrags. It’s all about industry awards and whether they’re worth entering as an indie business owner. Spoiler: Mel says yes. Industry awards don’t always come with a great reputation. I (Ben) have definitely been a bit sniffy about them in the past. But it’s been a lovely thing to see the joy and confidence that winning first place in the Brand Copywriting Category at the recent Women In...
Dec 12, 2024•32 min•Ep. 14
Today’s episode is called You’re The Voice, and we talk about what tone of voice is, why it’s important to you and your business, and how to get in touch with your own unique verbal identity. It’s a bit of a high-pressure episode because we both offer tone of voice work in our businesses (me as a freelancer , Ben as part of Copy Or Die , the copywriting agency he runs with friend of the show Dave Harland) and we kinda need to know what we’re talking about. Did we do ourselves justice? You decide...
Nov 28, 2024•44 min
There’s so much tech around nowadays, it’s hard to know where to start. Today’s episode is called Plug In Baby , and we talk about which software we use in our own indie businesses. Safe to say, we aren’t the techiest of bros. Tetchiest, more like. We’ve got a voicenote from exec VA and all-round processes legend Jo Shock , who talks us through what to consider when choosing your software. You can find Jo here , where she has a free Client Management Journey Checklist: Streamlines Virtual . In t...
Nov 14, 2024•40 min
We met up in Norwich this week (thanks, half term) to plan out our upcoming episodes. We’ve got topics up to #20, but we always welcome suggestions. Themes include tone of voice (suggested by Amy Nolan), software, and copywriting (it’s probably about time). Today’s episode is called Somebody Told Me, and we talk about how inbound referrals can boost your business. We picked this theme because both of us have benefitted massively from inbound leads. When you’re recommended by someone else, onboar...
Nov 03, 2024•34 min
Hi, Mel here, Today’s episode is called Paranoid Android, and it’s all about AI. Specifically, generative AI. Even more specifically, the large language model (LLM) kind. Think ChatGPT and the suchlike. This one's a re-record because my mic - despite being plugged in and switched on - wasn't picked up by the software. Even though the software said it was. I’m over it, though. Quick disclaimer...if you use AI, we aren't judging. We're just giving our views as (spoiler alert) humans who value huma...
Oct 17, 2024•39 min
Hallo, Ben here, Today’s episode is called Shiny Happy People, and it’s all about building a personal brand. Mel and I dig into what a personal brand actually is, and what having one might do for your business. Have you got a personal brand? Do you want one?? Do you need one??? In this show, we’ll ask and answer all those questions and more. As a slight spoiler, Mel will say that we’ve all got a personal brand whether we like it or not, and I’ll try and get over the slightly icky feeling that le...
Oct 03, 2024•46 min
Hi, Mel and Ben here, Today’s episode is called Chasing Rainbows , and it’s all about business planning . There’s a strong theme of “do as we say, not as we do” in this episode 🙃. We both tend to approach our business planning with the start point of, “how do we want our family life to look?” We both have young children and share school run duties with Mr Barfield & Mrs McKinney. For others, business goals might be all about earning as much as possible even if it means working 80-hour weeks...
Sep 19, 2024•37 min
I’ve got a special guest co-host this time, because Ben’s been on paternity leave. This one’s called A Design For Life and features the lovely Dan Nelken . In this episode we talk about the importance of creating stuff for ourselves. It’s a long one, as we covered a lot of ground. Dan explains how adding structure into your routine can improve your creative output, even if it feels counterintuitive to try and control the flow. There's a science behind why we get our best ideas when we're relaxed...
Sep 05, 2024•52 min
This episode is called I Bet You Look Good on the Timeline, and we’re talking about everyone’s favourite/most hated social media platform… LinkedIn. In the episode we talk about how incredible LinkedIn and how much Mel (hi) loves it. Ben is… slightly less enamoured. We went to top LinkerInner and Friend Of The Show Dave Harland for a voice note about the impact a single post can have. And as always, we shout out a fellow indie business owner we think is top notch. This time it’s Jonathan Wilcock...
Aug 22, 2024•36 min
This episode is called Flaming Lips, and we’re talking about public speaking as a way to build your profile and attract more clients. We’ve both spoken on large stages, and one of the reasons we wanted to start a podcast was to… * improve our public speaking * get more speaking gigs, both in-person and on podcasts In the talk we mention Ben’s speaker performances at Creator Day this year and at Copy Cabana in 2017, which you can watch here . In this episode, Pascalle Bergmans gives us her top ti...
Aug 08, 2024•36 min
This episode is called A Little Respect, and we’re talking about Client Relationships. We’ve got a contribution from creative force of nature Jodie Newman at The Business Allotment and as always we shout out an indie business owner we think is ace. One thing that came out in the discussion is just how much running an indie business relies on having processes and boundaries in place. We also touch on the danger of falling into the classic “employee mindset” trap. But we also talk about how to sur...
Jul 25, 2024•37 min
This episode is called All Together Now and we’re talking COMMUNITIES. We’ve both been part of various communities as freelancers, and in this episode we mention… Freelancer Magazine including its virtual co-working sessions and The Marketing Movement on LinkedIn by editor Sophie Cross . You Are The Media including the annual event Creator Day by Mark Masters (who features on the episode). Being Freelance , the community and podcast by Steve Folland . The usual beg to please follow, like, review...
Jul 11, 2024•34 min
Ben McKinney and Mel Barfield discuss strategies for attracting clients during economic downturns, emphasising the importance of diversifying marketing efforts, posting on LinkedIn, and avoiding relying solely on one platform or approach. They also discuss the value of authenticity, consistency, and specificity in leveraging social media platforms for business growth, and share tips for managing challenging clients and projects, including taking a step back to assess situations objectively. Fina...
Jun 27, 2024•39 min
